RICHMOND, Va. — We’re all spending a lot more time at home, but that doesn’t have to limit exploration! All week, Virginia This Morning is taking viewers on a virtual visit.
One of Virginia’s most popular treasures is opening its doors in a special way. Our first stop is George Washington’s Mount Vernon.
“It’s our mission here at George Washington’s Mount Vernon to teach about the life and legacy of our first president,” said president and CEO Dr. Doug Bradburn. “Of course in this time, we’ve got so many people who are at home right now who are looking for content that they can trust...we feel like have a special role to play to try to continue to provide that access.”
Each Monday, Bradburn is hosting Mansion Monday, a deep dive into our first president’s historic abode. History buffs and novices alike can log on to Mount Vernon’s Facebook or YouTube pages at noon and join the live tour and conversation. Bradburn even answers viewer question in the live feed.
Bradburn will highlight a different part of the home during each session. Thousands of people from all over the world logged on for the first Mansion Monday, which took viewers inside Mount Vernon's New Room and Front Parlor.
“What I’m excited for them to experience and feel when they join us in the live feeds is to get a chance to be behind the scenes here at Mount Vernon in a way that I get to regularly. It’s an opportunity to really dig down and learn about the stories they didn’t know about George Washington and the legacy of Mount Vernon through the years,” said Bradburn.
In addition to education, Bradburn hopes these virtual visits also provide a much-needed moment of escape.
“It’s an opportunity to bring people a little bit out of their own heads, to get away from some of that anxiety that we’re feeling, to come together as a community where we can share a learning opportunity and really experience a different world,” he said.
And although there’s so much history preserved at the site, Bradburn says virtual visitors can also gain some hope for the future during this uncertain time.
“Always at Mount Vernon we like to get a little inspiration in our educational mix here. I mean, the founding of our country was based in adversity and George Washington was a leader through eight long years of war and of all sorts of times of ambiguity as we founded the nation itself,” he said. "Americans have always come together in times of challenge, and coming here to Mount Vernon can really give you some perspective and some confidence that we’ll all get through this together.”
George Washington’s Mount Vernon is providing educational and entertaining content each day of the week. Take a look the schedule:
-Mansion Mondays
-Teaching Tuesdays
-Washington Wednesdays
-Tranquil Thursdays
-Casual Fridays
Visit George Washington’s Mount Vernon’s website by clicking here or find them on Facebook and YouTube.
