National building museum guide is one of the best places in Washington DC where you could relax. Though, you might find it had to understand why the museum should be a relaxing point when there are many locations such as parks and other places in Washington dc to relax.

The national building museum is a quite place. There are not many people around even during weekends. It is a lovely way to explore the museum in a quiet surrounding.

If you are a first time visitor to National Building Museum, You may choose to take a brochure when you enter the museum, and take you own time and route to watch he exhibits of the museum.

You would find rare building models of United States of America. There are exhibits which explain a thing or two about urban planning.

The architectural signs of the building are mentioned, and there are many aspects of building designs which you may learn out of your tour to national building museum.

It is a place, which is ideal for architects who are finding ways to learn more about architectural designs.

The museum is touted as the best architectural designs in Washington Dc. The great hall inside the museum is a place where corporate meeting and events are held during evenings.

The museum is located in downtown Washington Dc, and you would find it very near from wherever you are in Washington Dc.

You must remember that the national building museum hosts the opening ceremony of national cherry blossom festival.

Constructed between 1880 and 1887, the historic National Building Museum today stands in Downtown Washington as an architectural marvel of the 19th century and is proud to be one of the most awe-inspiring and family-friendly venues in the city. As the pioneering and leading cultural institution in America, it is dedicated to the exploration and celebration of the environment we human create for ourselves. Its innovative and creative exhibitions, educational programs, family festivals and other events are regarded to be the best in Washington to foster people's curiosity and wonders about design, architecture, construction, engineering, landscape architecture and urban planning.

At National Building Museum, visitors get engaged in various entertaining hands-on programs, and the smiles on their faces are the best evidence of the museum's impact and amazement. Bring your family to this compelling place and construct a best possible future with your own hands! For detailed introduction to National Building Museum, please visit its official website:

National Building Museum

http://www.nbm.org/

Racking your brains for what to do in this spectacular museum? Oh, there is really no need to get bothered about this, for National Building Museum has been ready for long to offer you a once-in-a-lifetime experience full of exhibitions, programs & lectures, family & kids camps and activities, and school programs, so you can see no matter which type of visitors you are, family or group, the museum will definitely feast you with a wide range of events to your heart's content. Now follow our article and spotlight the featured offers of National Building Museum.

Current Exhibitions

To ensure your every visit to be pleasant and valuable, the museum offers a series of permanent exhibitions, committed to the very collections and themes. Currently, there are 6 kinds of exhibitions ongoing at National Building Museum.

1. Designing Tomorrow: America's World's Fairs of the 1930s

This series of exhibition started on October 2, 2010 and will come to the end on July 10, 2011. It highlights the spectacles and marvels of modern architecture and design between 1933 and 1940 when the six world's fairs took place throughout the nation, showcasing the popularization of modernism blended in design, architecture, and industry during the fairs. As the first-of-its-kind, Designing Tomorrow provides almost 200 never-seen-before artifacts from the six awesome expositions.

2. LEGO Architecture: Towering Ambition

This exhibition was on display on July 3, 2010 for the first time and will draw to the end on September 5, 2011. It features 15 buildings across the world made completely from LEGO bricks by Adam Reed Tucker. It is noteworthy that the National Building Museum itself is constructed with over 15,500,000 LEGO bricks! After getting inspired by these structures, visitors are encouraged to construct the buildings by themselves in a LEGO community. More info is available on the following website:

LEGO Architecture

http://www.nbm.org/exhibitions-collections/exhibitions/lego-architecture.html

3. Walls Speak: The Narrative Art of Hildreth Meiere

Hildreth Meiere, the most celebrated mosaicist and muralist of the early 20th century, has left us several of the most prominent works of the Art Deco period. This stunning exhibition showcases her sketches, painted studies and scale models and brings her creativity to life for all guests. This exhibition is available every day March, 9 through November 27, 2011.

4. Washington: Symbol and City: This exhibition focuses on how Washington balances the tension between the demands of residents and the status as a national symbol.

5. Cityscapes Revealed: Highlights from the Collection: This one highlights the architectural features of urban America from the late 19th century to the first half of the 20th century, including construction materials, architectural styles and practices.

