If you were asked to help design (or redesign) D.C., Fairfax, Virginia, or downtown Silver Spring, Maryland, what would you recommend?
In today’s episode of “Matt About Town,” we’re heading to the National Building Museum, where a new exhibit aims to improve city living, starting with ideas from you.
“Coming Together” explores the makeup of downtowns across the U.S., showcasing modern innovations — what “works” — and asking the fundamental question: How can cities become even more activated, no matter their size?
The museum said that: “Through case studies, data infographics, large-scale video, digital interactives, and voting activities, the exhibition offers a multimedia exploration into how bright the future of American downtowns can be if we continue coming together.”
The exhibit is the first of three major exhibitions planned as part of the museum’s “Future Cities” initiative, a multiyear project that will do a deep dive into the city, examining our urban centers as building blocks and reflections of society.
The museum plans to gather input from guests who interact with exhibits, which will help inform new data. In the exhibit’s “City Action Hall” space, the museum is actively hosting meetings with local governments, nonprofits and other planning organizations that are involved in city-mapping across the country.
Just by showing up and weighing in, you could be helping planners devise the next great improvements to our cities of tomorrow!
The exhibit is curated by Uwe Brandes, a professor of urban planning at Georgetown University.
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