Arts and Industries Building
National Historic Landmark

Arts and Industries Building

Washington, District of Columbia County, District of Columbia
Listed
November 11, 1971
Type
Building
Period
Civil War
Ref No.
71000994

About this property

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. After being closed since 2004 for repair and renovation, the building reopened in 2021 with a special exhibition, Futures.

Location

900 Jefferson Dr., SW.
Washington, District of Columbia County, District of Columbia
38.88816, -77.02455

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Arts and Industries Building

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
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Points of Interest
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Timeline
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Nearby Historic Sites

Smithsonian Building
Early Republic
0.1 mi
National Mall
Listed
0.1 mi
Freer Gallery Of Art
Industrial
0.2 mi
U.S. Department of Agriculture Cotton Annex
Early Republic
0.2 mi
U.S. Department of Agriculture Administration Building
Industrial
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Arts and Industries Building listed on the National Register?

Arts and Industries Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 11, 1971.

What type of historic resource is Arts and Industries Building?

Arts and Industries Building is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Arts and Industries Building a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Arts and Industries Building has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Arts and Industries Building?

The period of significance for Arts and Industries Building is recorded as the civil_war era, specifically around 1881.

Can I research the history near Arts and Industries Building?

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