6. Building Zone: This is a hands-on opportunity to design and build constructions with your own hands, particularly for the youngest guests aged 2 to 6. This Zone is open from 10 am to 4 pm Monday through Saturday, and 11 am to 4 pm on Sunday.

In addition to the inspiring exhibition, National Building Museum hosts a number of programs and lectures to get visitors involved in and entertained. On the website below you can find details about ongoing programs & lectures at the museum. Have a check to see whether any is interesting to you.

Ongoing Series of Programs & Lectures

http://www.nbm.org/programs-lectures/ongoing-series.html

Going to explore the National Building Museum in June, 2011? Then never skip the following event calendar which contains a full listing of events going to happen in June.

- World's Fair Weekends: This is a complementary event for Designing Tomorrow and Walks Speak, hosted by the Art Deco Society of Washington. It will take place on Saturday, June 4 and end on Tuesday, June 7. The weekend will feature an "after hours" party full of vintage fashion, wine, food and entertainment on Saturday, and an all-day bus tour throughout Art Deco Richmond on Sunday. For additional info, please visit the Art Deco Society's homepage:

Art Deco Society

http://www.adsw.org/

- Intelligent Cities Forum: On Monday, June 6, the National Building Museum will host a one-day forum to discuss how to improve and protect our environment with the exiting and emerging technologies, and the participants include the thought leaders, government officials and the general public. Online advance registration for this event is available until midnight May 27, and the walk-in registration based on the occupancy will start at 7 am on Monday, June 6. For more info about rates and requirements, please click the link below:

Intelligent Cities Forum

http://go.nbm.org/site/Calendar/2039873150?view=Detail&id=110742

More events in June include:

- Modernism for the Masses: 6:30 pm to 8 pm on Tuesday, June 7

- Homeschool Day: 10 am to 3 pm on Friday, June 10

- Construction Watch Tour: 10 am to 12 pm on Saturday, June 11

- Smart Growth: Active Design Joins the Fight Against Obesity: 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm on Thursday, June 16

- Pajama Party ( Family Membership Program): 6:30 pm to 8 pm on Friday, June 170

- Guastavino Vaulting: The Art of Structural Tile: 11 am to 12 pm on Saturday, June 18

- Construction Watch Tour:10 am to 12 pm on Saturday, June 25

- Building in the 21st Century: 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm on Wednesday, June 29

You can visit the following website to quench your thirst for a detailed museum's event calendar.

Event Calendar

http://go.nbm.org/site/Calendar/

As we know, most museums limit themselves to collections of art, science and culture, and there is hardly one like National Building Museum which focuses on architecture, construction, design, engineering and even urban planning! Never think these things boring and plain, for the museum has managed to showcase them in an entertaining and fascinating way. Various temporary exhibitions, thoughtful programs and lectures, innovative family festivals, national-acclaimed museum shop, along with other special events and entertainments, have made this awesome museum stand out among a large number of rivals and be an irreplaceable gem in Washington DC. So if you are scratching your brains for a perfect destination in Downtown Washington DC to get the whole family inspired, you will never go wrong with National Building Museum!

Now this world-renowned museum invites you and your family to join its ongoing and rewarding exhibitions and take an insight into the history and future of the world and the environment we create for ourselves. So are you willing to accept this invitation and ensure an impressive museum experience?

National Building Museum

http://www.nbm.org/index.html

In order to take all possible hassles out of your trip, we are going to do you a favor by offering a comprehensive parking guide on National Building Museum. After reading our article, parking will never be a challenge to you! In any case that you are not quite familiar with the museum's location, visit the website below to get detailed directions info.

