WASHINGTON D.C. METROPOLITAN CHAPTER

The webpage of the Washington DC Metro  Chapter of the VSA

application form
 

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Tour of
The Smithsonian Castle

Sunday, November 4, 2007

From the cornerstone laying May 1, 1847 to its completion in 1855 to today, the Smithsonian Institution Building (Castle) has been adapted to the changing needs and uses of the Institution.  Although the exterior has changed little, the inside has changed many times in many ways.  The tour will include James Smithson’s crypt and the latest findings from a book on his life, published this year.

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Tour of
The Historic Patent Office Building

Saturday, December 1, 2007
 

The Patent Office Building, begun in 1836 and completed in 1868, is one of the oldest public buildings constructed by the new nation in its capital city.  This landmark was praised by Walt Whitman as the "noblest of Washington buildings" and is considered to be one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in the United States.