Now that the US has elected a new president and the inauguration has joined the ranks of American history, many people are interested once again in not the president, but the home the president lives in. The White House has been a long-standing symbol of unity, democracy, and a 'for the people' way of thinking but surprisingly, not too many know what exists on the inside. While there are certain things that are of no news - such as the situation room and the oval office - there are other, lesser-seen parts of the home that no one would expect to find at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
From the sheer size of it all to what it's actually made of, the White House is still very much a mystery to many people. For example, would you be surprised to know that hidden inside is a game room and even a bowling alley? Just because someone holds the title of 'president' doesn't mean they don't enjoy a little fun every now and then! Here are some more secrets that can only be found at one address in Washington D.C.
The White House Is Far Larger Than It Seems
Believe it or not, the White House is one of the largest residences in the US. When construction was first started on the home during 1792, there wasn't much surrounding the house, save for fields and trees. Now, there's an entire city that surrounds the White House with the Capitol Building not far from it.
It looks grand enough from the exterior but the inside is even more incredible, boasting 28 fireplaces, 35 bathrooms, 16 family guest rooms, and 132 rooms, total. This makes for a rather striking portrait of the American government and speaks to just how much the country values democracy and, by extension, the person responsible for keeping it all in check.
The Kitchen Is A Grand (And Hunger-Inducing) Experience
The kitchen and its staff have the ability to feed up to 140 people for a full dinner service or 1,000 people for simple hors d'oeuvres. Most of us get excited over having dinner parties of ten people, meanwhile, dining at a White House party is far more than just a dinner.
The kitchen itself has various areas as well including one called the Chocolate shop, which is only one of the many kitchens used for food preparation and cooking. There, pastry chefs create beautiful and delicious desserts to follow dinner and also craft stunning centerpieces that are put on display during holidays.
Relaxation And Fun, Though Rare, Do Happen
The solarium, which is a grand room on the upper levels of the White House, has been used for all manner of activities. In essence, it's a general 'hang-out' room for the president and their family, a place where they can go and relax or spend quality time together. It was also the same room where Richard Nixon broke the news of his stepping down, as well as the room where Caroline Kennedy had kindergarten and the Clintons would play board games together.
Speaking of board games, what about a full-on game room? That's right - one of those exists in the White House as well, and it's home to a pool table which is somewhat of a presidential tradition. Many presidents have moved into the White House and brought with them their own personal pool tables, carrying on the tradition of blowing off some steam in a somewhat unconventional way.
For Even More Fun, The Bowling Alley
A family movie theater might not be surprising, but what about a bowling alley? Conveniently located near the Chocolate Shop kitchen is a fully-operating bowling lane, named the Harry S. Truman Bowling Alley, which was first built in 1947 for the president it's named after. While the bowling alley has been moved around since it was first built, it still remains a staple in the White House, with many a White House visitor being offered a few games in exchange for their visit. Harry Truman was a fan of bowling and was responsible for the construction of the bowling alley, but it's yet another tradition that many presidents have carried on and, to this day, it exists still in the North Portico, where it was moved in 1969.
So, what about that movie theater, though? For starters, it seats 42 people which makes it far larger than your standard in-home movie theater which seats maybe ten people at most. It's customary for some movie studios to give screenings to the White House and whichever presidential family is living there at the time, making the movie theater quite a bit deal in terms of both pop culture and history.