Places (139 total)

SIA80-12955.jpg
This observatory was established in March 1890 and was one of the first to practice astrophysics. It was housed in buildings in the South Yard of the Smithsonian Institution Building's grounds. Early research conducted on the site focused on solar…

Beauro of Engraving and Printing Annex Building LOC 1938.jpg
The original Bureau of Engraving and Printing was opened on July 1, 1880, but by the 1930s, the facility had become too small for all of the Bureau's responsibilities, which included printing money, stamps, and government security documents. In 1938,…

Main Building Dept of Ag Ntl Archives 1895.jpg
The original building which housed the Department of Agriculture was designed in 1867 by Adolf Cluss, the same architect who designed the Smithsonian Arts and Industry Building. For decades, this building housed offices, research laboratories, and…

teahouse.jpg
The first teahouse in Hains Point, the southernmost tip of East Potomac Park, was a refreshment stand opened in 1920 and run by local Girl Scouts. It was very popular, and in 1922 construction began on a permanent structure with restrooms, which…

NMAIGardens.jpg
The grounds surrounding the National Museum of the American Indian are an extension of the exhibit space within. Representing what local Chesapeake Bay landscapes would have been like before European contact, the space pays tribute to indigenous…

TulipLibrary2007-2.jpg
Also known as the Tulip Library, the Floral Library was established in 1969 as part of Lady Bird Johnson's Capital Beautification Project. The 'library' has 93 flower beds maintained by the National Park Service. These beds feature either tulips or…

HauptGarden.jpg
The Enid Haupt Garden was created in the 1980s as part of a redesign of the area around the Smithsonian Castle. It sits to the south of the Castle and above the underground galleries and offices of the National Museum of African Art, Arthur M.…

TidalBasinLOC.jpg
The Tidal Basin serves several purposes on the National Mall. Primarily, it is a reservoir for the Potomac River and Washington Channel. In the past, it has also served as a recreational area for swimming, ice skating, or boating. Built by Alexander…

NGASG2013.jpg
Plans for a National Sculpture Garden on the Mall began in the 1960s, but it was not until 1991 that jurisdiction for the site was transferred from the National Park Service to the National Gallery. Olin Partnership, headed by Laurie D. Olin,…

5a06072u.jpg
In the 1920s, art collector and financier Andrew Mellon decided that the city needed a proper museum of art to rival those in Europe. With construction funds, a sizable endowment, and art all donated from Mellon, construction on the National Gallery…
Output Formats

atom, dcmes-xml, json, omeka-xml, rss2