Newseum to close at the end of December

Extra! Extra! The Newseum will officially close its doors at 555 Pennsylvania Avenue NW December 31, the museum said Tuesday. Through the end of the year, all of the museum’s artifacts and exhibits will remain on display and public events will continue to take place at the site. The museum also is now offering a 15 percent discount for tickets purchased online.

The nonprofit foundation that owns the glassy building, the Freedom Forum, in January announced it would sell the centrally situated property to Johns Hopkins University, for $372.5 million. Although it has been open for more than 11 years and welcomed about 10 million visitors, the museum has struggled financially. A replacement site for the museum has not been disclosed. Johns Hopkins plans to renovate the property beginning next year.

The university’s plans, which must undergo federal design review, include at least 400,000 square feet for events and academic purposes. The upgraded facility is expected to open in 2023, and Johns Hopkins has said it would consolidate its D.C. real estate there. The iconic First Amendment display that currently graces the building’s façade is set to be taken down.