The Oval Office, the presidential office in the White House, has become a United States national monument. On Thursday, November 5, 2026, Donald Trump signed a proclamation establishing the Oval Office National Monument and introducing specific protection for its historic character and architectural integrity.
The designation also includes the anteroom, called the Outer Oval Office, and the Cabinet Room, the room where the presidential cabinet meets. The measure aims to preserve these spaces and requires assessments before any work that would substantially alter their structure or their most important architectural features.
The new designation, however, does not open the Oval Office to visitors. For anyone who wants a close look at a reconstruction of America’s most famous office, Washington has a free alternative.
What the proclamation provides
The proclamation published by the White House establishes the Oval Office National Monument under the Antiquities Act, the 1906 law that allows presidents to protect historic structures and sites of historic or scientific interest on federal property. The text identifies the rooms by number: the Oval Office (Room 110), the Outer Oval Office (Rooms 106 and 108), and the Cabinet Room (Room 105).
The White House and its grounds were already recognized as a National Historic Landmark, a designation separate from that of a National Monument. According to the proclamation, the Oval Office deserves specific protection because of its historical value and its connection to the presidency of the United States.
The Secretary of the Interior, through the National Park Service, shall manage the monument and prepare a plan that gives priority to the preservation of the structure and its most significant architectural features, in collaboration with the relevant White House offices.
Before any intervention that could substantially alter or demolish the monument or its essential architectural elements, documentation, assessments, and analysis of alternatives will be required. Changes affecting the historical character of the spaces must also be examined in light of their national significance.
Could the Oval Office become square?
During the presentation, Trump also raised the possibility that a future president might want to turn the Oval Office into a square room, arguing that to do so they would have to go through Congress.
The signed text, however, does not introduce an explicit requirement for congressional authorization, nor does it provide for subsequent parliamentary ratification. Instead, it establishes a protection-and-review process before substantive changes are made. It is therefore more accurate to speak of new conservation measures rather than an outright ban on altering the spaces.
The proclamation further specifies that the president remains free to redecorate the rooms, choose the furnishings, and carry out ordinary operational and security-related work, as long as they do not substantially damage the monument’s historic structure or architectural character.
Trump’s “golden” Oval Office
The decision comes after the decorative changes Trump introduced during his second term. Since returning to the White House in January 2025, the president has given the Oval Office a look defined by gold decorations, vases, frames, and numerous portraits.
This setup also became the model for the walk-through replica at The People’s House, the White House Historical Association museum near the White House. The reconstruction lets visitors view the presidential office furnishings without entering the West Wing.
Can you visit the Oval Office?
The Oval Office is not included in public White House tours, and its new national monument status does not open it to visitors. Public tours cover selected rooms on the State Floor of the Executive Residence, not the president’s office in the West Wing.
Here’s what to know before planning your visit:
- Booking: submit a tour request through the office of your U.S. representative or either of your U.S. senators. Requests can be submitted 7–90 days before your preferred date. Availability is limited, and submitting a request does not guarantee a tour.
- Regular hours: tours are generally offered Tuesday through Thursday from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. and Friday and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., excluding federal holidays. Tours may be rescheduled or canceled on short notice.
- Cost: public White House tours are free.
- What you’ll see: the official tour page lists the Blue Room, Red Room, Green Room, State Dining Room, Cross Hall, and Entrance Hall. The Oval Office and Cabinet Room are not included.
- Christmas 2026: congressional offices handling tour requests list holiday tours from December 1–19, with some dates unavailable due to official events. No public tours are scheduled from December 20, 2026, through January 11, 2027.
The alternative: the Oval Office replica
If you want to see a recreation of the Oval Office, you can go to The People’s House: A White House Experience, the White House Historical Association museum one block from the White House. One of the main attractions is the life-size replica of the presidential office, updated to reflect the current president’s setup.
On October 4, 2026, the association announced the completion of the update dedicated to Trump’s second term. The reconstruction includes reproductions of the office furnishings and objects, including the Resolute Desk, as well as presidential portraits and gilded decorative items.
The museum also features a 1:5 scale model of the White House façade and interactive exhibits dedicated to the building’s history, its residents, and the people who work there.
Admission is free, with a suggested but optional donation. It’s recommended to reserve your pass in advance on the official website: passes for the following month are made available by 5:00 p.m. Washington time on the first business day of each month. The museum’s regular hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., every day.
Other Oval Office replicas to visit
The one in Washington is not the only reconstruction you can visit. Several museums and presidential libraries display replicas of the Oval Office furnished as it was during the term of the president they are dedicated to. In some cases, you can even have your photo taken behind the desk.
| Museum | Location | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| LBJ Library | Austin, Texas | A 7/8-scale replica of Lyndon B. Johnson’s Oval Office. |
| Reagan Library | Simi Valley, California | A full-size replica featuring Western art and Reagan’s signature jar of jelly beans. |
| George H.W. Bush Library | College Station, Texas | Visitors can sit behind a replica of the president’s desk. |
| Clinton Library | Little Rock, Arkansas | A replica of Bill Clinton’s Oval Office, with souvenir photos available for purchase showing you seated behind the Resolute Desk. |
| Obama Presidential Center | Chicago, Illinois | Opened to the public on June 19, 2026. Access to the Oval Office replica is included with museum admission. Standard adult admission for visitors who are not Illinois residents is $30. |
The special feature of The People’s House is the replica update program to reflect the office of the sitting president. The reconstructions in the presidential museums, on the other hand, make it possible to compare the setups chosen by the different presidents and to see how this emblematic American space has changed over time.
