National Mall full.

September 15, 2004 4:27 PM

With the opening of the National Museum of the American Indian in DC next week, the National Mall is now officially full, the usable space intended for museums, monuments and other important national sites have been taken. Chairman of the National Capital Planning Commission, John V. Cogbill III, tells the post that the Mall is "[d]one. We consider the Mall a finished work of civic art."
posted by stbalbach (9 comments total)

Luckily, history has ended, with the world soon to follow, so we won't need any future expansion space.
posted by keswick at 4:47 PM on September 15, 2004

They can always go underground, like the Smithsonian did with the Sackler gallery. I love that museum.
posted by smackfu at 5:10 PM on September 15, 2004

Here's a map of the various commemorative zones mentioned in the Post article.
posted by pitchblende at 5:19 PM on September 15, 2004

there are enough ceremonial spaces -- and they have suggested 100 -- to fit all memorial needs over the next 50 years.

Is that taking into account the memorials to all of the soldiers that died to line the pockets of Bush and Cheney's pals?
posted by keswick at 6:41 PM on September 15, 2004

It was "done" before they built the WWII memorial, which I think has spoiled The Mall. (Disclaimer: I have not seen it in person since it was built.)

I had no problem with the idea of a WWII memorial; I have a big problem with where they put it. Plus, it contributes to the "you're not important if you're not on The Mall" mentality, which will lead to more sites being shoehorned in.
posted by pmurray63 at 8:55 PM on September 15, 2004

With all the construction in DC right now (I was there a few weeks ago and nearly every monument and museum had cranes and scaffolding attached), I don't think anything is going to be "done" for a while.
posted by Sangre Azul at 9:03 PM on September 15, 2004

About time, really. Do you realize how early we have to send interns down to The Mall to secure softball fields? Sometimes days! Well, okay, hours. But it really sucks when you get the fields that are sloped up hill over by the duck pond.
posted by terrapin at 5:37 PM on September 16, 2004

It ain't finished until we get the Reagan Colossus installed.
posted by Dirjy at 8:07 PM on September 16, 2004

nah, they'll just rename it the Reagan Memorial Mall.
posted by amberglow at 8:11 PM on September 16, 2004