Mona Does D.C. - It Happened ToDay

Mona Does D.C.

January 8, 1962 - Washington D.C. Hosts Mona Lisa

Even though Leonardo DaVinci's "Mona Lisa" is over five hundred years old, it was not until this day in 1962 that it was first displayed in the United States.

The painting was unveiled at the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. President John F. Kennedy was among the first to view the beloved work of art on American soil. Jackie Kennedy was the orchestrator of this historic event and secured the loan of the "Mona Lisa" from the Louvre Museum in Paris France.

The mysterious painting, which has long been the fodder for all manner of artistic criticism, drew over a half million visitors during its three week stay in the nation's capitol.

The "Mona Lisa" and her enigmatic smile have been the subject of numerous conspiracy theories over the years. The painting had a supporting role in the recent best-selling novel and block-buster movie "The DaVinci Code".