Since 1997, NWHM has evaluated 43 possible building sites – some privately owned, some federal buildings.  In 2000, legislation was introduced in Congress directing the General Services Administration (GSA) to negotiate with NWHM for a long-term lease on the Old Post Office Pavilion Annex, a 100,000 sq. ft. glass-enclosed building at 12^th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue.  The legislation passed the U. S. Senate twice on unanimous consent but stalled in the House of Representatives.  The legislation (S. 1841) was again introduced in the Senate in the 110^th Congress.

 

View a 6 minute video featuring Meryl Streep about the NWHM legislation

 

HISTORY ON NWHM LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS:

1) CONGRESS ENACTS LEGISLATION DESIGNATING FEDERAL PROPERTY FOR MUSEUM SITES IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

• Recent examples include: Building Museum, Holocaust Museum, Native American Museum, Law Enforcement Museum, and most recently the African American History Museum, all of which were sponsored by non-profit organizations like the National Women’s History Museum.

2) THE NATIONAL WOMEN’S HISTORY MUSEUM HAS THE SUPPORT OF 31 EDUCATIONAL AND WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL AND SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING OVER 8 MILLION MEMBERS NATIONWIDE.

3) THE NATIONAL WOMEN’S HISTORY MUSEUM WILL PRESENT WOMEN’S HISTORIC CONTRIBUTIONS IN A RESPONSIBLE AND INSPIRING MANNER.

• NWHM was responsible for installing the Suffrage Statue in the Capitol Rotunda in 1996
• NWHM was endorsed as a museum sponsor in 1999 in the President’s Commission on Celebrating Women’s History.
  (full text) (Exerpts: Page 11, Page 12, Page 13)
• NWHM has sponsored many programs adding women’s voices to the historic record

4) THE U.S. SENATE HAS TWICE PASSED LEGISLATION PROVIDING VACANT FEDERAL PROPERTY TO THE NATIONAL WOMEN’S HISTORY MUSEUM.

• Text of Senate Bill S. 1841
• Text of Senate Report 109-104 (PDF Format)

5) THE NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MUSEUM IS THE BEST PUBLIC USE OF THE SITE

• The Annex of the Old Post Office Building is a modern 100,000 square foot VACANT glass structure located on Pennsylvania Avenue. It has been vacant for over 12 years.

The Annex is close to the other national museums on the Mall, in an area designated by the Museums and Memorials Master Plan (full text) as the preferred museum development location.

 

 

 

__________________________________________________________________

National Women's History Museum
Administrative Offices
205 S. Whiting Street Suite 254
Alexandria, VA 22304
703-461-1920
info@nwhm.org

Copyright © 2007 National Women's History Museum.