The Castle, Second Edition

Book excerpt: When visitors to the nation's capital embark on a day of museum visits at the National Mall, the most striking building in their midst is undoubtedly the Smithsonian Castle. Its iconic architecture has come to symbolize the Smithsonian. Today the Castle is both central administration building for the entire Smithsonian Insititution and the public doorway to all of its museums and galleries. But in years past it housed the families of the head of the Smithsonian at the same time that it served as research offices for far-flung explorations and as space for collections exhibition and restoration. The newly designed second edition of The Castle explores the architectural details of turrets and tomb, and layers that with the stories of the people who have served inside this beloved, nineteenth-century medieval revival landmark.