White House China

Many large, formal events at the White House include meals served on official White House china. These plates, cups, bowls, and other service items, collectively known as “china services,” “china sets,” or “State Services,” serve as both dinnerware and decorative arts. For over two hundred years, presidents and first ladies have brought their own personal dinnerware to the White House or designed china to suit their tastes and accommodate an increasing number of guests at the White House. Today, the China Room—located on the Ground Floor of the White House—is dedicated to displaying the official White House China Collection featuring pieces from every presidential administration or items from a president’s personal collection. Explore the history of selecting, preserving, and exhibiting presidential china at the White House.