Marshall Craft Associates and its principals have provided design for exhibit, infrastructure, life safety, and building envelope upgrades and repairs for several historic buildings comprising the Smithsonian Institution. This includes the Castle Building, the Arts & Industries Building, the National Portrait Gallery, the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of Natural History, The National Air & Space Museum, the Fox House and the Cooper-Hewitt Museum in New York, as well as for highly specialized facilities such as the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory complex in Arizona.

MCA Officers and Principals completed a wide variety of projects here at MCA and with previous employers, including the new design and renovation of exhibition spaces, preservation labs, archival storage areas, administrative areas and infrastructure replacements for the Smithsonian. Some of this work was historically sensitive, such as the design for modifications to the exterior of the existing octagonal brownstone tower in the southwest tower of the Castle Building. Some of the work, such as design of the “Engines of Change” exhibit at the National Museum of American History, was highly publicized in nature and required a high degree of sensitivity to design detail.

The scope of work involved in these multiple projects included site investigations, studies and the preparation of reports, design criteria, cost estimates, design, specifications, and construction drawings. MCA also prepared a standard architectural design specification for the use of the Smithsonian Office of Design and Construction.

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Contact Stephen Bates, AIA, NCARB at sbates@mca.design