Limited Time Only: George Washington’s Inaugural Suit on Display
For just two weeks, see the suit the first president wore in New York City on April 30, 1789
ALEXANDRIA, VA-In the days leading up to the presidential inauguration, George Washington’s Mount Vernon will display the inaugural suit worn by the nation’s first president on April 30, 1789, in New York City on the balcony of Federal Hall.
The 235-year-old suit is rarely on display, the estate said in a press release, because it is extremely fragile. See it briefly from Jan. 17 through Feb. 3. Visitors will have the chance “to engage with Mount Vernon experts to learn about the inaugural suit, discuss inaugurations and the presidency, and view 18th-century presidential documents typically available only to researchers.”
Event details are below:
A rare and special viewing of President Washington’s inaugural suit is scheduled for Friday, January 17 through Monday, February 3, 2025, from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM ET in the Donald W. Reynolds Museum & Education Center at Mount Vernon.
Also planned for January 19 at 1 PM, experts will host a panel discussion about the history of presidential inaugurations, D.C., and the White House. The panelists include:
- Dr. Lindsay M. Chervinsky, Executive Director of the George Washington Presidential Library
- Dr. Matthew Costello, Director of the David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History at the White House Historical Association
- Susan Swain, Former CEO and President of C-SPAN.
The group will talk specifically about the first inauguration, Andrew Jackson’s inauguration, Lincoln’s own and how the Civil War clouded the ceremony, and the inauguration of Theodore Roosevelt after McKinley’s 1901 assassination.
Tickets are available HERE. Viewing the suit is included with the regular admission price. Mount Vernon members can attend the events for free.
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