Smithsonian Scraps Plan to Reopen Shuttered Site

The Smithsonian Institution won't reopen one of the oldest buildings on the National Mall this year as an innovation pavilion as planned.

The 133-year-old Arts and Industries Building has undergone a $55 million renovation to replace the roof and rehabilitate the structure. It was shuttered in 2004 due to structural problems.

Last year the Smithsonian announced a partnership with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to reopen the structure as an innovation center to showcase American ingenuity. But funding has not materialized.

Smithsonian Secretary Wayne Clough said late Monday that the building will require additional federal funds to reopen. But the Smithsonian has prioritized other projects in its funding requests to Congress.

A bill pending in Congress also names the building as the preferred site for a proposed Latino museum.