Directions and Map for National Building Museum

http://www.nbm.org/plan-visit/accessibility-directions/

The National Building Museum is surrounded by ample and convenient metered parking on 5th Street NW, G Street and F Street NW. The rate is $1 per hour at these meters and free parking is permitted outside the regular hours. Please keep in mind that each vehicle is only allowed to stay 2 hours maximum. All these facilities are handicapped accessible and some of them are still active on Saturdays and Sundays. Listed below is the basic info about parking meters around National Building Museum:

- 400-800 5th Street NW: 7 am to 9:30 pm Monday through Sunday

- 400 F Street NW: 7 am to 6:30 pm Monday through Friday

- 300 F Street NW: 9:30 am to 9:30 pm Monday through Friday

- 500 F Street NW: 7 am to 9:30 pm Monday through Sunday

- 300-400 G Street NW: 7 am to 6:30 pm Monday through Friday

- 500 G Street NW: 7 am to 9:30 pm Monday through Sunday

By the way, all these metered parking is operated on the first come, first served basis. So if full occupancy occurs at the sites above when you arrive, take advantage of parking garages or lots nearby to accommodate your parking needs. These facilities nearby are located on:

a. 575 7th NW

This is an underground parking garage, and the entrance is located on F Street between 6th and 7th Streets. It is open from 7 am to 11 pm Monday through Saturday, and 12 pm to10 pm on Sunday. The rates are $10 per hour and $18 maximum.

b. 300 Massachusetts Avenue NW

The entrance to this garage is located on 4th Street NW between F Street and G Street. Its clearance is 6′8″ so you may be not allowed to park here if your vehicle exceeds this height. The parking rates are $8 for the first hours, $10 for the first 2 hours, and $15 maximum. In addition, monthly parking is also available here, and the rates are $450 with reservation, and $225 for the unreserved. On event days, parking is $15 flat rate.

c. 560 8th Street NW

This underground parking garage is located on 8th Street between F and E Streets. This facility features valet service and is open from 6 am to 12 am on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, from 6 am to 3 am on Friday, and from 8 am to 3 am on Saturday. The rates are $9 per hour and $18 maximum for the entire stay.

More parking garages nearby include:

- Verizon Center Parking: $14 per day and $25 per event, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

- Gallery Place Parking: $8 per hour and $17 per day, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

- 501 3rd Street NW: $9 per hour and $18 maximum, 7 am to 7 pm Monday through Friday

- 615 H Street NW: $7 per hour and $15 maximum, 9 am to 11 pm Monday through Friday

- 601 E Street NW: $7 per hour and $17 maximum, 7 am to 11 pm Monday through Sunday

In order to locate these parking facilities successfully, you can refer to Google Maps and drive your way to the destination without any trouble.

Google Maps

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=National+Building+Museum&fb=1

The National Building Museum is a museum located in downtown Washington DC. The museum is an impeccable blending of essence of America's architecture, design, engineering, construction and urban planning. It's located close to the Judiciary Square Metro station and the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. The museum is also a short walk from several famous attractions in the city, such as the National Mall and the Verizon Center.

The National Building Museum has earned a reputation as one of the most important and outstanding venues in the world. Numerous visitors from around the world come to the museum for exhibitions, public programs and tours to get much insight into the history and future of the world. A variety of educational programs and special events are offered at the museum, like instructive lectures, fun demonstrations and great family festivals.

The museum has a bit of something for everyone, from children to experienced architects. Both temporary exhibits and long-term exhibits are offered. A magnificent historic structure with a soaring Great Hall is nestled in the National Building Museum. The spacious Great Hall is one of the favorite places in Washington DC. The massive hall is impressive with colossal marble Corinthian columns and its four-story atrium. The Great Hall is 15 stories in height at its highest point.

Since the 1885 Inaugural Ball of President Grover Cleveland, the Great Hall has been the exact stage for some of the most elegant and exciting events in Washington. Sixteen Presidential Inaugural Balls have been hosted at the museum. The opening ceremony of National Cherry Blossom Festival is hosted at the museum each spring. Celebrate your reception, seated dinner or other event in a splendid 19th-century setting full of modern conveniences and flexibility. Celebrate your once-in-a-lifetime dream wedding at the National Building Museum and make it a part of history.

