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High Tea and Historic Gowns: Presidential Museum steps back in time for "Waltzing with the Queen" opening

President Gerald Ford and Queen Elizabeth II dance at White House state dinner in 1976
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
Queen Elizabeth II and President Gerald Ford dance at White House state dinner in 1976

The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum is stepping back in history with royal flairr, opening the new exhibit “Waltzing with the Queen” Friday.

“Waltzing with the Queen” celebrates America’s upcoming 250th birthday by highlighting Queen Elizabeth II’s 1976 Bicentennial visit with President Ford, and the special relationship between the U.S and the U.K.

It features a recreated interactive White House family kitchen and video of the President and the Queen dancing together.

Supervisory Curator Dr. Mirelle Luecke says artifacts come from the Ford collection, other presidential libraries and the United Kingdom.

“We have a table that was gifted to President Eisenhower from Queen Elizabeth II with a map of the D-Day invasion on it. We also have the dress the Queen Elizabeth wore to the state dinner. It's this yellow chiffon gown, which is on loan to us from the Royal Collection Trust in the United Kingdom, and it will be paired from our collection with Betty Ford's gown that she wore at this state dinner as well.”

Friday evening a panel of historians discusses the exhibit, followed by a keynote presentation with award-winning journalist Susan Page on her new book, The Queen and Her Presidents.

“We're also going to be having a strolling high tea reception in our lobby so people will be able to drink tea, eat some British inspired treats…People will be able to take a sneak peek and see the exhibit up in our galleries as well.”

Friday’s events are free and open to the public, online reservations requested.

The exhibit runs through October.

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