We came down to Key West for the week and hadn't originally planned to visit the museum. However, several friends recommended it, so we decided to go. I'm glad we did. The most striking thing, and something others have noted, is how low key everything feels. The structure, furnishings, and grounds are modest and very much middle class in character. Compared to how government operates today, the accommodations felt surprisingly austere. The exhibits and tour provide a fairly balanced view of Truman's presidency during that time. He seemed to have a more relaxed approach to the executive branch, often trading formal suits and ties for khakis and Hawaiian shirts. There are also reprints of newspaper clippings and political cartoons that don't always portray him or his administration in a positive light. To me, that made the experience feel more authentic, especially compared to the highly polished and carefully branded narratives often associated with modern political figures. Definitely worth the visit. read more

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From 1946 through 1952, President Harry Truman used this house as his winter vacation home, and because he spent 175 days of his presidency here, it became known as the Little White House. Originally built by the U.S. Navy in 1890, the Little White House served as naval command headquarters during the Spanish-American War, and also played roles in both World Wars and the Cold War. Since Truman's days, many other presidents have also vacationed here, including Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. Today, the Little White House has been restored and turned into a museum. Also, don't forget to check the famous limousine while you are there. The only way to see inside the Truman Little White House in Key West is via a guided tour. But there is a small section near the gift shop that is free for visitors. read more

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It's a cool spot if you're into American history, especially presidential. The house is beautiful and the grounds well kept. There is a presidential car also on site. Many placards, images and memorabilia to read, see and learn. read more

Truman Little White House - Museums Near Me - Key West, Florida

This is a very interesting place to visit and packed full of history. It's well worth it for anyone who is interested in Presidential history. The little white house was used periodically by Truman during his presidency - the house is maintained as it was while he was in it and they even still have the presidential vehicle. You are only allowed in as part of a tour and the last tour is at 4.30 pm. The thing that struck me the most was how ordinary the place is - almost lower middle class and not at all lavish. The waxwork of Truman was a bit cringe to be honest. read more

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We walked past this property multiple times daily and it felt like a typical suburban neighborhood street. Signage is prominent, but the house appears rather simple. read more

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Beautiful summer home that was the winter White House for president Trueman the grounds are well kept the house inside is well maintained and the memorabilia when he was president interesting place history of a great man. They also have a gift store. read more

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The Truman Little White House is a nifty little footnote in American history. Truman spent about six months of his presidency here, as the climate was good for his various ailments and provided a respite from those DC winters. This is a relatively small property, so the tours are about half an hour and include lots of anecdotes about how the property came to be a presidential residence and the various historical events that happened in it. It's quite faithfully recreated with mostly original pieces, as documented in the many historical photographs that you can compare to the real thing in most rooms. The guides all seem to be quite knowledgeable and tours are frequent. Note that you must go on a guided tour; you can't wander on your own inside the house. Also note that the stairs to the bedrooms are steep and narrow, so those with mobility issues may want to stay on ground level. read more

Informative tour with some entertaining antidotes easy walk from the main strip in Key West

A great walk outside and tour! I am embarrassed to say I never heard of the Little White House before. Certainly never paid much attention to Trumans accomplishments before. A great president! A wonderful tour and a wonderful walk around a beautiful neighborhood. Take this tour. Worth every penny! read more

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More than a museum, its a time capsule from a pivotal time frame in the U.S. and worth a visit for an hour or so. This area of Key West particularly is one large gorgeous garden that is great for jogging, and also next to the water. read more

We had a great time at the Truman Little White House. Our guide Bob was so knowledgeable, I guess he has gained a lot of knowledge working there the last couple of decades! He was passionate and informative, and we left with a lot of knowledge we did not have before. It's so cool to picture the president working and relaxing in this house so many years ago. I highly recommend checking this place out if you are in Key West! read more

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Great museum in Key West Florida celebrating one of President Truman's favorite spots. Truman's Little White House is very authentic and well preserved. Karl took us on a guided tour and was amazing. The grounds are very beautiful and easy to navigate. A few stairs to climb but if you cannot climb it is ok. Definitely recommend this museum read more

