Newseum in Washington DC to Close Permanently on December 31

The Newseum, a museum dedicated to the history of journalism and the press located at 555 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington DC, will close its doors to the public on December 31, 2019. Opened on April 11, 2008, during a severe economic crisis that hit the publishing industry, the museum attracted over 10 million visitors in more than a decade. Its seven floors housed 15 galleries and 15 theaters, including the September 11 Gallery, the Berlin Wall Gallery, and the Pulitzer Prize Gallery showcasing all winning works since 1942. The facility also featured educational spaces and two television studios that hosted programs broadcast worldwide. The Newseum was supported by major media groups such as The New York Times, Bloomberg, Hearst, ABC, and Comcast. The building will be sold to Johns Hopkins University for its activities. Prior to the sale, all equipment and artifacts will be dismantled, with loaned items returned and the rest placed in storage. The museum's educational mission will continue through pop-up events, traveling exhibitions, and online outreach. A potential physical revival is possible but would require a fundamental rethinking of how to present the subject, including the role of technology and expensive multimedia displays.