WASHINGTON, D.C.? On April 20, 2019, the National Building Museum opens Animals, Collected, a new exhibition featuring architectural objects depicting animals, all drawn from the permanent collection. Imagined as a cabinet of curiosities, Animals, Collected presents two- and three-dimensional materials that encourage closer inspection of the buildings we see every day. With over 125 objects?many of which have never been displayed publicly?Animals, Collected is open through spring 2020.
As ornament on municipal buildings and monuments, churches and warehouses, animals have appeared on structures and statues across time, geography, and function. The exhibition is organized by animal habitat, where groupings will illuminate different phases of the design and construction process. Although the methods have changed over time, artifacts such as these emphasize the imagination, artistry, and the tools required to create and document the built environment. The National Building Museum permanent collection holds over 250,000 objects related to the building arts, the vast majority of which are rarely exhibited. Animals, Collected features objects from a range of collections, including:

Washington National Cathedral
Raymond Kaskey Studio
H. Kress & Company
Northwestern Terracotta Company
Ernest L. Brothers Interior Design
Robert C. Lautman Photography
Decorative Plaster Molds
American Brick Collection
Paper Models
Wurts Brothers Photography

More than fifty different species o...