“Dear PoPville,
I noticed this graffiti on my walk to work this a.m. at approx. 8:30. I assumed it was graffiti and not an avant-garde art piece because of the location (near the scaffolding) and the normally pristine conditions of the Phillips. Any thoughts?”
409 3rd Street, SW rendering via Museum of the Bible
From a press release:
“Museum of the Bible, the 430,000-square-foot museum opening on Nov. 17 just three blocks from the U.S. Capitol, announced today it will not charge a fee for general admission. Similar to the admission policies of other museums, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History, Museum of the Bible will instead suggest a $15 donation, with guests under no obligation to pay anything. Museum of the Bible will also offer guests the ability to reserve timed-entry tickets. (more…)
Photo by PoPville flickr user Josh
From a press release:
“Some of the world’s most prominent IMAX documentary filmmakers are leading a charge to oppose the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History’s plan to demolish its IMAX theater in order to expand a cafeteria. In a public letter, the filmmakers have asked the museum’s Executive Director Dr. Kirk Johnson, to delay the demolition in order to engage in a transparent and public dialogue on the decision, including a full financial disclosure of the IMAX theater as well as the rationale for the proposed cafeteria expansion and its expected revenues. (more…)
1307 New Hampshire Avenue, NW
From an email:
“Brewmaster Tours are now open to the public
Have you ever thought that it would be fun to drink a beer after touring a Brewmaster’s mansion? Join us as one of our knowledgeable docents leads you through the museum on an hour long tour, followed by a thirty minute guided, local beer tasting in the Conservatory. Enjoy a flight of three craft beers while taking in the splendor of the house that beer built. Tickets are now available for upcoming tours on June 30th, July 14th, and July 28th.” (more…)
Photo by PoPville flickr user Mark Andre
“Dear PoPville,
I’ve been trying, unsuccessfully, to get tickets to the Infinity Mirrors exhibition at the Hirshhorn Museum. Spent multiple Mondays being glued to my laptop at noon frantically refreshing their site in multiple windows. Every time it’s the same story – I see tickets becoming available, start the process, select # of tickets, but then get a message ‘tickets not yet available’ – after refreshing the screen a second later all tickets are gone. Talked to several of my friends and coworkers – all had similar experience. One of my coworkers ended up buying tickets on Craigslist – apparently some ads there indicate that sellers can get you tickets for any date you like…
So, I would be interested to hear if anyone in PoPville was actually able to get tickets through that ‘official’ process. Or are all the tickets siphoned off by some tech wizards with super fast computers?”
Hive oculus, courtesy Studio Gang.
First Hill Country Summer Barbecue is coming back and now this – sweet!
From the Building Museum:
OPENING JULY 4, 2017
Studio Gang, an architecture and urbanism practice based in Chicago, brings the latest interactive installation to the Museum’s Great Hall.
Soaring 60 feet tall and measuring 50 feet in diameter at its largest point, Hive is constructed entirely of more than 2,700 paper tubes, a common building and construction material that is recyclable, lightweight, and rapidly renewable. The tubes vary in size from several inches to 10 feet high, and will be interlocked to create weighted catenary dome shapes. The installation’s tallest dome reaches the height of the Museum’s uppermost floor and features an oculus at the top that is over 10 feet in diameter. The tubes feature a reflective silver exterior and vivid magenta interior, creating a spectacular visual contrast with the Museum’s historic nineteenth-century interior and colossal Corinthian columns. (more…)
From a press release:
“WHAT: SMITHSONIAN at 8 in collaboration with Francophonie DC and the Embassy of France presents “La Grande Fete”
WHEN: Friday, March 31, 7 to 11 p.m.
WHERE: La Maison Francaise, 4101 Reservoir Road, NW Washington, DC
Get ready for a spectacular party with a French accent. The annual Francophonie Cultural Festival spotlights the music, art, literature, film, cuisine, and customs of French-speaking countries and regions from across the globe. Its closing celebration, La Grande Fete is always magnifique, and this year’s bash is no exception.
Beginning at 7 p.m., guests will launch into a world tour of francophone cultures. They’ll sample food and drink from more than 30 embassies as they explore each nation’s unique attractions and traditions. There are plenty of giveaways to take home as souvenirs, and guests can share their experiences throughout the night on Instagram using #at8enfrancais.
Multi-talented musician Francis Jocky (Cameroon/France) kicks off the night with his blend of jazz, soul, funk, and rhythm and blues. Later, DJ Princess Slaya spins music from Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and plenty of destinations in between. (more…)
13th and K Street, NW
Ed. Note: You can see previous proposals here.
From a press release:
“Today the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) announced the selection of Ann B. Friedman and Dantes Partners to lead the redevelopment of the historic Franklin School, located at the intersection of 13th Street NW and K Street NW in Ward 2. Delivering on the Bowser Administration’s commitment to the creative economy, the proposed development will transform the historic space into Planet Word, an interactive language arts museum and education space.
“Planet Word is a one-of-a-kind project that delivers on our promise to invest in the arts in the most innovative of ways,” said Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Brian T. Kenner. “Developing the Franklin School into an interactive language center gives visitors and residents a unique learning experience, adds to the cultural fabric of our downtown, and is a great fit for the District’s growing creative economy.”
Planet Word’s mission is to inspire a love of words and language and increase literacy through a host of interactive exhibits and experiences. Along with the Mundolingua in Paris, Planet Word will be one of just a few fully-operational language museums globally. Initially inspired by MoMath, the National Museum of Mathematics in Manhattan, Ms. Friedman, with the support of her husband, Thomas L. Friedman, and a national board, has been developing plans for the museum for more than three years and is delighted to have found such an appropriate venue for the project and have the opportunity to restore the Franklin School to its former architectural glory. (more…)
“Dear PoPville,
Yesterday 27 teams of architects, engineers, and developers came together at the National Building museum to build giant sculptures out of canned food to bring awareness to those in our nation’s capital that don’t have enough to eat. Afterwards, all of the cans are donated to the Capital Area Food Bank. Canstruction DC is sponsored by the Washington Architectural Foundation and Society for Design Administration, and has donated more than 250 tons of food to the Capital Area Food Bank.
The sculptures are open to the public from Nov. 20-27th, and “votes” can be cast in the form of cans donated at the site, or via an online donation here.
This is a great way to help our neighbors during this Thanksgiving season, and I’d be very appreciative if you could post the information on your site to encourage people to visit. Entry is free to view the sculptures, and the National Building Museum is located at 401 F St NW, Washington, DC 20001. This year’s theme is “Movie Night” and there are sculptures representing blockbusters such as Star Wars, Ghostbusters, and Sharknado.”
Photo by PoPville flickr user Tim Brown
From the Mayor’s Office:
“Mayor Muriel Bowser announces events, road closures and security measures related to the grand opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the 19th and newest museum of the Smithsonian Institution.
In honor of the museum opening, Mayor Bowser will attend the dedication ceremony and grand opening on Saturday, September 24. In addition to several events that will be hosted throughout the District to commemorate the opening, the museum will also host Freedom Sounds: A Community Celebration, a three-day free festival taking place on the Washington Monument grounds. The event will include musical performances, spoken word, oral-history activities, storytelling and interactive workshops. The festival will also include concert performances on Saturday from Living Colour, Public Enemy and The Roots. On Sunday, Experience Unlimited, Meshell Ndegeocello and Angelique Kidjo will deliver concert performances. A full schedule will be available on the museum’s website (www.nmaahc.si.edu). (more…)