The Institute of World Politics, Washington DC

The Marlatt Mansion was built in 1908 by Dr. Charles Marlatt, an entomologist with the Department of Agriculture during the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt. Dr. Marlatt had a distinguished career as an insect illustrator, world traveler, author of numerous works on entomological subjects, and President of the Cosmos Club. He designed the decorative wood and plaster carvings of insects, birds, and animals found throughout the main floor of the mansion.

The Marlatt family maintained the building until selling it in 1970. From 1973 to 1975 the Marlatt Mansion was owned by the government of the USSR, which used it to house the Soviet Embassy's Office of the Commercial Counselor, as well as offices of the KGB. During that time it is believed to have served as the temporary residence of Soviet Communist Party General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev. (Information from www.iwp.edu).

The building currently houses The Institute of World Politics, a graduate school of national security and international affairs.