‘The Architecture of an Asylum’ at National Building Museum, Washington DC
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The National Building Museum in Washington DC, is hosting an exhibition, “Architecture of An Asylum: St. Elizabeths 1852-2017,” on view through January 15, 2018.The exhibition represents a remarkable story about American healthcare, architectural history
‘The Architecture of an Asylum’ at National Building Museum, Washington DC
The National Building Museum in Washington DC, is hosting an exhibition, “Architecture of An Asylum: St. Elizabeths 1852-2017,” on view through January 15, 2018.The exhibition represents a remarkable story about American healthcare, architectural history, and promising adaptive reuse of a sprawling campus of 19th and 20th Century structures, St. Elizabeths. The exhibition explores this federally-operated 300-plus acre National Historic Landmark, which was originally named, “The Government Hospital for the Insane,” during its inception in 1855.Bringing an important collection of architectural drawings held by the Library of Congress, the multi-disciplinary exhibition narrates the story of St. Elizabeths’ evolution over time, reflecting evolving theories on mental healthcare, as well as its reconfiguration as a federal workplace and mixed-use urban development center which took place later in its history. The archival materials on view comprise plans and elevations spanning the period from the 1850s through the 1980s, including drawings of plans by Thomas U. Walter for the institution’s first structure, the 1855 Center Building, and the plans for later residential “cottages,” farm structures, and an auditorium, but most importantly, the spectacular 1904 model created for the St. Louis World’s Fair, which stands as the dramatic centerpiece for the exhibition.Supplementing these drawings and models are a wide variety of objects, including medical instruments to patient-created artworks, as well as photographs, scrapbooks, furnishings, and paintings, on loan from various museums and archives.The exhibition is on view at National Building Museum, 401 First Street North West, Washington, DC 20001, USA.For details, visit: www.nbm.orgClick on the slideshow for a sneak peek at the exhibition Read more
