Show Description:

When most people think of a museum, they are likely to think of the things exhibited there-paintings, Moon rocks, totem poles, or other objects of artistic, scientific, or cultural value. Of course, the National Building Museum has always offered visitors the chance to see many interesting objects, from drawings by famous architects to a full-scale, sustainable house built in our own galleries. Indeed, the care, interpretation, and thoughtful display of such artifacts is central to our mission. The Museum is, however, much more than a repository of things, beautiful and intriguing though they may be. It is above all a forum for the development, exploration, and exchange of ideas. Created by an act of Congress in 1980, the National Building Museum has become one of the world's most prominent and vital venues for informed, reasoned debate about the built environment and its impact on people's lives. Our exhibitions, educational programs, and publications are well regarded not only for their capacity to enlighten and entertain, but also as vehicles for fostering lively discussion about a wide range of topics related to development, architecture, construction and engineering, interior design, landscape architecture, and urban planning.