WASHINGTON, DC.- The Renwick Gallery, home to the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s craft and decorative arts program, opened to the public Friday, Nov. 13, following a comprehensive two-year renovation. The museum, located across from the White House at the corner of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue N.W., in downtown Washington, D.C., opened with an updated interior aesthetic, carefully restored historic features and significantly upgraded, state-of-the-art infrastructure. The inaugural exhibition, titled “WONDER,” features gallery-sized installations by nine major contemporary artists, renewing the commitment inscribed in stone above the front door, “Dedicated to Art.”

“The Renwick Gallery is the first purpose-built art museum in America and an architectural masterpiece,” said Betsy Broun, The Margaret and Terry Stent Director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. “The original legislation states that the building is intended to ‘encourage American genius’ and the words ‘Dedicated to Art’ are prominently inscribed above the entrance. We are delighted to renew that commitment through this renovation, which will allow us to continue showcasing the best and most innovative American art for the next half-century.”

Renovation This project marks the first comprehensive renovation to the building in 45 years. Westlake Reed Leskosky is the lead architectural design and engineering firm, and Consigli Construction Co. Inc. is the general construction contractor. Both firms are recognized leaders in working with museums and historic buildings.

A dramatic new carpet for the Grand Staircase, designed by French architect Odile Decq in her signature red color, re-establishes the French influence in the building. Further enhancing the new, contemporary look of public spaces are a lighter paint palette in the galleries, custom-designed furnishings for the lobby by metalsmith Marc Mairoana, LED up-lighting of the ceiling coves and gilding on decorative moldings.

The renovation of this National Historic Landmark has revealed two long-concealed ceiling vaults on the second floor, restored the original 19th-century window configuration throughout and repaired original moldings and other decorative features, in addition to numerous other preservation efforts. Infrastructure has been replaced or upgraded with the most up-to-date sustainable and energy-efficient technologies.

Public and gallery spaces are now illuminated entirely with LED lighting. The new lighting system is a landmark advance in museum energy efficiency and, combined with other infrastructure improvements, will reduce the building’s energy usage by more than 70 percent, making the Renwick Gallery one of the most energy efficient Smithsonian museums.

Inaugural Exhibition—“WONDER”
The debut exhibition, “WONDER,” features new site-specific installations by nine contemporary artists, including Jennifer Angus, Chakaia Booker, Gabriel Dawe, Tara Donovan, Patrick Dougherty, Janet Echelman, John Grade, Maya Lin and Leo Villareal. Each artist works intensively with expressive materials—including tires, thread, insects, branches, netting, glass marbles and LED light strips—to create larger-than-life installations that will transform the museum into an immersive artwork. Nicholas R. Bell, The Fleur and Charles Bresler Curator-in-Charge of the Renwick Gallery, organized the exhibition.