Founding Fortunes: The Estate Sale of Martha Washington Virtual Tour

Register today for this pay-what-you-wish Virtual Tour of Founding Fortunes: The Estate Sale of Martha Washington, currently on view at Tudor Place Historic House and Garden. Once the home of Martha Parke Custis Peter, a granddaughter of Martha Washington, Tudor Place holds the second-largest collection of artifacts related to George and Martha Washington in existence. Join Collections Manager Justyce Bennett as she shares a spectacular array of objects, illuminating a critical transformation in the Washington family story. At this crossroads of the Washingtons’ life and legacy also await stories with global reach, from the Chinese export porcelain frenzy to the indelible effects of the transatlantic slave trade. Recent work has revealed that enslaved workers were buyers at this estate sale, acquiring Washington family heirlooms as well as utilitarian household goods once used at Mount Vernon. Some were direct descendants of the Washington family, and Bennett invites us to consider the personal impact of the estate sale upon these individuals. Join us as we explore what George and Martha Washington’s worldly belongings, and the people who desired them, reveal about the values and divisions of early American society.

Length: 32 minutes

Registration Fee: Pay What You Wish

After you register, you will receive an email with a link to view this Virtual Tour.

This exhibition will be on view through December 2026.