The Great Hall can be used for wedding rentals seven days a week. The grand hall consists of three adjoining courts: West Court, East Court and Center Court. The entire hall measures approximately 116′ x 316′. The carpeted areas for East and West Courts have a dimension of 90′ x 84′ and the dimension is 120′ x 90′ for the Center Court. The three courts can be used together or individually. The capacities for seated diners and wedding receptions range from groups of 200 to 2000 based on the courts used.

Ample on-site facilities are offered to complement your wedding theme and celebrations, including a spacious caterer's kitchen with an adjacent loading dock. Film, video, music, lighting and laser shows are all available to enhance your wedding staging. Plus, the National Building Museum boasts one of most accessible locations in Washington DC. It's just minutes from the finest downtown hotels and downtown attractions.

If you're members of the Corinthians program, the Pension Commissioner's Suite and the Corinthian Lounge are also available for weddings. These two smaller spaces are exclusively offered for Corinthians members.

- The P.C. Suite

The P.C. Suite once served as the Pension Commissioner's private office. It contains two well preserved rooms, including a catering staging area. For a seated dinner, the P.C. Suite can accommodate up to 100 guests. For a standing reception, it can hold up to 200 guests. Members making annual gifts of $2,500 or more are entitled to use the Suite for their wedding events.

Weddings at the Suite inevitably create additional cleaning, operating and personnel charges for the museum. Wedding planners using the facilities are required to pay these expenses. For a quote of the needed service fees for your weddings, please contact the Development Events team.

To maintain the original appearance of the historic building, users cannot fix any items to the PC Suite walls at any time. You're prohibited to put any glassware on the balcony ledge and foods & beverages are strictly prohibited in the gallery spaces. After your weddings and wedding receptions, you must remove all equipment and decorations. A podium and easels are provided for your weddings with advance request. For more rental info about the P.C. Suite, please contact Jessie Cochran, the Development Events Manager, at 202-272-2448 x3150 or email to jcochran@nbm.org.

P.C. Suite Guidelines

http://www.nationalbuildingmuseum.net/pdf/PC%20Suite%20Guidelines.pdf

- The Corinthian Lounge

Located on the third floor of the National Building Museum, the Corinthian Lounge is available for members who make annual gifts of $1,000 or more. The stylish room is perfect for a bridal room or a rest room for guests during weddings. The Corinthian Lounge is available from 10 am to 5 pm on weekdays. The lounge is scheduled on a first come, first served basis. You can contact the Development Department to make reservations for your wedding use. Please call 202-272-2448, ext. 3150.

What about the rental rates? The schedule of fees ranges from $16,000 to $30,000, covering the space rental and building support costs. The basic rental for weddings at the museum costs $11,000 with additional $5,000 for service charges, like cleaning, security and electricity. With the basic rental, you're eligible to enter the museum at 4 pm on your wedding day. The rental fee increases for each hour if you need set-up time before the museum's closure time. When you need more time to prepare for your weddings and start loading in at noon, the rental fee is $21,500. The rental rate will be $25,000 for wedding planners in need of a full day at the museum. The fee allows for access to the museum starting at 6 am on the wedding date.

The National Building Museum does not provide catering and rental equipment services for weddings. The space rental only offers the right to use the space for your weddings. Outside vendors help you to handle everything else involved for the wedding. The facility has no in-house equipment for events. A list of potential vendors you'll need to hire is presented:

- Catering Tent

- Caterer

- Florist

- Audio/Visual

- Lighting Company

- Decor Company

- DJ/Band

- Valet

- Dance Floor Company

Any restaurants are not allowed to cater separately for your weddings at the museum. Some select caterers have partnerships with restaurants to offer foods, service and equipment for your weddings. For alcohol and drinks, you're permitted to provide your own alcohol through an approved supplier. Some caterers may not allow their clients to bring their own alcohol when they have the license and liability for liquor. Please note that alcohol service at the wedding reception must end by 12 am and your guests must leave the museum by 1 am. For additional info on using the museum for your wedding, please contact the Museum's Office of Special Events at 202-272-2448, ext. 3107 or you can send an email to cframe@nbm.org.

