Existing comment:
East Model Hall, 1856 (woodcut):
From 1852 to 1917, the US Department of Interior occupied much of the lower two floors of the building. The Patent Office moved out in 1932, and the US Civil Service Commission took possession for the next 31 years, during which time the building suffered from alterations and lack of maintenance. After being saved from demolition for a parking garage, the structure was transferred to the Smithsonian Institution and was renovated for the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum, which opened in 1968.
The Patent Office Building in 1965 was designated a National Historic Landmark, the highest honor an historic structure can receive. In 1966 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. |