White House Gains Status of Museum

WASHINGTON — The White House has been accredited officially as a museum.

The American Assn. of Museums, whose 2,300 member institutions include art museums, zoos and historic homes, said the White House had met “the highest standards of management and operations” to qualify for accreditation.

Only 673 of the more than 6,500 museums across the country meet the association’s criteria for this recognition, association executive director Edward Able said.

He said the White House was honored for conservation, interpretation and management of its historic collection of fine arts, including paintings, sculpture, furnishings and decorative pieces by American and European artists.