Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site preserves the cottage at Val-Kill, the home of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, and its surrounding property. The only National Historic Site dedicated to a first lady, Val-Kill serves as a window into Eleanor Roosevelt's private and public life.

Anna Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962) was the niece of President Theodore Roosevelt and the wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Born into a privileged class, Eleanor Roosevelt became a successful social activist, party leader, teacher and journalist. By the time she entered the White House, these experiences and the networks she established helped her to transform the role of First Lady. Champion of domestic social reform, economic justice, and human rights, Eleanor believed citizenship demanded participation, saying "We will be the sufferers if we let great wrongs occur without exerting ourselves to correct them."

Eleanor Roosevelt American Visionary Virtual Museum Exhibit

Teaching with Museum Collections Lesson Plans