A top-to-bottom $67.5 million renovation is making progress at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in a historic classic-revival building on New York Avenue and 13th Street NW. The six-story building, constructed in 1908, is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The museum, which is the first of its kind and dedicated to championing women in the arts, closed in 2021 and is scheduled to reopen Oct. 21, 2023.
Leading a hard hat tour through the building’s interior, Baltimore-based architect Sandra Vicchio said, “We are in, what has been for a very long time, the Great Hall of the building and it’s one of the most historical and important spaces in the building … the goal here is to preserve and update this iconic space and make it better for the museum, moving forward. You can see all of the original architectural elements.”
Vicchio added, “We’ve updated all of the building’s system, mechanical, lighting, A-V, IT security, all of it is updated.”
Vicchio also pointed out that two passenger elevators are being added that will make all six floors accessible for the first time to people with health conditions or impairments.
The renovations are the building’s first since the 1980s, and the design enlarges galleries to better showcase the museum’s collection of more than 6,000 works of art. The changes will provide enough space to exhibit large-scale sculptures that could not be accommodated before.
“There are going to be bold and very powerful and very impressive large works, many of which have not been seen by the public before,” said Susan Sterling, director of the museum.
Scaffolding that envelops the inside and outside of the building makes it difficult to envision the soaring spaces, such as the hall inside the building entrance.
“When people come into the building, this is one of the first spaces that they encounter, and they are going to immediately understand the scope of the museum’s collection, which spans five centuries and six continents,” said Kathryn Wat, chief curator and deputy director of the museum.
In the center of the building’s rotunda will hang a huge chandelier.
“It’s made from crocheted wool, Murano glass and sequins. It’s just something else, it’s red and it illuminates,” said Wat.
