A New Museum for Washington
With Barbara Franco
President and CEO, Historical Society of
Washington, D.C. and the City Museum
Friday, May 16, 2003; 11 a.m. ET

"The never-ending story of Washington starts here."

That's the slogan for the City Museum, dedicated solely to the history of Washington. The people's history and their stories -- not that of the federal government and the city of monuments. The new museum, which opens to the public on Friday, is committed to reclaiming the history of Washington as a home town. Museum officials say it will serve a dual purpose: connecting visitors to life beyond the monumental core and bolstering the city's image as a place to be studied and celebrated.

Barbara Franco, president and CEO of the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. and the City Museum, said, "Giving this city its story, in a public place, was a way for people who live here and people who visit to share it, is part of creating this community's health," in an interview with The Washington Post.

Franco was online Friday, May 16 at 11 a.m. ET, to talk about the new museum and what people can expect to see.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

washingtonpost.com: Barbara Franco, thank you for being with us today. The City Museum opens up to the public today. It's raining and seems like a good day to do the visit. What can people expect?

Barbara Franco: The museum has a number of exhibitions that are open. I would suggest seeing the multimedia show, "Washington Stories." The Overview exhibit has a large-scale map of Washington and has some wonderful artifacts and audio pieces as well as collages of information about each time period. And there are two temporary exhibitions on sports in Washington and early maps and prints. Hope you enjoy it.

Vienna, Va.: How does the City Museum differ from other museums in the nation's capital? Do you think it will appeal to non-Washingtonians?

Barbara Franco: I think what's most different about this museum is that it's in the city and it's about the city. And from the very beginning we designed it as an introduction to Washington that would appeal to both Washingtonians and visitors.

washingtonpost.com: Barbara Franco, thank you for being with us today. The City Museum opens up to the public today. It's raining and seems like a good day to do the visit. What can people expect?

Barbara Franco: The museum has a number of exhibitions that are open. I would suggest seeing the multimedia show, "Washington Stories." The Overview exhibit has a large-scale map of Washington and has some wonderful artifacts and audio pieces as well as collages of information about each time period. And there are two temporary exhibitions on sports in Washington and early maps and prints. Hope you enjoy it.

Washington, D.C.: I think the City Museum is an excellent addition to D.C. and thank you for all your hard work. Will you have an exhibit on D.C.'s struggle -- and sometimes victories -- for representation in Congress and self-government?

Barbara Franco: In the Overview exhibit, "Washington Perspectives," there are references in each time period to Washington's governance and the problems of achieving self-government. For the period since 1946, we chose the 1964 election which was the first presidential election that Washingtonians could vote in as a way to highlight this continuing struggle.

College Park, Md.: What did Laura Bush have to say about the new museum at the building dedication?

Barbara Franco: Laura Bush was unable to attend but she did send a letter of congratulations and part of that was to say, "with this museum the fascinating and inspiring story of the city of Washington, D.C. will be permanently available for all."

Columbia Heights, Washington, D.C.: Hello,

It's great to see that wonderful old building come back to life as the home for the City Museum. Are improvements scheduled for the outside green spaces as well? Will it be made more of a park, with benches, landscaping, etc? Will the museum have any outdoor exhibits such as architectural relics, sculptures, fountains? It might be a good place to locate that sculpture of "Boss" Shepherd that is currently in a DPW lot somewhere.

Barbara Franco: Part of the renovation is a renewing the landscaping of the park and currently the new walks and grass is being installed. The park is currently under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service but we're working with them to transfer jurisdiction to the city, so that we can use it for more outdoor activities without having to go through Park Service approvals.

Washington, D.C.: D.C. residents have constantly ranked lack of representation/statehood as their number one issue. Why is there no exhibit on this in the museum?

Barbara Franco: We chose to put the issue of the governance of D.C. in each of the periods. It is a very complicated and complex story and is a moving target as it changes and has changed over time. We may very well do a special exhibit on that as one of our changing exhibitions.

Somewhere, USA: When I went to London for the first time, I went straight to the fabulous Museum of London and felt I really had a good sense of the city. At the time I thought what a shame we don't have something similar in Washington. As a second generation Washingtonian now living in the outer Burbs, I am so happy we have something that celebrates the people who live here -- not just the people who pass through.

Barbara Franco: You'll be glad to know that the City Museum of London was one of the models we used in planning our City Museum.

Washington, D.C.: How long was the museum in the planning stages? Is it easy to get to public transportation-wise?

Barbara Franco: A museum for Washington has been talked about and worked on for something like 30 years -- since the 1970s. This phase of the project has actually been since 1998.

The Carnegie Library and Mt. Vernon Square were originally a transfer point for the trolleys. Metro stations within three blocks are Gallery Place, Mt. Vernon and Metro Center.

Springfield, Va.: D.C. metro residents are used to "free" museums. By charging an entrance fee, do you think this will stop some locals from visiting?

Barbara Franco: We hope not. The attendance at the Spy Museum has certainly shown that people are not put off by an admission charge. Without either city or federal operating funding there's no other way for us to operate.

We've tried to keep the admission as reasonable as possible. Exhibits are $3 for adults and $2 for children and seniors. The multimedia show is $6 and $5 and if you do both, it's $8 or $6.

Washington, D.C.: What ratio are you estimating for locals/tourists? And do you expect to get many visitors from the Convention Center? (Great to see this museum come to fruition, btw!)

Barbara Franco: We are estimating about 300,000 people a year. We would hope that at least half would be residents of the area and the other half tourists and visitors. We do expect that convention attendees will take advantage of it and hopefully leave with a more accurate picture of Washington.

Mt. Rainier, Md.: Is there pop culture stuff in the museum?

Barbara Franco: We tried to be as comprehensive as we could about things that relate to Washington both in sports, entertainment, transportation, education and other topics. For the most recent period -- since 1946 -- we have quite a bit of material about the music scene in Washington. And of course, jazz during the Duke Ellington period.

Washington, D.C.: What do you hope visitors will take away when they've seen the museum?

Barbara Franco: This is a museum about stories and for people who live here, we hope they will make a connection about what they know and remember about Washington as well as learn something about a part of the city they may not be familiar with. For visitors to the city, we hope they'll come away with a better understanding that this is a real community with real people and its own history.

washingtonpost.com:

That wraps up today's show. Thanks to everyone who joined the discussion.