Arts and Industries Building

The Arts and Industries Building is a late 19th-century Smithsonian museum on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. It was conceived as a large exhibition space with Victorian-era iron-and-glass architecture.

The building originally housed displays of technological and industrial collections and is characterized by a large central exhibition hall lit by skylights and clerestory windows. Today it is used occasionally for rotating or special exhibitions rather than a permanent collection.

Designed by Adolf Cluss and Paul Schulze and opened in 1881, the building was among the Smithsonian Institution’s earliest dedicated museum buildings. It has undergone multiple repairs and restorations but retains its characteristic brick-and-iron appearance.

The Arts and Industries Building stands on the National Mall, immediately east of the Smithsonian Castle and west of the National Museum of Natural History, with direct pedestrian access from Constitution Avenue and nearby Metro stations.

• Date and architect: Opened in 1881 and designed by Adolf Cluss and Paul Schulze, it is one of the Smithsonian's earliest purpose-built museum buildings and features large iron-and-glass roof structures.
• Visiting: Located on the National Mall between the Smithsonian Castle and the National Museum of Natural History; it is used intermittently for temporary or special exhibitions, so check opening status before visiting.