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A rainy day brought hs here but don't make the same mistake as us. Put this on your list whatever the weather. The guided tour only lasts about a half hour or so and it's extremely entertaining. If you didn't know much or anything about President Truman, you will after only 30 minutes. Let's just say Truman accomplished a lot of very important things and also was a fun guy. You'll also learn some things about Key West you didn't know. The building itself is charming, as is the decor. The grounds around the building are beautiful and are free to the public. Our tour guide was Bob, who was, simply, terrific. Carve out a little time for this very interesting and informative attraction. We are so glad we did. read more

Truman Little White House - Outside the beautiful grounds. - Museums Near Me - Key West, Florida

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Interesting tour of the Truman White House. Chet, our tour guide was fun and informative. If you enjoy American history, you'll like the tour. read more

Due to time constraints during my 2023 visit, I only took photos outside of the museum. Only cars of the Private residents and their guests are allowed in the neighborhood. Everyone enters from one street over by foot through the clearly marked entrance. There is an iron gate with historical markers along the well manicured lawn. While the home is draped with flags and the Presidential vehicle sits under a canopy garage. Key West is epic! read more

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We had a very interesting history lesson and house tour. Greg M., our tour guide, was great! read more

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Came here after hours for the ASPCA spring fling, which was lovely. The yard space was adequate for multiple bars, food stations, silent auctions, and restrooms. So for event space, I'd say it's a go. read more

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If you're interested in history at all, this is definitely something you need to stop by and see. Greg was our tour guide and he was fantastic! He is very funny and tells lots of interesting stories about the history of the house and about Harry Truman. It's a quick tour so it won't take too much time, but definitely isn't something to be missed. Also has a great gift shop with lots of cool stuff. It was hard to leave it all behind! read more

Truman Little White House - Museums Near Me - Key West, Florida

Informative tours & well preserved historical site. Nice to visit a site where the fees help to maintain a historical site. read more

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Great stop to come with the history buff in your life. Bob was our tour guide and he has been there for years. Very knowledgeable and kind. The tour is about 30-40 minutes and you walk through most rooms of the home. It's also air conditioned which is a plus! Little White House is truly a piece of history and we should support places like these to keep the story alive. The ticket sales are what keep the lights running according to Bob. Great little gift shop at the end where we picked up an ornament to remember our trip by. There is also a short film playing in there. Fun fact is the house used to on the coast line, but more land has since been dredged in! read more

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We love history and so enjoyed our visit to this site. Our guide, Greg M., knew a lot to keep us engaged. The site is well maintained and easy to get to in Key West. We encourage even non-history buffs to visit! read more

Truman Little White House - Museums Near Me - Key West, Florida

Little White House is matching the empire's of Key West. It is Harry little vacation home plus close to the Navy base. Perfect for the island living. This White House use to be next to the water until the fill section in-front the building. Now is a navy annex. This became one of Harry administrative his executive order locations. You can see the press pictures on the porch. The building has the famous item like the poker table. Which frequently play with military officers. The president desk has a famous quote like the the buck stop here. This phrase is now commonly use in the country. Harry is a lovely president in the island. If you talking about his library, this may be it. He always drive his convertible in the street. He love talk to the neighbor and islander. read more

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During our visit to Key West in the summer of 2022, we stopped in here to take a look around and tour the museum. As a couple of educators, my bride and I dragged our kids to all sorts of informational things this summer (ok, all the time) so they've kind of gotten used to it; my oldest has actually started to like it. If you're persistent, eventually you'll get them. Anyway this little corner of our country's story was filled with history and memorabilia. Several presidents have use this location, including in modern times, as a place of respite and work. During our visit, the presidential limo was on display outside, and for a Southern California family who spends most of our time in an arid landscape, even touring the grounds outside, with clambering tropical plants and vines, flowering Poinciana trees, and the other present palms against the cerulean sky was a pleasure for us. The place ain't free, but most things worth enjoying are also worth preserving and supporting from a fiduciary standpoint.... And I mean that word and it's truest sense - - no matter your politics, we all have a duty to preserve places like this, no matter who's in office, or what side of the aisle you would sit on if you were offered a seat. [/soapbox]. For a tourist family, there just was not enough time to enjoy everything in Key West. I suppose this means will have to visit again soon. As with most of the places that we enjoyed, there's nothing wrong with trying them again, seeing them in a different season, a different time of day, a different light. The Truman White House is likely one of those places: things that don't change because they stand the test of time, and A combination of new exhibit and new ways of seeing things with a better lens or a different point of view. read more

