First lady Laura Bush says she has loved living in the White House.

Now, as she and President George W. Bush prepare to leave after eight years, she is hosting a History channel special, “The White House: Behind Closed Doors.” Premiering Wednesday at 9 p.m. EST, this 90-minute documentary is a combination inside look, history lesson and parting gift from a grateful resident.

“I’m very proud of how beautiful the White House is,” Mrs. Bush said during a phone call Tuesday from the upstairs living quarters.

She said she’s proud, too, of the White House staff _ “all the people who work here, who’ve worked here for many presidents. This was a way for me to pay tribute to them as well; to thank them, here at the end of our time.”

Masterminded by George Washington (the only president who never got to live there), the White House was first occupied by John Adams in 1800, and since then has been the official residence of 40-and-counting chief executives.

It’s a bustling place of business, and a unique museum.

It’s also an inspiring symbol of national endurance. As with the United States itself, the White House has faced many challenges _ as early as 1814, when British troops set it ablaze. It was reduced to a charred shell. But within a few years, the White House was rebuilt.

“I think it’s encouraging to get to live here,” Mrs. Bush said.

The program takes viewers into the Oval Office, the East Room and the State Dining Room, as preparations are abuzz for an official state visit. Cameras venture into the kitchen and the tiny pastry shop to catch behind-the-scenes action.

In the Green Room, Mrs. Bush offers a delightful fact about the third president, Thomas Jefferson. It was in the Green Room that he enjoyed eating his dinner _ with a color-appropriate green canvas cloth to catch any spills.

Mrs. Bush displays a wealth of knowledge about White House history and lore.

“I’ve studied it a lot,” she said, “and, of course, I picked up a lot of information along the way.”

Her initiative in restoration efforts gave her a crash course, too.

“As we worked on each of the different rooms, like the Lincoln Bedroom, for instance, I really learned a lot about that room.”

Mrs. Bush shares with her audience the seldom-photographed Lincoln Bedroom, as well as the Treaty Room, used by President Bush as his private office, which was refurnished with pieces from the era of Ulysses Grant.

At first, Mrs. Bush voiced misgivings to her husband, telling him, “I’m not so wild about Victorian furniture,” but he was sold on it. “He said, ‘Oh, no, I want to have Grant’s furniture in my office!’”

Mrs. Bush said she first visited the White House upon the 1989 inauguration of her father-in-law, George H.W. Bush. She said she initially was struck not only by its beauty, but by an unexpected coziness.

“It’s grand, but it’s not huge,” she said. “It’s much more human scale than many other homes of leaders, and I like that because I think that fits with our country.”

In less than two months, the White House will be home to President-elect Barack Obama and his family, at which point the Bushes will move to Dallas. She expects to carry with her a range of emotions.

“There’s happy anticipation of another house and another life _ ‘afterlife,’ as I’m calling it,” she said. “On the other hand, it’s bittersweet. I don’t think you ever get over your awe of the White House.”

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History is owned by A&E Television Networks, a joint venture of The Hearst Corporation, Disney-ABC Television Group and NBC Universal.

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On the Net:

http://www.history.com

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EDITOR’S NOTE _ Frazier Moore is a national television columnist for The Associated Press. He can be reached at fmoore(at)ap.org