Arts and Industries Building in Washington, Washington, D.C.
Museum with a major rail exhibitClosed as a museum; becoming the National Museum of the American Latino
The Arts and Industries Building opened in 1881 as the country's first U.S. National Museum, the Smithsonian's second oldest building and for generations a place where millions of visitors met the nation's collections.
- Opened in 1881
- First U.S. National Museum
- Smithsonian's second oldest building
- Designed by Adolf Cluss and Paul Schulze
- Future National Museum of the American Latino
Arts and Industries Building at a glance
- Hours
- Closed as a museum; check si.edu for any special openings
- Admission
- Check si.edu for any special events
- Best for
- History fans walking the National Mall
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Arts and Industries Building? Bring Rally along.
In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Washington.
Rally Takes the Train
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Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $13.99 on Amazon.
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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
The Smithsonian's first home built for public display
From the 1850s the Smithsonian's collections were kept in the Smithsonian Institution Building, the Castle, and they soon outgrew it. Secretary Spencer F. Baird pushed for a new building made only for the U.S. National Museum, and architects Adolf Cluss and Paul Schulze designed it. It opened in 1881 as the National Museum, the country's first, and its tall halls introduced millions of people to the nation's collections.
In 1910 the Smithsonian built the National Museum of Natural History to hold the growing collection, and the older building was renamed the Arts and Industries Building. In later years it closed for renovation while still opening for special events, and the Smithsonian says it has now permanently closed as a museum. On August 31, 2026 the Smithsonian Board of Regents named it the permanent site of the National Museum of the American Latino. Before that decision, the building reopened for a limited time starting June 16, 2026, with special exhibitions, cultural programs and events tied to the nation's 250th anniversary.
What remains to see today
The building is no longer a regular museum, so there are no standing transportation galleries to plan a family trip around. Its outside, designed by Cluss and Schulze and standing in the heart of the National Mall, can still be admired on any walk past. For any special exhibitions or events inside, check si.edu before you go.
Don’t miss
- The 1881 building itselfThe first building made solely to house the U.S. National Museum, and the Smithsonian's second oldest after the Castle.
A building with a story to tell kids
With the building closed as a museum, there is nothing set up here for kids to climb or ride. It still makes a good stop on a walk along the Mall: point out that this is where the Smithsonian first put its collections on show for the public in 1881, then head to an open museum for hands-on time.
Plan your visit: tips for Arts and Industries Building
- Do not plan a trip around the building's interior without checking si.edu first.
- Pair a look at the outside with an open Smithsonian museum nearby.
The Smithsonian and the building's next chapter
The Smithsonian cares for the building, and its Board of Regents chose it as the permanent home of the National Museum of the American Latino. Updates on the transition and on any public programs are posted on si.edu.
Where to see trains in the capital
For rail history that is open to visitors, see our guide to train museums in Washington, D.C., or browse the national train museum directory for more ideas.
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
This building got its start because the Smithsonian's collections outgrew the Castle and needed a new home. I think about that when Rally packs his own little collection before our train trip: his turtle toy, his green bone and his yellow ball, each one carefully chosen. My mom would have loved that detail. You can read how her story idea became our book on our story page.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.
Get the free coloring pages
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
- Train museums in Washington, D.C.: every museum by town, with a map
- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Arts and Industries Building?
We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.
Sources
Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.
Arts and Industries Building: 20 questions answered
Is the Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building closed?
Yes. The Smithsonian says the Arts and Industries Building has permanently closed as a museum and is being transformed into the permanent home of the National Museum of the American Latino. It has opened at times for special events and limited programs, so check si.edu before assuming you can go inside.
Why is the Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building closed?
The building closed for renovation and has now permanently closed as a museum because it is becoming the National Museum of the American Latino. On August 31, 2026 the Smithsonian Board of Regents designated it as that museum's permanent site. The si.edu page for the building has the latest on the transition.
When will the Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building reopen?
It will not reopen as the Arts and Industries Building museum. Its future is as the permanent home of the National Museum of the American Latino, and the Smithsonian has not given an opening date for that museum here. Check si.edu for announcements and for any limited public openings before then.
Did the Arts and Industries Building reopen in 2026?
Yes, for a limited time. A local report said it would reopen on June 16, 2026 with special exhibitions, cultural programs and public events tied to the nation's 250th anniversary. That was a temporary opening, so check si.edu to see whether anything is still open on your date.