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We had a wonderful and informative tour with Bob. Loved the house, the grounds and the history. If I had to do it over and had a group of six, I would book the white glove tour and go for a drive in the limousine and not have the crowds. Either way it's a great tour. read more

Truman Little White House - Museums Near Me - Key West, Florida

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If you find yourself in Key West, you must take a tour of the Truman Little White House and grounds. See if Steve is working and ask to be on his tour. I noted on our survey I would easily pay even more for an extended tour. I've toured the White House, Monticello, Mt. Vernon, the gilded age mansions of Newport, Hamilton's Hermitage, but the Truman Little White House easily is in the top three. I learned so much from Steve and was fascinated by the home. Please don't miss this on your travels to Key West. read more

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Walk the Truman Annex to see what you expected Key West to really look like! LOL There you'll find quiet streets and the Truman Little White House, a humble reminder of what things were like politically and historically in the 40's and 50's. Walking inside for the gift shop and a couple of small exhibit rooms is free. Take advantage! So is the "tree walk" outside on the grounds. Restrooms are available. Kids will be 100% bored. I loved it. read more

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This house was full of history! The guides were so nice. The inside of the house was well-preserved. I was born in Japan. Dropping the bombs might tarnish his reputation in Japan. But he had arduous tasks and had to do it. There was no panacea for ending the war, sadly. He helped the Japanese rebuild after the war. The house is located near popular Duval street. It was okay for you to drink a lots, but you also can be knowledgeable to learn history here! read more

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Must visit when in Key West, especially if you are a history person. Even if not, you'll learn something. Beautifully preserved and great strides are made to keep everything authentic. read more

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Really enjoyed the place and the guided tour. Highly recommend if you are in Town. The guide really knew his stuff. Mark & Nancy. read more

Truman Little White House - Nancy in front of Truman's Lincoln Cosmopolitan. - Museums Near Me - Key West, Florida

Another beautiful landmark to visit in Key West is the "Little White House". President Harry S Truman began using this former naval officer residence in November 1946 as his winter White House. This Key West retreat gave Truman a restorative atmosphere to deal with the tumultuous events of the time, from the first use of nuclear weapons, post-World War II reconstruction, and the beginning of the Cold War. President Truman spent 11 working vacations here frequently meeting with high-ranking officials to discuss significant legislation such as the Marshall Plan and his fifth Civil Rights Executive Order. He continued to visit after his presidency ended in 1953. To date, six American presidents have used it as the functioning White House of America and as a retreat and summit meeting location. William Howard Taft, the first president to visit this site, stopped here in December 1912 on his way to inspect construction of the Panama Canal. Built by the United States Navy in 1890 as a two-family residence with a double façade emphasized by two prominent cross gables, the long narrow building known as Quarters A and B housed the commandant and paymaster. It features elements of late Victorian and West Indian architecture. President Harry S Truman's first 19 months in office were grueling leaving him physically exhausted. When Truman suffered from a lingering cold, his doctor, Wallace Graham, ordered a warm vacation. Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz recommended Quarters A in Key West as a secure, warm retreat. Truman arrived in November 1946 for a week of relaxation. He fell in love with the climate and the charm of another small town. He promised to return whenever he felt the need for rest and relaxation. He kept his promise to return by coming back to the Little White House for 11 presidential working vacations and five post presidential trips after he left office. Truman claimed Key West was his second favorite place on earth, only surpassed by his hometown of Independence, Missouri. He spent a total of 175 days at his winter White House during his administration and used it to conduct official business. Between 1957 and 1969, Truman made five post-presidential visits to Key West staying in a private residence in town and visiting the Little White House. Successive presidents continued to use the Little White House. President Dwight Eisenhower convened meetings in the house in December 1955 and January 1956, when he was recuperating from a heart attack. On March 26, 1961, just 23 days before the Bay of Pigs, President John F. Kennedy had a summit meeting with British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan here. Kennedy used the house again on November 26, 1962, returning to make an inspection following the Cuban missile crisis. Recently, President Clinton in 2005 and President Carter in 2007 stayed at the retreat with their families. Other notable visitors include King Hussein I of Jordan in 1972. On April 2-6, 2001, Secretary of State Colin Powell opened peace talks in this house between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan. Now owned by the State of Florida and restored with the help of private donors, the Little White House is open to the public as a historic house museum. It's open from 9:30 a-4:30 p every day and tours take place every 20-30 minutes. The basic tour is less than $25, but you can opt for some more detailed experiences if you wish. read more

