Smithsonian Considers $500 Million Drive

Faced with dwindling federal dollars, the Smithsonian Institution is eyeing a major drive to raise up to $500 million to build one new museum, refurbish another and establish an endowment for the future.

“I believe the time has come for the Smithsonian to do that,” Smithsonian Secretary I. Michael Heyman told reporters Monday. “We will shortly start to define that campaign.”

Heyman also announced a recent spurt in attendance at all Smithsonian museums. In January through April of this year, 7.8 million people visited compared with 6.5 million in the same period last year.

“It’s back to the levels of five years ago,” Heyman said. “But we don’t know why.”

As for the future, Heyman said that, at a minimum, the Smithsonian needs to raise $100 million to pay construction costs of a new air and space exhibit building at Dulles International Airport in suburban Virginia.

He said Congress has provided only $8 million for planning and designing the building, with nothing for construction.

The giant domed structure will provide display space for aircraft, space vehicles and other exhibits too large to be shown at the Air and Space Museum on the Mall in Washington. That museum is the Smithsonian’s most popular.