I swear there was a time in the 1980s (ancient hist, right?) when you could tour the original (castle) building. IIRC, it housed inventions from around 1876, and I thought it was known as the Centennial Bldg. (The building was all decked-out in red, white, and blue garlands and such.) Today, a Google search produces info on some centennial celebration, but nothing about what I recall.
If anything, does anyone know where I could find steam engine locomotives within the Smithsonian buildings along the Mall? I know the mystery “Centennial Bldg” had some!
Hopefully, I am not the only one who remembers…and better still, hopefully others know where its all moved to!
In the mid-90s, there was a restaurant in the Castle for higher-level Smithsonian members. (And I think regular members could get passes if requested in advance.) It didn’t take up the whole building, but I don’t remember any other large exhibits in there, either.
The centennial exhibit was in the ARTS AND INDUSTRIES BUILDING. This is the second oldest building in the Smithsonian. Ths A&I building is located just east of the castle. The exhibit opened in 1976 and closed in 2004. The building is closed for rennovations and no date is set for reopening due to funding problems. Where the stuff was I do not know, probably in storage.
The castle is open. See www.si.edu, the offical smithsonian site.
The OP may already be aware of this, but if you want to see some steam engines, the B&O museum in Baltimore has a very good collection of them. Baltimore isn’t that far from DC if you are visiting.
Correct. At one time I had an office in one of the turrets in the Arts and Industries Building, reached by a spiral metal staircase. Best office I ever had (if a bit drafty). I walked by all those exhibits every morning on my way to work.
The first time I went to Washington, on a high school class trip, the Arts and Industries showcased many of the exhibits that are now in Air and Space, including the Wright Brothers’ Flyer and the Spirit of St. Louis.