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Very well done with all the artifacts and memorabilia!! It was very interesting to learn what President Harry S. Truman would do when he visited Key West!! If you go on a tour of this you want to get Karl he's a really great tour guide!! read more

For history buffs a must stop! The history that took place in this house is endless during Truman's Presidency. Our tour guide was funny and shared so much knowledge. Could have stayed longer to learn even more. read more

Truman Little White House - Presidential Limo - Museums Near Me - Key West, Florida

Visited this place on a recent visit to Key West. We had a 245p tour and our guide. This was the first time visiting Key West & this was arguably the best attraction that wasn't a licensed premise, lol. Our tour guide Greg M. was personable and knowledgeable throughout the entire walkthrough of the home. He also had a warm sense of humor. There was so much that I didn't know about Truman personally, and Greg connected the dots during the tour about Harry's life while (Truman) stayed here. Fascinating to hear the stories about the bar & poker table that are inside. Each room on the tour came with its own story. They do not let you take pictures inside, but you can purchase postcards for $0.75 each at their gift shop. The air conditioning inside was a welcome relief on a warm day. If you get the chance to see this attraction I highly recommend it. You can also see Truman's Presidential limo (1950 Lincoln) which they keep on site for much of the day. read more

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If you're on a budget then there's a free little musuem exhibition in the gift shop that's worth checking out. Pretty cool due to the history of this building acting as an alternate White House back during the Truman administration. I went on the tour inside and unfortunately no pictures allowed, but it's guided and you see some original furniture and other historic artifacts that they keep consistent with the time period that Harry S Truman was here. I thought it was really cool and worth checking out, but I probably wouldn't do it twice since you can see everything in one go. read more

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Bob, our guide was great! This tour was unexpectedly delightful and interesting. Bob made the experience exceptional with the breadth of his knowledge, humor, and delivery. Made me pick up a book on Truman afterward. Wouldn't be so interesting for most kids. read more

I have visited this museum twice. The staff is amazing. Both times my tour guide was JP. He is an informative, funny, and engaging guide. I learn quite a bit about American History. Remember to bring cash; the guides work for gratuities. The man who works in the gift shop is also very attentive. He talked to me about Barkley, the extremely cute resident cat. The tour lasts about 30 minutes. I wish it was longer. Photography/video is not allowed because it is still an active presidential retreat. The house still preserves about 90% of Truman's actual furniture. BTW, there is a light blue sofa in the living room that I love. 5 stars. Interesting and educational tour. read more

Truman Little White House - Museums Near Me - Key West, Florida

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What a neat place! I didn't even know about this. We really enjoyed the tour. The Docent was very knowledgeable and answered all our questions. She even hung around for a bit to talk Truman / McArthur with us. Great stop for the real history nerds. read more

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Wonderful tour with Greg M! It's well worth the time to visit this historic site. We were the last tour of the day and didn't feel a bit rushed. Greg M answered all our questions. read more

amazing tour with lots of history! i liked how it wasn't obviously leaning one way or another, very diverse and good for both sides!

Informative tour with a great knowledgeable guide (Chet). Has A/C if you are looking for a little escape from the Key West heat.