National Historic Landmark

Pension Building

Washington, District of Columbia County, District of Columbia
Listed
March 23, 1969
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
69000312

About this property

The National Building Museum is a museum of architecture, design, engineering, construction, and urban planning in Northwest Washington, D.C., U.S. It was created by an act of Congress in 1980, and is a private non-profit institution. Located at 401 F Street NW, it is adjacent to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and the Judiciary Square Metro station. The museum hosts various temporary exhibits in galleries around the spacious Great Hall. The building, completed in 1887, served as the Pension Building, housing the United States Pension Bureau, and hosted several presidential inaugural balls. It is centered around a high-columned interior central courtyard hall often used for various events. It is an important early large-scale example of Renaissance Revival architecture, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1985.

Location

4th and 5th Sts. between F and G Sts., NW
Washington, District of Columbia County, District of Columbia
38.89770, -77.01763

Categories

ENGINEERINGPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
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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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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Nearby Historic Sites

US General Accounting Office Building
Early Republic
0.1 mi
L'Enfant Plan of the City of Washington, District of Columbia
Industrial
0.1 mi
Moran Building
Civil War
0.1 mi
Myrene Apartment Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
Bulletin Building
Industrial
0.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Pension Building listed on the National Register?

Pension Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 23, 1969.

What type of historic resource is Pension Building?

Pension Building is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Pension Building a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Pension 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 Pension Building?

The period of significance for Pension Building is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Pension Building?

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