FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 10, 2007 

LONG LEAD DEVELOPMENT CALENDAR: DC IN 2008 AND BEYOND

Travelers seeking excitement and inspiration will discover dozens of reasons to visit DC in 2008. Here's a look at a few of next year's highlights:

Newseum: Coming to 6th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, the Newseum is a six-level, high-tech and interactive museum that traces the history of news reporting, from smoke signals to blogs. Inside the museum's soaring 90-foot atrium, there's a jumbo LED screen, or "Window on the World," broadcasting breaking news from around the globe. Would-be reporters can try their hand at broadcast journalism, while amateur photographers can snap photos of news scenes for a computer-generated critique by professional photojournalists. There's also a Journalists Memorial, a news helicopter, one of two surviving "Checkpoint Charlies" and the largest section of the Berlin Wall outside of Germany. The Newseum is expected to announce the dates of its early 2008 opening by the end of the year.

RECOGNIZE! Hip-Hop and Contemporary Portraiture: The National Portrait Gallery will feature the work of artists who have explored the phenomenon of hip-hop music in a collection of photographs, portraits and video installations of hip-hop icons. As part of the exhibition, four "portrait" murals will be painted by two DC-based graffiti artists in the museum's grand hallways. The show will run Feb. 8-Sep. 1, 2008.

Japan: Culture + Hyperculture: Running Feb. 5-17 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, this cultural festival is an unprecedented celebration of classical, contemporary and cutting edge culture, featuring more than 40 performances by nearly 500 artists, including 15 premieres. Look for a new musical by Amon Miyamoto, who won rave reviews for his Broadway production of Sondheim's "Pacific Overtures," featuring music by composer Henry Krieger ("Dreamgirls"). There's also an extravaganza of anime and "Robotopia Rising," a series of exhibitions and lectures about robots.

August Wilson's 20th Century Festival: From March 4-29, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will host a special tribute to the celebrated playwright, August Wilson. Directed by Kenny Leon, who staged the Broadway premiere of "Gem of the Ocean," August Wilson's 20th Century Festival will be the first of its kind to present all ten of his plays in repertory, drawing on the same cast. The cast includes stars from the stage and screen, including longtime Wilson veterans who have performed in several of his works on Broadway and in theatres across the country. Among those scheduled to appear are Anthony Chisholm, Lynda Gravatt, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Eugene Lee and Phylicia Rashad. Beginning with "Gem of the Ocean" and ending with the 1990s "Radio Golf," the plays will be presented chronologically in the order in which they're set.

Nationals Ballpark: The Washington Nationals' new ballpark is projected to open along the Anacostia River in Southeast in time for the 2008 baseball season. Designed as the first "green" sports arena in the U.S., the stadium will seat 41,000 fans and offer views of the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol.

National Cherry Blossom Festival: Celebrating the 96th anniversary of the gift of the cherry trees from the people of Japan to the people of Washington, DC, the National Cherry Blossom Festival marks the picture-perfect arrival of spring, attracting more than one million residents and visitors each year. The 2008 festival runs Mar. 29-Apr. 13, with the Parade and the Sakura Matsuri Japanese street festival taking place Sat., April 12.

Pope's Visit to DC: Pope Benedict XVI will stop in the nation’s capital April 15-17 during his first papal visit to the United States. During his stay in DC, the Pope will say Mass at the Nationals Ballpark and will speak about Catholic education at the Catholic University of America. Benedict’s trip to Washington is the first for a Pope since 1979.

Library of Congress New Visitor Experience: There's a new experience in store for visitors to the Library of Congress this spring, including a suite of high-tech, interactive kiosks and immersive experiences. The beautiful building's front doors will once again be open to the public, and, true to its legacy, the Library will once again display an installation of actual books taken from Thomas Jefferson's library, the seed of its expansive collection. The Library is also opening two new long-term exhibitions, The Early Americas and Creating the United States. The Library's new experience opens to visitors in April.

National Museum of Crime & Punishment: Coming to 575 7th St. NW in downtown, DC, the new, interactive museum will open in late 2008 to explore the history of crime, crime fighting and the consequences of committing a crime in the U.S. Co-owned and operated by host of "America's Most Wanted" John Walsh, the museum will span three floors, covering more than 28,000 square feet. Visitors can dive into the world of law enforcement and investigation with a realistic forensics lab, a simulated FBI shooting range, high-speed police chase training equipment, an electric chair, DNA analysis and a lie detector test.

Smithsonian Folklife Festival: Musicians, artists, performers, craftspeople, chefs and storytellers from around the world will gather on the National Mall between 7th and 14th Sts. to share their culture and heritage. Bhutan and Texas are featured in this year's event, June 25-29 and July 2-6.

National Museum of American History: America's Attic will unveil the results of its major renovation in late 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 floor and other enhancements.

The Textile Museum: In fall 2008, the museum will open a new 23,400 sq. ft. location in Penn Quarter at 421 7th St. NW. The museum will continue to house its permanent collection and research library at its original location at 2320 S St. NW.

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. The Center is expected to open in late 2008.

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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. Destinationdc.com