For the first time in 12 years, the Arts & Industries building opened to the public mid-2016, and since then there has been little to no news on what the future will hold for the Smithsonian site. Just recently, Rachel Goslins became the new Director of the Arts and Industries Building, and it will be her job to figure out what the best options are.
In an interview with DCist, Goslins described the building as "the last untapped space on the National Mall" and "probably some of the most valuable real estate in the United States."
One idea that has been brought up for the site is for it to become a Latino cultural museum. Congress has yet to agree on this idea, but if it does, an underground annex may need to be built.
Once an idea for the site has been pinned down, the hope is for the building to be able to draw in not only tourists, but locals as well. Goslins told DCist that Smithsonian Secretary David Skorton hopes to use the site as "the testing ground and a laboratory for new ways to engage."
In the end, Goslins won’t be the one to decide the building’s "forever future," as that will be up to Congress, according to DCist. DCist further reported that "it is unlikely to be a standalone gallery or mini-museum."