What are the Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building hours?
There are no regular museum hours, since the building has permanently closed as a museum. When it opens for special events or limited programs, the Smithsonian posts times on si.edu. Check there before you go rather than relying on older listings, which may show hours from earlier openings.
What is the Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building address?
The building stands in the heart of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Its exact street address and directions are on the Smithsonian's page for the building at si.edu. Since it is closed as a museum, check the same page for whether any entrance is open before you set out.
What is in the Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building?
Today it is a building in transition rather than a museum with permanent exhibits. It is being turned into the permanent home of the National Museum of the American Latino. During its 2026 limited opening it held special exhibitions and programs, and si.edu lists anything currently on view.
What is the history of the Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building?
It opened in 1881 as the National Museum, the country's first U.S. National Museum, after the collections outgrew the Smithsonian Castle. Secretary Spencer F. Baird championed it, and Adolf Cluss and Paul Schulze designed it. In 1910, after the Natural History museum was built, it was renamed the Arts and Industries Building.
When was the Arts and Industries Building built?
The building opened in 1881. It was the first building created only to house the U.S. National Museum, since the collections had been kept in the Smithsonian Castle from the 1850s and had run out of room. It is the Smithsonian's second oldest building, after the Castle.
Who designed the Arts and Industries Building?
Architects Adolf Cluss and Paul Schulze designed the building, which opened in 1881. Smithsonian Secretary Spencer F. Baird devoted himself to getting a proper building for the National Museum's growing collections, and this was the result. Its soaring halls went on to introduce millions of visitors to the nation's collections.
Why is it called the Arts and Industries Building?
It opened in 1881 as the National Museum. In 1910 the Smithsonian built the National Museum of Natural History to hold the growing collection, and the older building was renamed the Arts and Industries Building at that point, the name it still carries today.
Is the Arts and Industries Building the oldest Smithsonian building?
No, it is the second oldest. The Smithsonian Institution Building, known as the Castle, is older and held the collections from the 1850s. The Arts and Industries Building followed in 1881 as the first building made solely for the U.S. National Museum.
What events are held at the Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building?
While closed for renovation, the building opened for special events, and its 2026 limited reopening included special exhibitions, cultural programs and public events tied to the nation's 250th anniversary. For anything current, check the Smithsonian's page for the building on si.edu.
Can you get married at the Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building?
The Smithsonian does not list wedding rental details for the building online, and since it is closed as a museum and becoming the National Museum of the American Latino, availability is uncertain. Contact the Smithsonian through si.edu to ask about private event use before making any plans.
Was there a circus exhibit at the Arts and Industries Building?
The Smithsonian does not describe a circus exhibit on its current page for the building. Past special events and programs are not all listed online, so if you are researching a specific exhibit or performance, ask the Smithsonian Institution Archives, which keeps records on the building's history.
Did the Arts and Industries Building have transportation collections?
The building held the Smithsonian's collections when it opened in 1881 as the National Museum, but the Smithsonian does not describe transportation displays on its current page for the building. For rail and transportation exhibits that are open now, see the Washington, D.C. train museum guide on this site or the Smithsonian's museum listings on si.edu.
What will the Arts and Industries Building become?
It will become the permanent home of the National Museum of the American Latino. The Smithsonian Board of Regents made that designation on August 31, 2026. The Smithsonian has not posted an opening date for the new museum on the building's page, so check si.edu for updates.
Are there photos and reviews of the Arts and Industries Building?
The Smithsonian and the Smithsonian Institution Archives share images and history of the building on their websites, and the National Park Service has a page on it too. Visitor reviews mostly describe special openings, so check dates, since the building is no longer a regular museum.
Can kids visit the Arts and Industries Building?
There is no regular family program, because the building is closed as a museum. Kids can still see the outside on a walk along the National Mall and hear how the Smithsonian first put its collections on show there in 1881. For hands-on train fun, pick an open rail museum from the Washington, D.C. guide on this site.
Where can you see trains in Washington, D.C. instead?
This site's guide to train museums in Washington, D.C. lists rail history sites in and around the capital that are open to visitors. The Smithsonian's website, si.edu, also lists every Smithsonian museum with current hours, so you can check which galleries with transportation history are open on your date.
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