We’re still focused on details, from the polished concrete floors to the synagogue’s antique light fixtures and the atrium’s acoustic wood tiles.

It is a thrill to have the Museum’s name set in stone and prominently on view in front of the building. Other highlights include a focus on details and finishes — from the stone steps and hardscaping, to the painted ceilings of gallery spaces and acoustic wood ceilings of programmatic spaces.

The most exciting work has been in the synagogue with the continued restoration. One such effort was bringing in the original ark doors from our archive storage to test the condition of the tracks. The ark door tracks were constructed in 1876 but worked on during the buildings renovation in the early 1970s. A ner tamid (eternal light) from 1898 was also brought on site to be measured for hanging in the sanctuary once construction is complete. Though originally made for a gas flame, it has been reconfigured to hold an LED light, a much safer option for a museum and historic building.

Installation of interior glass walls continues, making the lobby atrium and fourth floor office spaces that much more recognizable. Inside the synagogue, work continues at all levels, from placing insulation in the basement, to running wires and restoring the original floors.

Exterior Photo: Ted Eytan, May 2022

The museum is almost completely enclosed and watertight. All of the windows and the window-walls of the atrium have been installed. Simultatneously, the revolving door of the main entrance is in place. Inside the main building, workers continue to hang drywall on the walls and ceilings, bringing the galleries that much closer to their reality.

Exterior Photo: Tim Wright, March 2022

Just in time for the cold weather, the construction work has moved inside. The gallery spaces are begining to take shape as workers hang drywall, run electrical wires, and complete duct work.

Construction is continuing on track with expectations to meet the next major milestone — enclosing the building — by the end of October. Framing and drywall will begin once the inside is completely dry and water tight.

The Museum’s staff are choosing light fixtures and paint colors for the synagogue’s walls that will respect this historic building and simultaneously provide a comfortable experience for visitors. 

We were lucky enough to have photographer Lloyd Wolf come to our site and capture some of the progress on the museum. Here is just a sample of the work he made on site this month! 

Fully vaccinated, our team gathered for a visit to the construction site for the first time! After 13 months of designing a museum from home, this visit made it feel so real!

Watch a time-lapse of every floor of the museum going up!

FOUR FROM THE FLOOR! Our construction team is preparing to pour concrete for the fourth & final floor of the museum for our offices & archives!

Construction is moving rapidly!  Concrete is being poured for the first and second floors of the museum.  Pretty soon beams will be put up for the frame of the third and fourth floor.

It’s Happening!!! Concrete is being poured and the second floor is starting to take shape. The new museum will “hug” the historic synagogue building, with a portion of it inside the two-story lobby! The center image shows the beginnings of the new bridge. This is a truly monumental addition. The sanctuary is located on the second floor of the historic synagogue building, previously only accessible via a spiral staircase. With this new bridge, the oldest sanctuary in our nations capital will be fully accessible for the first time in its 146 years of existence. 

Cranes rising! Steel and concrete are finally on site, and workers are preparing to pour (and then literally pull tension across) the first floors of our new museum. A construction crane went up this week, and we should have camera views soon to share with you soon as the new museum takes shape!