Architectural Scavenger Hunt | Volume 5, Issue 1

New Clue!

These elaborate stone carved tables furnish an historic lobby. What museum facility do they belong to?

Volume 4, Issue 2 Answer

Clue

Which Smithsonian facility features polychrome decorative brickwork?

Answer

This polychrome decorative brickwork belongs to the exterior of the Arts and Industries Building (AIB). Constructed between 1879-1881 and originally known as the National Museum Building, the AIB is the Smithsonian’s first purposely constructed museum building, designed to receive, exhibit, and preserve museum collections. It was the first museum building on the National Mall, following the Smithsonian Institution Building completed in 1855 which housed many other functions in addition to exhibition space. Designed by Adolf Cluss and Paul Schulze, the AIB is notable as the last extant red brick building on the National Mall where once red brick buildings predominated. The AIB is a designated National Historic Landmark as an unique example of early museum design based on international exposition hall buildings and for its exceptional brick masonry architecture. The building contains over 5,250,000 bricks manufactured by the Washington Brick Machine Company, featuring red, shaped red arch, blackened, buff, and sandblasted enameled blue bricks.