Constructed in 1970 during the Nixon Administration, the Briefing Room provided more space to accommodate a growing White House Press Corps.

The Briefing Room replaced a swimming pool that was installed in 1934 for President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s physical therapy. A staircase behind the stage provides access to the deep end of the one-time pool, which now contains 18-miles of cables and the signatures of White House staff and celebrities on the original tile walls.