The historic home of the National Building Museum is one of the great American buildings of the 19th Century and one of Washington, DC’s most spectacular works of public architecture. Built between 1882-1887 for the United State’s Pension Bureau’s headquarters, the design was inspired by two Roman palaces. The exterior was modeled closely on the brick, monumentally-scaled Palazzo Farnese, completed to Michelangelo’s specifications in 1589. The Pension Building continued to serve as office space for the government through the 1960’s. Congress passed a resolution in 1978 calling for the preservation of the building as a national treasure and a 1980 Act of Congress mandated the creation of the National Building Museum as a private, non-profit educational institution.
The buses will board at the 24th Street entrance of the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel at 6:00 pm. The buses will shuttle between the National Building Museum and the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel until the conclusion of the reception.
The 2012 AALS white full registration badge is required for admission into the Reception for both registrant and spouse /significant other. Additional guest tickets are only available for sale on-site for registrants’ children for the following prices: ; 12-20 yrs: $80; 21 and over: $125. The Gala Reception is an adult event but children’s tickets can be purchased if necessary.