Note:

- Only votive candles in votive holders sitting on tables are allowed. Candles incorporated into floral arrangements, pillar candles, votive candles in votive candelabras and floating candles are all prohibited at the museum.

- You're only allowed to throw white rose petals in the building. Dark flower petals, glitter, rice and confetti are not allowed. Your hired caterer must manage to clean them up before leaving.

Museum is the place where one goes for many reasons from feeling inspired and gaining knowledge to coming to know ones background. The National Building Museum serves all these purposes with a variety of interesting objects from drawing of architects and houses to various kinds of artifacts. The building of the museum in itself is absolutely inspiring and one of the most amazing spaces you will ever find yourself walking into.

National Building Museum official website

http://www.nbm.org/

Going to a museum has numerous benefits in itself. One does not only feel inspired, but can also get a lot of learning. This is possible to an even greater extent when you are with a group of people. This is because the sharing of knowledge is greater in this case and one learns a great deal more.

The National Building Museum has a very extensive learning program in which lectures are delivered on various topics and there is also an online multimedia centre for those who miss a lecture live.

Programmes, Lectures and Symposia at National Building Museum

http://www.nbm.org/programs-lectures/

You can always plan a visit to the National Building Museum to gain the experience and get benefitted with all that the museum has to offer. There are various different kinds of tours from family tours to those especially for discovery purposes.

Exhibitions and Collections at National Building Museum

http://www.nbm.org/exhibitions-collections/

Plan your visit to National Building Museum

http://www.nbm.org/plan-visit/

When you are thinking about visiting the Museum, you should get an idea beforehand about the kinds items that are exhbited in the museum and the collections that are present. This will help you choose your interest areas. You should also make sure that you plan the visit properly by making sure that you go to the museum during the time in which your program is on.

National Building Museum is an internationally-recognized museum in Washington, D.C. built to offer us a chance to see the world we build for ourselves. Its extensive collection of artifacts and objects has recorded the history of buildings and the world we create. Just like they put it this way, the mission of National Building Museum is to "advance the quality of the built environment by educating people about its impact on their lives".

Does it ever occur to you that you might have the chance to work in such a vibrant, historic building? As a matter of fact, a satisfying array of professional opportunities is offered by National Building Museum each year. Moreover, there are plenty of volunteering programs, internships and fellowships. Surely you'll get far more than just enviable salaries from working for this world-class museum.

Employment Opportunities

Employment Opportunities are provided by seven major sections of the museum: Administration Department, Education Department, Marketing and Communications Department, Visitor Services Department, Development Department, Exhibitions Department as well as the Museum Shop. There are no current openings at Administration, Exhibitions, Development Department and the Museum Shop. Education Department is seeking for Summer Camp Specialists. And Marketing and Communications Department calls for associates. Visitor Services Department is in need of Visitor Services Representatives. For their specific duties and requirements, we'll go into depth in the following part.

Summer Camp Specialists

This is a temporary, part-time position needed during July 25 through August 29, 2011. There will be paid orientation which will start from July 5, 2011. Their primary duty is to lead morning classes and lecture children on a wide range of subjects including art, cultures, writing and etc. A bachelor's degree is required. And two or three years of teaching experience would be strongly preferred. Excellent interpersonal skills and communication skills are required.

Marketing and Communications Associate

Marketing and Communications Associate is expected to promote and consolidate the museum's reputation as a leading cultural institution across the country. Some specific duties of Associate include marketing exhibitions and activities, working closely with the media and other museum staff, maintaining external relations, and performing other related duties. Two years of working experience in public/media relations and a bachelor's degree in communications or marketing are required. Candidates with strong project management skills, solid writing skills and expertise, profound knowledge of Cision and Convio as well as teamwork spirit would be preferred.

Visitor Services Representatives

This is a part-time job position. The major responsibility of Visitor Services Representative is to perform general visitor services duties such as interacting with visitors, helping to maintain the exhibitions and galleries, and many other related duties as required. As the primary communication bridge between the public and the museum, Visitor Services Representatives should demonstrate professional manners, strong interpersonal skills and interest in their working environment. Since it's a part-time job, holiday and evening shifts might be required.

