Building constructed of Seneca red sandstone in the Norman Revival style houses the Smithsonian Institution's administrative offices and information center

How to Get There

Head southeast on Scott Cir NW toward Rhode Island Ave NW. Exit the traffic circle onto Massachusetts Ave NW. Keep right to stay on Massachusetts Ave NW. At the traffic circle, take the 1st exit onto 14th St NW. Turn left onto Independence Ave SW.

Overview

The Smithsonian Institution Building, located near the National Mall houses the Smithsonian Institution's administrative offices and information center. The building is constructed of Seneca red sandstone in the Norman Revival style (a 12th-century combination of late Romanesque and early Gothic motifs; built in the Gothic and Romanesque revival styles) and is nicknamed the Castle. It was completed in 1855 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965.

Description

James Renwick designed the Castle as the focal point of a picturesque landscape on the Mall, using elements from Georg Moller's Denkmäler der deutschen Baukunst. 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 ideas of knowledge and wisdom. The façade is built with red sandstone from the Seneca quarry in Seneca, Maryland in contrast to the granite, marble and yellow sandstone from the other major buildings in Washington, D.C.

Current use

The Smithsonian Castle houses the administrative offices of the Smithsonian. The main Smithsonian visitor center is also located here, with interactive displays and maps. A crypt just inside the north entrance houses the tomb of James Smithson.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Smithsonian Institution Building", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0