Smithsonian Institution Building

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For similar uses and terms, see Smithsonian (disambiguation).

Smithsonian Building
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
The Castle
Location:	Washington, D.C.
Coordinates:	38°53′19.49″N 77°1′33.59″W / 38.8887472°N 77.0259972°W / 38.8887472; -77.0259972Coordinates: 38°53′19.49″N 77°1′33.59″W / 38.8887472°N 77.0259972°W / 38.8887472; -77.0259972
Built/Founded:	1855
Architect:	James Renwick, Jr.
Governing body:	Smithsonian Institution
Added to NRHP:	October 15, 1966[1]
Designated NHL:	January 12, 1965[2]
NRHP Reference#:	66000867

The Smithsonian Institution Building, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. behind the National Museum of African Art, houses the Smithsonian Institution's administrative offices and information center. The building is constructed of red Seneca sandstone in the faux Norman style (a 12th-century combination of late Romanesque and early Gothic motifs) and is appropriately nicknamed The Castle. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965.^[2]

Contents 1 History 2 Description 3 Current use 4 See also 5 Gallery 6 References 7 External links

[edit] History

The Castle was the first Smithsonian building, begun in 1847 by architect James Renwick, Jr., whose other works include St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City and the Smithsonian's Renwick Gallery, also in Washington D.C. Renwick was selected by a unanimous vote following a design competition in 1846. A cardboard model of Renwick's successful design survives. Renwick was assisted by Robert Mills,^[3] particularly in the internal arrangement of the building.^[4]

Initially intended to be built in white marble, then in yellow sandstone,^[4] the architect and committee finally settled on red Seneca sandstone from the vicinity of Seneca Creek in Montgomery County, Maryland. The sandstone was substantially less expensive than granite or marble, and while initially easy to work, was found to harden to a satisfactory degree on exposure to the elements. The East Wing was completed in 1849 and occupied by Secretary Joseph Henry and his family. The West Wing was completed later the same year. A structural collapse of partly completed work in 1850 raised questions of workmanship and resulted in a change to fireproof construction. The exterior was completed in 1851. By 1852 Renwick's work was completed and he withdrew from further participation. Gilbert Cameron took over responsibility for interior work, and all work was finally completed in 1855.^[3]

Despite the upgraded construction, a fire in 1865 caused extensive damage, destroying the correspondence of James Smithson, Henry's files, two hundred oil paintings of American Indians by J.M. Stanley, and the contents of the public libraries of Alexandria, Virginia and Beaufort, South Carolina, confiscated by Union forces during the American Civil War. The ensuing renovation was undertaken by local Washington architect Adolph Cluss in 1865-67. Further fireproofing work ensued in 1883, also by Cluss, who by this time had designed the neighboring Arts and Industries Building. A third and fourth floor were added to the East Wing, and a third floor to the West Wing. Electric lighting was installed in 1895.^[3]

Around 1900 the wooden floor of the Great Hall was replaced with terrazzo and a Children's Museum was installed near the south entrance. A tunnel connected to the Arts and Industries Building. A general renovation took place in 1968-70 to install modern electrical systems, elevators and heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.^[3]

This site was one of the settings in Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. The filmmakers created Kahmunrah's Gate of the Underworld which is a fictitious historical artifact.

[edit] Description

The Castle was designed by Renwick as the focal point of a picturesque landscape on the Mall, using elements from Georg Moller's Denkmäler der deutschen Baukunst. Renwick originally intended to detail the building with entirely American sculptural flora in the manner of Benjamin Henry Latrobe's work at the United States Capitol, but the final work used conventional pattern-book designs. ^[4]

The building is completed in the Gothic Revival style with Romanesque motifs. This style was chosen to evoke the Collegiate Gothic in England and the idea of knowledge and wisdom. The façade is built with red sandstone from Seneca, Maryland in contrast to the marble and granite from the other major buildings in Washington DC.

The building comprises a central section, two extensions or ranges, and two wings. Four towers contain occupiable space, while five smaller towers are primarily decorative, although some contain stairs. As constructed, the central section contained the main entry and museum space (now the Great Hall), with a basement beneath and a large lecture room above. Two galleries on the second floor were used to display artifacts and art. This area is now the Visitor’s Information and Associates’ Reception area. The East Range contained laboratory space on the first floor and research space on the second. The East Wing contained storage space on the first floor and a suite of rooms on the second as an apartment for the Secretary of the Smithsonian. This space is currently used as administrative offices and archives. The West Range was one story and used as a reading room. The West Wing, known as the chapel, was used as a library.^[3] The West Wing and Range are now used as a quiet room for visitors to go.

On the exterior, the principal tower on the south side is 91 feet (28 m) high and 37 feet (11 m) square. On the north side there are two towers, the taller on 145 feet (44 m) tall. A campanile at the northeast corner is 17 feet (5.2 m) square and 117 feet (36 m) tall.^[3]

The picturesque plan allowed for expansion at either end, a major reason for the informal medievally-inspired design, which would not suffer if asymmetrically developed. ^[4]

[edit] Current use

The Smithsonian Castle houses all the administrative offices of the Smithsonian. The main Smithsonian visitor center is also located here, with interactive displays and maps. Computers electronically answer most common questions. A crypt just inside the north entrance houses the tomb of James Smithson.^[5]

[edit] See also

• Seneca Quarry, the source of Seneca sandstone in Maryland, listed on the National Register of Historic Places

[edit] Gallery

A taxidermied Snow Leopard is exhibited inside the building.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Smithsonian Institution Building

• Smithsonian Institution Building official site
• Smithsonian Institution Building, 1000 Jefferson Drive, between Ninth & Twelfth Stre, Washington, District of Columbia, DC: 27 drawings, 128 photos, 7 data pages, 11 photo caption pages, 4 color transparencies, at Historic American Building Survey

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