The Newseum at night
Photo: Maria Bryk/Newseum
The Newseum, Washington’s splashy new addition to Pennsylvania Avenue, announced its April 11 opening today. After several delays, the seven-story, $450 million museum, with interactive exhibitions and some 250,000 square feet of event-ready space, will open six months behind schedule. (The original debut was set for October 15, 2007.)
“The calls have been coming in, with clients wanting to confirm the opening date before they sign the contract or book an event,” said Newseum vice president Pam Galloway-Tabb, who is the main contact for special events. “But now that the news is out, all of our clients are feeling good about our upcoming opening.”In fact, the museum has already booked events through April 2009—everything from weddings to corporate functions—starting with a reception on April 14 for the Newspaper Association of America and the American Society of Newspaper Editors.
The Newseum unofficially inaugurated the building in November when it opened the first and second floors to the Meet the Press 60th anniversary celebration, bringing some 600 guests to peek at the space. The conference center, on the seventh and eighth floors, will be the new draw, according to Galloway-Tabb, and a major revenue opportunity for the museum. “There’s 24,000 square feet of space available, with each floor offering its own private terrace with stunning views,” she says. “And of course Wolfgang Puck [who recently opened the Source in the Newseum complex] is our exclusive caterer, which everyone is very excited about.”
“The calls have been coming in, with clients wanting to confirm the opening date before they sign the contract or book an event,” said Newseum vice president Pam Galloway-Tabb, who is the main contact for special events. “But now that the news is out, all of our clients are feeling good about our upcoming opening.”In fact, the museum has already booked events through April 2009—everything from weddings to corporate functions—starting with a reception on April 14 for the Newspaper Association of America and the American Society of Newspaper Editors.
The Newseum unofficially inaugurated the building in November when it opened the first and second floors to the Meet the Press 60th anniversary celebration, bringing some 600 guests to peek at the space. The conference center, on the seventh and eighth floors, will be the new draw, according to Galloway-Tabb, and a major revenue opportunity for the museum. “There’s 24,000 square feet of space available, with each floor offering its own private terrace with stunning views,” she says. “And of course Wolfgang Puck [who recently opened the Source in the Newseum complex] is our exclusive caterer, which everyone is very excited about.”
