National Children’s Museum’s new location will be in Reagan Building

There were quite a number of issues that caused the National Children’s Museum to have to close its location at National Harbor in 2014. The Washington Post reported that these issues included competition for money and philanthropic or business partners, lack of a viable business plan, and slim attendance.

Since then, the museum has been on the search for a brand new location, and it looks like it has found it. The Washington Business Journal reports that the museum is in the final stages of lease negotiations to open in the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. The location, at 13th Street NW and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, is a half a block from the National Mall and nearby the Federal Triangle Metro station.

Rob Volmer, a spokesman for the museum, further told the Washington Business Journal that there is hope to open the museum in the Reagan Building location by the end of 2017.

To help the funding of the design of the museum, D.C. Councilman Jack Evans issued a $1 million grant to the institution.

Later this month, a pop-up exhibit, called Explore!, will open at the National Portrait Gallery, headed by D.C. developer and philanthropist Jane Cafritz. There will be hands-on activities for children to create their own portraits at the exhibit.

By 2019, Cafritz hopes to open her own children’s museum at her three-building, 520-unit project Fort Totten development, Art Place at Fort Totten.

• National Children’s Museum closes in on deal for downtown D.C. spot [Washington Business Journal]

• The long, sad saga of National Children’s Museum: Latest chapter, back to D.C. [The Washington Post]

• D.C.’s next children’s museum will be at Fort Totten, deliver 2019 [Curbed DC]