The Arts and Industries Building is the second oldest (after The Castle) of the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Initially named the National Museum, it was built to provide the Smithsonian with its first proper facility for public display of its growing collections. The building, designed by architects Adolf Cluss and Paul Schulze, opened in 1881, hosting an inaugural ball for President James A. Garfield. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1971.

The success of the exhibits allowed the loan to be paid off soon after the event. Funds were approved in 1879 and the design was executed by Cluss and Schulze, based on the Meigs plan.

During its construction, the materials featured at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition—up to "sixty box cars worth" of donations

Eight months later the museum officially opened to the public. Restoration work was performed over the next year at a cost of $4.5 million, including the installation of air conditioning.

In May 1976, the Arts and Industries Building reopened with 1876: A Centennial Exhibition, featuring the Philadelphia Exposition artifacts it was originally built to house. Added later were series of temporary exhibitions and a children's theater, known as the Discovery Theater.

21st century

By 1995, the building was reported to be in disrepair and at risk of closing down. By 2000, plastic tarps were in place to protect visitors from debris from the crumbling roof. In 2004, the building was closed to the public indefinitely, as funding for the necessary repairs was uncertain.

The building's uncertain future and deteriorating condition led the National Trust for Historic Preservation to name it in 2006 as one of America's Most Endangered Places, an annual list of endangered historic sites. In 2009 it was scheduled to receive $25 million in funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for renovation work.

thumb|Renovation of the Arts and Industries Building in 2012

Revitalization of the shell alone was solicited in 2010. A complete restoration was projected to cost $200 million ($65 million in structural renovations alone) and last until 2014. In January 2014, the Smithsonian announced that the building would remain closed for the foreseeable future, citing funding concerns. But on April 12, 2015, Smithsonian Acting Secretary Albert Horvath said about 40 percent of the building would reopen in fall 2015 for use as a short-term exhibit space. Smithsonian officials said that the building had been architecturally stabilized, and minor refurbishments made to the bathrooms, HVAC system, and interior paint scheme. Horvath said the building would not completely reopen and its fate had not yet been clarified or determined.

After 2015, the building was used occasionally for special events, such as the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. The Arts and Industries Building reopened in November 2021 for its first exhibition since 2004, Futures, scheduled to run through July 2022. Afterward, the building is scheduled to be closed for significant renovations, which would allow it to be permanently reopened as early as 2028. The building was evaluated as a possible home for the National Museum of the American Latino or the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum.

The building has hosted a number of exhibitions and artists in residence, such as Catie Cuan, a Futurist-in-Residence who performed at the closing ceremonies of the Futures exhibit on July 6, 2022.

See also

  • List of National Historic Landmarks in Washington, D.C.
  • National Register of Historic Places listings in central Washington, D.C.
  • Architecture of Washington, D.C.

References

  • Historical photographs of the building
  • Arts and Industries Building at the 2006 Most Endangered Sites, National Trust for Historic Preservation
  • "Arts and Industries Building Gets a Little Love", Smithsonian Magazine