Arts and Industries Building (Smithsonian) long-term closure

Completed in 1881 as the Smithsonian Institution's first purpose-built museum building, the Arts and Industries Building was closed to the public in 2004 for repairs and remained largely unused for roughly 17 years. The prolonged vacancy required extensive preservation and stabilization work on its Victorian-era interiors and masonry. Limited re-openings for exhibitions and events began after a major rehabilitation completed in the early 2020s.