Washington: Symbol and City

First-time visitor to Washington, D.C.? Long-time resident? However familiar you are with Washington, D.C. you can discover it in a whole new way in this ground-breaking exhibition that explores the city created by the government for the government. Over the course of two centuries, the nation's capital has grown to fulfill many of their hopes. Today, the revered Capitol and White House, the stately offices of the government, the iconic monuments and museums, and the sweep of the Mall and the city's many public parks all evoke the ideals of democracy in the 21st century. Washington: Symbol and City explores how residents experience the city and how Washington itself expresses the tension between the demands of a working seat of government and the desire for a national symbol, and the hopes and needs of an evolving city.

Highlight tours offered Saturdays and Sundays at 2:30 pm.

Eero Saarinen: Shaping the Future

Eero Saarinen was one of the most prolific, fascinating and unorthodox masters of 20th century architecture. Famous for his simple, sweeping and arching shapes, Saarinen changed the face of domestic and industrial design in the United States by creating some of the world’s most innovative and widely recognized structures. From the 630-foot-tall, stainless steel St. Louis Gateway Arch along the Mississippi River to the swooping concrete vaults at the TWA Terminal at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport, Saarinen helped build an international image of the United States at the height of the Cold War.

The exhibition Eero Saarinen: Shaping the Future is the first public unveiling of the architect’s complete archives, the largest repository of Saarinen-related material in the world, which was donated to Yale University in 2002.

Tours offered at 11:00 am and 2:00 pm every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from May 10 through August 23, 2008.