FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 14, 2008

NEW ATTRACTIONS AND DEVELOPMENTS

Downtown DC adds to its appeal with another new attraction this month, the National Museum of Crime and Punishment. Here's a look at what else is coming soon to DC.

New (and Coming) Attractions
National Museum of Crime & Punishment - opening May 23
Located on 7th Street NW between E and F streets, the National Museum of Crime & Punishment (NMCP) will dissect the concept of crime and the dark side of the criminal mind. Through intense interactive scenarios and educational galleries, the museum will explore the investigative techniques used by law enforcement and government agencies to solve crimes. Highlights include an exact replica of Al Capone's prison cell at Alcatraz, a realistic forensics lab and an on-site TV studio where "America's Most Wanted," will be filmed. Admission is $17.95 for adults, $14.95 for children (ages 5-11), seniors age 60 and older and law enforcement officers. Children under age five are free.

Fall/Winter 2008
National Museum of American History
"America's Attic" will unveil the results of its major renovation in November 2008. The redesigned museum will feature a new gallery for the "Star-Spangled Banner," a sky-lit central atrium, a grand staircase connecting the first and second floors and other enhancements.

Pentagon Memorial
Located on the grounds of the Pentagon, this memorial honors the 184 lives lost in the September 11 attacks on the Pentagon. Each victim is honored with a cantilevered bench designed for personal reflection. The benches honoring the 59 lives lost inside the Pentagon and the 125 passengers on board the plane face in opposite directions, and the victims are clustered according to their ages. The memorial is slated for dedication on Sep. 11.

U.S. Capitol Visitors Center
The largest project in the Capitol's 212-year history, the underground facility will include an exhibition gallery, orientation theatres, a 550-seat cafeteria, gift shops and restrooms, allowing greater access to public tours of the Capitol and shorter waits for tours. Projected to open in late 2008 or early 2009, the Center will also feature a walking tunnel connecting it to the Library of Congress.

2009

Presidential Inauguration
DC will be buzzing with power and excitement on Inauguration Day, which is scheduled for Jan. 20, 2009. There are eight official Inauguration Balls, and many other "unofficial" events taking place throughout the city during the days before and after the actual swearing-in. Details are not yet available, but keep checking Washington.org for updates on inauguration-related events and extravagant hotel packages that will put you near the action.

Ford's Theatre
Both a working theatre and National Historical site, Ford's Theatre is one of DC's prized venues for musicals and plays. It's also the place where John Wilkes Booth shot Abraham Lincoln. Although the theatre and its museum are temporarily closed for renovation, a reopening is planned for winter 2009 and will serve as a centerpiece to a citywide Lincoln Bicentennial celebration.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial
Scheduled for 2009 completion, the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial will be the first major memorial along the National Mall to be dedicated to an African-American, and to a non-president. The memorial, which broke ground in late 2006, is designed to commemorate and honor Dr. King's national and international contributions to world peace through non-violent social change. It will be located on the Tidal Basin, near the Jefferson and FDR Memorials. The design features a crescent-shaped-stone wall inscribed with excerpts of Dr. King's sermons, and public addresses will serve as the living testaments of his vision of America. The centerpiece of the $100 million memorial, the "Stone of Hope", will feature a 30-foot likeness of Dr. King.

Interested in developments beyond 2009? Click here to view Destination DC's long lead planning calendar.

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About Destination DC: Destination DC, the lead destination marketing organization for the nation’s capital, is a private, non-profit membership organization of more than 1,000 businesses committed to marketing the area as a premier global convention, tourism and special events destination with a special emphasis on the arts, cultural and historic communities.