Arts and Industries Building

The Arts and Industries Building is a museum on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., featuring red brick walls and a central layout with a rotunda in the shape of a Greek cross. The structure contains multiple wings with tall ceilings that create separate exhibition galleries throughout the interior.

The building opened in 1881 as one of the oldest Smithsonian museums and received National Historic Landmark status in 1971. It was designed during an era when the nation wanted to showcase its technological progress and industrial achievements.

TheoriginalbuildingstillreflectstheAmericanexhibitiontraditionsofthelate1800s,whentheUnitedStatescelebratedtechnologicaladvancement.Visitorsstillseethatarchitecturalsymbolismfromanerawhenindustryrepresentedprogressandnationalpride.

The building is located on the National Mall near other Smithsonian museums and is easily accessible to visitors. Wheelchair access is available and pathways allow people of different mobility levels to navigate throughout comfortably.

Above the northern entrance sits a sculpture titled Columbia Protecting Science and Industry, representing ideals of American innovation. This artistic element shows how the building's original mission emphasized the connection between science, industry, and national identity.

Location: Washington, D.C.

Architects: Adolf Cluss

Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible

Operator: Smithsonian Institution

Part of: Smithsonian Institution

Phone: +12026331000

Website: https://aib.si.edu

GPS coordinates: 38.88833,-77.02444

Latest update: December 18, 2025 15:40