Washington museum remakes Oval Office replica to reflect Trump’s gold-heavy design

The People’s House museum in Washington has remodelled its replica Oval Office to reflect the more elaborate design associated with President Donald Trump’s second term. The updated exhibit includes gold-toned decoration, ornate wall details, two dozen portraits in gilded frames and replica vases and ornaments. It is intended to reproduce the appearance of Trump’s actual office, including two mirrors and a copy of the Declaration of Independence.

Luke Boorady, managing director of The People’s House: A White House Experience, said the Oval Office was both a political space and an office belonging to the American people. He said the museum wanted visitors to feel more connected to it. The replica opened in September 2024 and is the same size as the real Oval Office.

Because public White House tours do not include the West Wing, the exhibit gives visitors an opportunity to see and use a reconstruction of the room. Specialist teams worked on the redesign, including North Carolina designers who recreated wall appliqués, an Indianapolis expert who handled three-dimensional scanning and printing, and frame-makers in California who carved the portrait frames. Other teams made replica vases and tabletop pieces.

The museum used painted finishes rather than gold leaf, which Boorady said would be more vulnerable to wear from visitors. Crews used temporary adhesive and laser levels to position the decorations before securing them. The replica also retains objects and furnishings associated with earlier administrations, including a Reagan-era rug, Clinton-era gold draperies, furniture from George W.

Bush’s White House and a copy of the Resolute Desk. Visitors may sit in the chairs and behind the desk. The White House Historical Association, which operates the museum, declined to disclose the cost of the work.

The association receives no government funding and raises money through donations and merchandise sales.