Sadly, the Newseum is closing at the end of the year, so you have just over a month to go see it for the last time. Here are some of the things that we will miss most about the Newseum:
Remembering 9/11
This gallery includes the front pages of papers from all over the world after the attack, and the antenna mast that fell from the top of the World Trade Center. That antenna served most of the TV stations in New York City.
The Berlin Wall
The Newseum has several sections of the Berlin Wall, and visitors can walk right up close to them.
Journalists Memorial
This wall contains images of journalists who have died while reporting the news. There are 2,344 journalists on this wall, starting in 1837 up to the present day.
The facade of the building
The First Amendment is carved in giant text on the six-story facade, 74 feet high.
The facade has been used during demonstrations about issues affecting a free press, such as a rally after the tragedy of Charlie Hebdo.
The Newseum has also used the facade for projections, such as this 2013 projection of Ai Weiwei’s image and his words about freedom superimposed on the building’s First Amendment text.
The front pages
Any time of day or night, you’ll see people stopping as they walk down the street to read the daily front pages of newspapers from around the country and around the world, which are displayed in front of the building.
The views
The Newseum has balconies on the 2nd and 6th floor, which offer great views of Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to almost the White House.
The view is especially amazing when there are events on Pennsylvania Avenue.
Here’s how it looked during the recent joyous Nats victory parade.
During 2018’s March for Our Lives, a demonstration in support of legislation to prevent gun violence, there were people as far as one could see.
The future
The Newseum, due to financial difficulties, sold the building to Johns Hopkins University in January, for $372 million. Johns Hopkins will be using the building for its School of Advanced International Studies. Final design plans are still being developed, but the university has said that the giant First Amendment text on the facade will be removed. Construction to convert the building to the university’s purposes will begin in 2020 and is planned to be complete in 2023.
The Newseum had previously said that they were looking for another location, but their current statements don’t refer to a possible new museum. The Freedom Forum, creator and major sponsor of the museum, says it will continue its mission of championing the First Amendment online and with various programs. As to what will happen to its physical objects, the museum says that “deinstallation of its exhibits will begin and artifacts will be moved to a state-of-the-art support center where they will be housed and maintained. The collection will continue to circulate for outgoing loans, educational programs, public events, digital initiatives and more.”
Photos copyright to Miki Jourdan, Angela Napili, and Victoria Pickering