October 14, 2011

Car shows throughout the world today feature new, exciting, and innovating electric cars. They are the solution to concerns about the environment and an ever decreasing availability of oil. The only issue is, electric cars aren’t actually all that new. President Woodrow Wilson was driven in an electric car, of which the same make and model will be rolled into the historic garage at 2340 S Street, Northwest. It is part of a new exhibition,  Woodrow Wilson, President Electric: Harnessing the Power of Innovation in the Progressive Era.

The 1921 Milburn Electric car is on loan from the Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles in Boyertown, PA for the duration of the exhibit – which runs through October 2012. President and Mrs. Wilson were early supporters of the electric car. In fact, First Lady Edith Wilson, before she married the President, is believed to have been the first woman in Washington to drive an electric car, which she purchased in 1904.

The exhibit will explore scientific and technological advancements during the Progressive Era through the eyes of the first family. It includes a period telephone, a Victrola player, silent film footage, a historic radio set, and a game where visitors try to decode Wilson’s shorthand – which will reveal hidden content online.

The museum is open Tuesday-Sunday, 10 am - 4 pm. All visitors enjoy guided tours with admission which is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, $5 for students and free for those under the age of 12. Group rates are available by advance reservation at www.WoodrowWilsonHouse.org.