NEW Digital Archives Will Contain Documents/Video/Images Showing Life Behind the Scenes at the White House

Association is Seeking Out Collections of Former White House Residence Staff

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The White House Historical Association is on a mission to digitize and make publicly available the archival collections of former White House residence staff.

Since the Association's first public access initiative began in March 2016 as a "Digital Library," the organization's holdings have grown from 3,000 to more than 30,000 images and photographs documenting White House history. The move to actively seek out new collections and to add archival materials to its holdings aligns with the Association's mission to make White House history more accessible.

Later this year and into 2026, the Association will unveil the personal collections of former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier, who served under five presidents from 1979 to 2004, and inaugural White House Curator Lorraine Waxman Pearce, who played a key role in establishing the office of the curator and the Kennedy restoration. The digital collections will add more than 5,000 items to the Digital Archives and will include candid shots of White House staff, personal correspondences, sketches of State Dinner desserts, and materials that capture unique moments in time.

Each item within the Digital Archives includes a caption written by the digital archives team that provides the historical context of the asset and an appropriate credit.

"This transformation of the Digital Archives aligns with our efforts to make White House history readily available to all and furthers one of the Rubenstein Center's goals to elevate the dedicated individuals behind the scenes who not only serve the president and first family but also provide continuity for the White House as an institution," said Chief Education Officer Dr. Matthew Costello.

The Digital Archives are now actively seeking to acquire additional collections from resident staff members to grow the archive and continue to make White House history more accessible to all.

To learn more about the NEW Digital Archives, visit https://www.whitehousehistory.org/digital-archives.
To learn more about the White House Historical Association, visit whitehousehistory.org.  

About the White House Historical Association

First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy envisioned a restored White House that conveyed a sense of history through its decorative and fine arts. She sought to inspire Americans, especially children, to explore and engage with American history and its presidents. In 1961, the nonprofit, nonpartisan White House Historical Association was established to support her vision to preserve and share the Executive Mansion's legacy for generations to come. Supported entirely by private resources, the Association's mission is to assist in the preservation of the state and public rooms, fund acquisitions for the White House permanent collection, and educate the public on the history of the White House. Since its founding, the Association has given more than $115 million to the White House in fulfillment of its mission.

SOURCE The White House Historical Association