Smithsonian Institution Building (The Castle)

The Smithsonian Institution Building, commonly called the Castle, was completed in 1855 and is the first and oldest building on the National Mall. Designed by James Renwick in a Norman Revival style, its distinctive red Seneca sandstone exterior houses the Smithsonian Visitor Center and institutional offices as well as historical exhibits about the Smithsonian. The building originally served as the Smithsonian's primary museum and administrative headquarters.