The Octagon
As a museum and exhibit space, the oldest private residence in DC now hosts programs demonstrating the cultural and societal impact of architects and architecture, and the architect’s potential to create a just and equitable society.
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About The Octagon
Closely tied to our nation’s history since its construction began in 1799, The Octagon is a symbol of power and influence in Washington, DC. The Octagon house was built by enslaved workers for Virginia’s wealthiest plantation family, largely as a gesture by the Tayloes in support of the newly-established capital. The building was designed by the first architect of the United States Capitol, William Thornton, and served for six months as the White House after the 1814 Burning of Washington.
Recognizing The Octagon’s national importance, The American Institute of Architects (AIA) established its national headquarters on-site in 1898 and restored the building as one of the country’s earliest preservation projects. In the 1970s AIA constructed its current headquarters on the site of The Octagon’s original outbuildings, opening The Octagon to the public as a museum. Now owned by the Architects Foundation, The Octagon continues to inspire current and future architects, highlighting important moments and movements in American and architectural history.
Learn more about the history of The Octagon >
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- Front entrance of the Octagon, on the corner of 18th Street and New York Avenue NW
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- Visitors approaching The Octagon entrance for a special event
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- The Octagon staircase
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- Visitors exploring The Octagon at the opening of the “50 Years After Whitney Young” exhibit
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- The Octagon Dining Room
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- Bill Bates, FAIA, and Maggie McDermott at the opening of the “50 Years After Whitney Young” exhibit
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- 1989 Whitney M. Young Jr. Award recipient John Spencer, FAIA, in front of his award panel at the exhibit opening
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- Details in The Octagon Treaty Room
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- Details in The Octagon kitchen
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- Yann Weymouth, AIA, center, at the special event announcing the new scholarship created in his name and honor
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- George Miller, FAIA, and Elizabeth Chu Richter, FAIA, greet James Madison (portrayed by John Douglas Hall) at the 200th Anniversary of the Signing of the Treaty of Ghent in 2015
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- Kids make crafts at the Treaty of Ghent event in 2016 (Photo Credit to Maria Grenchik)
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- Marci Robinson introduces Cokie Roberts before a book lecture and signing in the Octagon’s drawing room
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- Visitor looking over a map of DC that reveals how drastically the city has changed in the 200 years since the Octagon was built
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- Visitors investigating reproduction gowns like the dresses Ann Ogle Tayloe would have worn during the winter social season in the late 1810s