New visitor center offers glimpse into White House life

They call it "the people's house," a place, according to the White House website, "that should be open to everyone."

But since 9/11, there are no more open tours. Instead, there's a brand new visitor center.

"This becomes the substitute for the White House itself," said Jonathan Jarvis, director of the National Park Service.

The upkeep of the White House and its grounds are his responsibility.

"We needed a place to tell the story of the White House and display specific items that are representative of the role the White House plays in our country, for the president and our society in general," Jarvis said.

The exhibits show the White House in its many roles: presidential workplace, family home, entertainment venue. With the help of technology, the actual rooms come alive.

"With this system you can look at a time scale and a model and we can actually go inside and explore various components," Jarvis said.

Touch screens offer a 360-degree view of the White House interior.

Most people never get a chance to see the Oval Office even if they take a tour of the public rooms, but they can tour that, as well as rooms like The Blue Room, with the display.

There are dozens of artifacts from history's attic: Abe Lincoln's ivory-handle seal; one of Harry Truman's bowling balls; an Indian club Calvin Coolidge used for exercise, an early radio.

Bill Allman, chief White House curator, showed off a desk acquired for the Usher's Office in 1902.

"President Wilson signed the declaration of war that started WWI for the United States on this desk. Didn't go back upstairs to his office, he came into the Usher's Office and signed it on this desk," Allman said.

There's even an exhibit of favorite presidential snacks. Pull back the plate of squirrel soup and discover that's what James Garfield savored. Fried chicken: Harry Truman. And the jelly beans: Ronald Reagan.

The visitors center opens Saturday, September 13 at 7:30 a.m. It's free to the public everyday and millions are expected. Even if you are one of the lucky few to actually tour the White House, there's a lot more to see and learn at the center.

To learn more about the White House Historical Association, which contributed funds for the renovation of the visitors center, please visit http://www.whitehousehistory.org/.