First Ladies' Hall

Beginning with the hand-painted silk gown of Martha Washington, the inaugural ball gowns of the First Ladies—wives, daughters, or official hostesses of the United States—are shown in period settings, enhanced by Presidential and White House furniture and accessories. The gowns are reflective of the women who wore them and the changes in fashion over the past centuries. Also on display is a large collection of White House china, including tableware used for family and state occasions by every President since George Washington.