Mount Vernon Mansion Revitalization Project Tour

George Washington's Mount Vernon, the home of the nation's first president, has long been on the forefront of historic preservation. The Mansion Revitalization project, which kicked off in 2023 and will continue through 2026, is a landmark preservation project to ensure the Mansion's structural stability and improve environmental conditions in the building. The project's major tasks include designing and installing a new heating/ventilation/air conditioning (HVAC) system, improving drainage in and around the Mansion's cellar, and repairing sections of the Mansion's framing and masonry (To learn more about the scope and phasing of the project, please visit Mansion Revitalization Project | George Washington's Mount Vernon).

Over the course of this multi-phase project, parts of the Mansion have remained open to visitors. This tour, however, will provide access to areas currently off-limits to the public: the Mansion's cellar, the central core of the first floor, and the second floor. Attendees will be able to see spaces where floorboards and floor joists have been removed to perform structural repairs, as well as see how the design team has integrated new ductwork for the upgraded HVAC system into the Mansion while protecting historic fabric. Attendees will see the spaces as they have rarely, and in some cases never, been seen before.

The tour will also include a visit to the Mount Vernon Preservation Lab, where attendees will have a chance to see the famous cherry bottles unearthed by MV's archaeology team during the project, as well as pieces from the museum's architectural fragment collection.

Tours will be led by:

• Tom Reinhart - Director of Preservation, George Washington's Mount Vernon
• Amy McAuley - Restoration Manager, George Washington's Mount Vernon
• Members of the Christman Company project team.

Site address: 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway Mount Vernon, VA 22121. Parking lots (free) are located on the east and west sides of the George Washington Memorial Parkway.

The group will meet outside the Texas Gate (main entrance gate). Arrive by 9:20am to go through security as a group.

Other Important Info:

• Two (2) AIA HSW Credits are available for this event. Please select this during registration and provide your AIA #.
• Attendees will need to bring full PPE: hard hat, boots, hi-vis vest, and safety glasses.
• Attendees will need to go through the museum's security (including metal detectors) prior to the tour.
• The project site is not accessible; attendees must be able to climb ladders and stairs.