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The Problem of Memorials
December 6, 2011
G. Martin Moeller, Jr., curator of the exhibition Unbuilt Washington, describes "The Problem of Memorials," using the Washington Monument as a case in point. The structure’s magnificent simplicity belies its tortured history. Monuments and memorials often generate public controversy and elicit impassioned proposals from designers.
The Man Behind the Best Museum Shop in Washington
December 6, 2011
We interviewed Michael Higdon, the manager of the National Building Museum Shop, often described as the best museum shop in the Washington, D.C.
Admire Furniture Designed and Built by Teens
November 11, 2011
Design Apprenticeship Program Final Presentation: Building Blocks. Middle and high school students designed and constructed furniture from concept to completion. As a culmination of their apprenticeship, students display their furniture and discuss their design process.
Beloved Children’s Author Gives Advice to Parents of Budding Architects
November 3, 2011
National Building Museum Online sat down with author Anna Isabel to discuss her work and her advice for the parents of budding architects.
What Should a Capitol Look Like
November 3, 2011
In this 4-part series, G. Martin Moeller, Jr, curator of Unbuilt Washington, comments on proposals for a few of the city’s prominent buildings and sites.
National Building Museum Awards Vincent Scully Prize to Influential Conservationist William K. Reilly
November 2, 2011
The National Building Museum’s Vincent Scully Prize recognizes exemplary scholarship, criticism, or practice in architecture, historic preservation, or urban design. The National Building Museum awards its thirteenth Vincent Scully Prize to former administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, William K. Reilly, for his lifetime work promoting sustainability and design.
National Building Museum Announces 2012 Honor Award Recipient
October 27, 2011
The National Building Museum announced today that it has selected the Urban Land Institute (ULI) as its 2012 Honor Awardee.
How Housing Matters Conference
October 24, 2011
On November 2, 2011, the National Building Museum, in partnership with the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, is hosting a sold-out day-long conference about the latest research into innovative, cross-disciplinary solutions to meet housing needs and improve the lives of low-income families and communities across the nation.
National Building Museum Awards William K. Reilly Its Vincent Scully Prize
October 24, 2011
Award presentation and lecture will be held at the National Building Museum on November 8, 2011
Unbuilt Washington
October 19, 2011
The National Building Museum’s upcoming exhibition Unbuilt Washington explores the many serious—and sometimes not-so-serious—proposals that would have dramatically altered the architectural character of Washington, D.C. Included in the exhibition are rare original drawings by America’s most influential early architects, including Benjamin Henry Latrobe, Robert Mills, and even Thomas Jefferson, as well as digital renderings of innovative projects by contemporary architects.
Next Homeschool Day is November 16
October 14, 2011
At the National Building Museum, on two specially-designed days per year, homeschool students ages 4-14 can explore the people, processes, and materials that create buildings and places by becoming city planners, designers, and engineers.
National Building Museum Names Four to Its Board of Trustees
October 12, 2011
National Building Museum chairman Michael J. Glosserman announces the appointment of four new Museum trustees.
Spotlight on Design Lecture with Bjarke Ingels of BIG/Bjarke Ingels Group
October 12, 2011
The National Building Museum presents Bjarke Ingels, Danish architect and founding principal of the BIG/Bjarke Ingels Group, in a Spotlight on Design presentation.
The Shimmering Village
October 4, 2011
The Solar Decathlon challenges collegiate teams to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses. Teams of decathletes spend two years preparing for this event—a live competition where their solar houses are run through a battery of tests—proving the affordability, efficiency, and viability of solar home technologies.
Legend Has It the Museum’s Haunted
October 4, 2011
For a few nights each fall, the National Building Museum becomes the Otherworldly Building Museum by offering tours of its building led by a ghost. Equipped only with a lantern, participants explore the Museum’s eerie sights after hours.

