The Newseum to Reopen April 11
Freedom Forum-Backed $450M Museum Located Just Steps from the Capitol in Washington, D.C.
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/7/2008 5:53:00 AM
The Newseum in Washington, D.C., will officially reopen April 11, according to the Freedom Forum, its principal funder.
The new $450 million museum on Pennsylvania Avenue only steps from the Capitol will waive its paid admission for the big opening, with ABC's Good Morning America broadcasting live from the event.
After that, it will cost $20 for anyone 13 and older, $18 for seniors and $13 apiece for kids over six. Admission will be free for those under six. Unlike newspapers and TV stations, the museum will be closed for business on Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Year's Day.
In addition to the Freedom Forum funding, major media companies ponied up big bucks for naming rights to various studios and galleries, including the Cox Enterprises First Amendment gallery, the News Corp. News History gallery, the Time Warner World News Gallery, the ABC News Changing Exhibits Gallery and the NBC News Interactive Newseum.
There will also be a memorial with more than 1,800 names of journalists who have died while covering the news, with a yearly rededication and the addition of those who have died the previous year.
The Newseum also offered up full-service TV-production facilities, with ABC’s This Week as its first taker.
The museum had been scheduled to reopen Oct. 15, but construction delays pushed back the date.
The museum has been closed for the past five-plus years as it made the move from smaller digs in Arlington, Va., to its 250,000-square-foot home, which includes a store, a Wolfgang Puck restaurant, a conference center and apartments.
