White House visitor center reopens after $12.6 million revamp

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House Visitor Center will reopen on Saturday after a $12.6 million, two-year makeover, the National Park Service said on Wednesday. First lady Michelle Obama and Interior Secretary Sally Jewell took part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the center near the White House, the agency said in a statement. The new center has nearly 16,000 square feet (1,440 square meters) of remodeled space. It will include an exhibit area, a retail shop and visitor information sites, tactile exhibits for the visually impaired and more than 90 White House artifacts. Improvements also include interactive exhibits, a large-scale model of the White House and a new permanent museum gallery. The National Park Service and the nonprofit White House Historical Association partnered on the renovation, with the association providing $7.5 million. Washington philanthropist David Rubenstein has pledged another $5 million for upkeep of the center. (Reporting by Ian Simpson)