Winter 2025
Architectural Scavenger Hunt
New Clue!
These decorative cast iron gates secure a Smithsonian museum's entrance and are visible daily after dusk. What museum facility do they belong to?
The answer will be posted in the following edition of Preservation Periodical.
Volume 3, Issue 1
Clue
This terra cotta sculpture sits high atop the oldest remaining building in its Historic District. It is accompanied by eight other "furry" friends.
Answer
This glazed terra cotta lynx is located on the roofline of the Think Tank building located at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. Originally called the Small Mammal House, the building was designed by Hornblower & Marshall and opened to the public in 1906, making it the oldest building in the National Zoological Park Historic District. There are nine terra cotta animal finials, including lynx, foxes, and bears, which were modeled after sculptures created by Laura Swing Kemeys. Manufactured by the Perth Amboy Terra Cotta Company, these animal finials are the first pieces of public sculpture at the zoo.
