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The Smithsonian‘s first building, popularly known as the Castle, houses the Institution’s administrative offices and the Smithsonian Information Center. Completed in 1855, the original Smithsonian Institution Building was designed by architect James Renwick Jr., whose other works include St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City and the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C.
This Washington landmark is constructed of red sandstone from Seneca Creek, Maryland, in the Norman style (a 12th-century combination of late Romanesque and early Gothic motifs). In addition to The Castle, the Smithsonian Institution is comprised of 14 other museums and the National Zoo.
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