Presidential Pet Museum

The Presidential Pet Museum is currently closed for renovations. It was founded in 1999 as a means of preserving information, artifacts, and items related to the presidential pets.

Hundreds of items of interest are displayed for lovers of pets, presidents, and pet trivia. Children learn by association, and what better way to educate visitors about our presidency than through the White House pets.

Nearly every president had a pet — either exotic or common — and you can learn about all of them here on our website.

Rest in Peace Champ

Goodbye, Champ

First Dog Champ Biden, the President and First Lady’s “constant, cherished companion” for 13 years passed away on Saturday, June 19th.

Champ joined the Biden family in 2008, the year President Barack Obama was elected president when Mr. Biden first became VP, and was named in tribute to President Biden’s father, who when life was difficult would encourage his son with the words, “Get up, champ.”

As a puppy, Champ played on the lawn of the Naval Observatory with the then Vice President’s grandchildren. Later in life, Champ was known to lounge in front of the fireplace at the president’s feet. “Everything was instantly better when he was next to us,” the President was quoted as saying.

Champ was one of two German shepherds living at the White House, the other was his pal Major. Until the last administration it had been more than 150 years—since Andrew Johnson in the 1860s—that the White House was absent a pet. Champ and Major were happy to fulfill the role of the first First Pets to reside in the white house since President Obama and First Lady Michelle’s beloved dogs Sunny and Bo were in residence.

The Bidens said in a statement, “In our most joyful moments and in our most grief-stricken days, [Champ] was there with us, sensitive to our every unspoken feeling and emotion. We love our sweet, good boy and will miss him always.”

There have been murmurings that a First Cat may grace the halls of the White House in the future. Though nothing will replace the wagging tail and and friendly nuzzles from First Dog Champ, as we at the Presidential Pet Museum know to be true, houses—including White Houses—are happier when you’ve got a furry (or scaly, or feathery, or…) friend to come home to.

Read a statement from the First Family here.

Our family lost our loving companion Champ today. I will miss him. pic.twitter.com/sePqXBIAsE

— President Biden (@POTUS) June 19, 2021

Presidential Pets

The Presidential Pet Museum highlights past and current White House pets:

Learn about Bo and Sunny Obama, Portuguese water dogs.

See a strange portrait of President Reagan’s Lucky made from the dog’s own hair.

Check out the original cowbell that hung around the neck of Pauline Wayne, the last cow to graze the White House lawn.

See photos and exhibits of famous pets like George Washington’s horse, Nelson; the Clintons’ famous Buddy and Socks; the Bush White House pets, Miss Beazley, Barney, and Spot; and many more.

In the News

After four years of a pet-free White House, the country is excited to have the pitter patter of four feet in the nation’s home! And who does everyone come to for information on Presidential Pets? Our Museum of course 🙂 Check out who we’ve been talking to: