Visit soon, or be prepared to wait a while! This is the annoucenemnt on their web site at www.si.edu :

Renovation of Building Centers on Star-Spangled Banner

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History announced plans on April 12, 2006 for a major architectural transformation to focus on three areas: architectural enhancements to the museum’s interior, constructing a state-of-the-art gallery for the Star-Spangled Banner and updating the 42-year-old building’s infrastructure (mechanical, electrical, plumbing, lighting, fire and security systems.)

To prepare for the transformation, the museum will begin closing some of its exhibition galleries this spring and summer, and the full museum will close to the public as of September 5. (Labor Day, September 4, will be the last day to visit the museum.) Construction will begin in the fall of 2006 and the museum is scheduled to reopen by summer 2008.

Expect them to miss their reopening date by a year or more.

Keith

Is it just me or does that seem like a REALLY long time to close such a major museum?

The huge scale of the project is the main reason it will take so long. In fact, I share Keith's suspicion that the allotted time estimate (under two years) is optimistic.

When DH and I were there last spring, it seemed as if half the museum was closed anyway.

The National Portrait Gallery and the American Art Museum are reopening July 1. Their building's renovation was scheduled for 3 years and has taken 6.

Keith

Thanks for the info. The 8th G/T social studies classes at my kids' school go to DC every year and next year will be my daughter's year...looks like no First Ladies' gowns for her.