Front Parlor

One of the most elaborately finished rooms in the house, the front parlor served as the primary entertaining space in the Mansion for most of the Washingtons’ lives.

The room's origins date back to the initial construction period of the house, thus speaking not only to George Washington's life but also to the broader evolution of the house and estate. Through fine architectural features, artwork, and furnishings, the room was a means by which the Washingtons reinforced their elevated social status as a couple, as well as George Washington’s prominence in the social and political landscape.

Nearly every important politician and dignitary who visited the Washingtons was entertained in this space, from the Marquis de Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson. The space was primarily identified with the lady of the house, and here Martha Washington presided over the tea table and showed off her family through the many portraits that she had commissioned and had hung on the walls.