When Pierre L'Enfant envisioned a "Grand Avenue" that would serve as the central axis and monumental core of the District of Columbia, he couldn't have predicted in 1791 that 200 years later, the National Mall and Memorial Parks would stretch across two miles, contain more than 70 monuments and memorials, and be bordered by a score of museums, art galleries, and other cultural attractions.

He also couldn't have foreseen that by 2010, 25 million people would visit it each year, that on any given day 60 languages would be spoken there, and that the National Park Service would issue more than 3,800 annual permits for events held on the site.

It's a busy place, and it's showing signs of wear and tear. Crumbling sidewalks and seawalls, dirty water, and trampled grass are just some of the maintenance issues that have prompted a major renovation initiative.

Read more >>



Above banner: Poster for Persianissimo: An Iranian Contemporary Poster Exhibition. Source: www.persianissimo.ir