The Washington Metro: Shaping the Modern Capital

The National Building Museum will plan and design an exhibition to tell the story of the design, planning, and construction of the Washington DC Metro system. The exhibition will explore the history, design, engineering and construction process. It will also contain stories of the residents whose lives were disrupted by Metro’s construction. An exhibition team will document memories from the large community of Metro riders, and an advisory committee will help refine the project’s themes. Working with external consultants, the museum will prototype interactive exhibit components and test narratives through surveys and focus groups with a broad range of stakeholders. The project will result in a schematic of the exhibition’s floor plan, style sheets for graphic treatments, and initial planning for media elements. The museum’s education staff will develop educational resources incorporating STEAM themes to accompany the exhibition.