A storied White House space is gone. The 42-seat White House Family Theater, created in 1942 from a cloakroom, was demolished this week as part of the East Wing's destruction to make space for President Donald Trump's planned $300 million ballroom. For decades it hosted everything from newsreels cherished by Franklin D. Roosevelt to private screenings praised by Bill Clinton, a family-friendly pledge undone by Jimmy Carter's inadvertent Midnight Cowboy showing, and a memorable E.T. night recalled by Steven Spielberg. The East Wing also housed the First Lady's office, portico, and colonnade.

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.