For Immediate Release: July 11, 2012
Media Contact: Marketing and Communication Department
AIDS Memorial Quilt at the National Building Museum
Panels blanket the Great Hall during Quilt in the Capital 2012
WHAT
Blanketing the Museum’s historic Great Hall for five days this summer, this presentation of a portion of the AIDS Memorial Quilt will be one of the largest such installations off the Mall. The installation will include 500 panels, many of which pay tribute to designers, architects, engineers, and others connected to the building industry who have lost their lives to AIDS. Other featured panels will honor veterans who have died from AIDS—a gesture commemorating the history of the Museum’s landmark building, which was originally constructed to house the Bureau of Pensions, and in this capacity served over 2.7 million veterans of the Mexican-American and Civil Wars.
Panels will be laid out on the floor in all three courts of the colossal 116 x 316-foot Great Hall and visitors will walk among them, just as they can on the Mall. The Museum also provides the distinctive opportunity to view the Quilt from above, as visitors will be able to look down from the balconies surrounding the Great Hall. While the panels are on site, specially trained Quilt docents will be at the Museum to answer questions and enrich the experience of visitors.
The National Building Museum is honored to present sections of the AIDS Memorial Quilt in conjunction with Quilt in the Capital 2012 and in partnership with The NAMES Project Foundation.
Support for Quilt in the Capital 2012 at the National Building Museum is provided by Mr. Todd C. DeGarmo, FAIA, Sheila C. Johnson, and McGraw-Hill Construction.
WHEN
Saturday-Wednesday, July 21-25 during Museum hours
WHERE
National Building Museum
401 F Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20001
(Judiciary Square Metro, Red Line)
Free
The National Building Museum is America’s leading cultural institution dedicated to advancing the quality of the built environment by educating people about its impact on their lives. Through its exhibitions, educational programs, online content, and publications, the Museum has become a vital forum for the exchange of ideas and information about the world we build for ourselves. Public inquiries: 202.272.2448 or visit www.nbm.org. Connect with us on Twitter: @BuildingMuseum and Facebook.