If you're interested in any position, you can send a cover letter to recruitment@nbm.org. Job title, resume, and salary requirements should be indicated in your letter. To get up-to-date employment info, please keep a close eye on:

Employment Opportunities

http://www.nbm.org/about-us/employment_internships/employment-opportunities.html

Internship Opportunities

National Building Museum offers nonpaid internship programs every spring, fall, and summer semester. Complimentary Museum membership, university credit, weekly enrichment programs and free admission to public programs can be received by interns. Through a wide range of hands-on activities, students are supposed to learn a lot from their internship in this dynamic environment.

In the summer of 2011, National Building Museum launches dozens of internship programs to enrich your vocation including:

- Family Programs Internship

- Outreach Programs Internship

- Association and Government Relations Internship

- Donor Research and Prospect Management Internship

- Exhibition Archive Internship

- Curatorial Exhibition Internship

- Exhibitions Internship

- Web, Social Media, and Video Internship

- Public Relations and Marketing Internship

- Graphic Design Internship

- Museum Shop Internship

- Volunteer and Tour Internship

How to apply for internship?

Both undergraduate and graduate students are accepted by National Building Museum internship programs as long as you demonstrate strong interest in your subject areas. Interested applicants should fill out the intern application form at www.nbm.org. Plus, two letters of recommendation from professors, two pages of recent writing sample, your most recent official academic transcript as well as an interview are required. After getting all the materials prepared, you can e-mail them to cshaw@nbm.org or mail to the following address:

National Building Museum

Attn: Volunteer Manager

401 F Street, NW

Washington, DC 20001

The internship application deadlines are respectively March 15 for summer internships, August 15 for fall internships and December 15 for spring internships. Further info regarding to National Building Museum internship programs can be found at::

Internship Opportunities

http://www.nbm.org/about-us/employment_internships/internship-program.html

Volunteer Opportunities

Several divisions and programs of National Building Museum are in need of dedicated volunteers now including Information Desk, Docent Program, Museum Shop, Membership, Outreach Programs and Public Programs.

A variety of benefits are available to museum volunteers such as educational opportunities, free admission to public programs, complimentary individual membership, access to the museum's library as well as admission to the annual volunteer appreciation dinner and awards ceremony. All National Building Museum volunteers should undertake a personalized orientation session in the first place. And there will be some ongoing training such as volunteer continuing education, monthly enrichment trips and etc.

As an integral part of the museum, volunteers are supposed to be dedicated to their jobs and commit to at least 20 shifts per year. Statistics show that a total of 1,488 hours was donated by volunteers during the year of 2009. Questions? You can contact the Volunteer Manager directly at 202.272.2448, ext. 3302.

For more info regarding to National Building Museum volunteer opportunities and application info, please visit:

Volunteer Opportunities

http://www.nbm.org/support-us/volunteer/

Field Fellowship

To encourage the research and study related on its collections and exhibitions, National Building Museum provides scholars field fellowship opportunities to conduct their independent research. Their current fellow is Alex Gilliam, who is studying on National Building Museum's Architectural Toy Collection. Ladale Winling was the 2009 Field Fellow and Amelia Wong was the 2008 Field Fellow. A research allowance up to $250 as well as a $5,000 stipend will be awarded to field fellows.

Applicants should have Master's or Ph.D. in architecture, architectural history, historic preservation, decorative arts, landscape architecture, American history or studies, planning, civil engineering or other related field. To apply for field fellowship, applicants should submit a resume or CV, a statement of interest, a writing sample of 10 to 12 pages and two academic references. Note that half-baked applications won't be taken into consideration. After getting all materials prepared, you can send them to cbroikos@nbm.org or:

Chrysanthe B. Broikos, Curator

National Building Museum

401 F Street, NW

Washington, DC 20001

fax 202-724-0136

They are now accepting applications for 2011-2012 fellowship. The deadline has not been announced yet. For specific field fellowship application info, you can call 202-272-2448 ext. 3411 or visit:

Field Fellowship

http://www.nbm.org/about-us/employment_internships/field-fellowship/