Glimpse of the Past: A Neighborhood Evolves

Experience the sights, scenes, and beautiful buildings that make up the ever-changing Penn Quarter neighborhood in downtown Washington, D.C. Featuring photographs, postcards, and posters from the 1850s to the present, the history of the neighborhood comes alive. Works include the evolution of the Hecht's building, construction of the Metro stop, Chinatown bike tours, the arrival of the Verizon Center, and a visual history of the Patent Office Building—one of the oldest federal buildings in Washington, D.C., now home of the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum. Also, an interactive piece in the exhibition features snapshots of the area during the 1960s and 1970s made by Washingtonian Chris Earnshaw.