National Visitor Center facts for kids
The National Visitor Center was a special place created inside Washington, D.C.'s Union Station. It was meant to be an information center for people visiting the United States Capitol and other famous spots in Washington. It opened in 1976 for the Bicentennial celebrations, which marked 200 years since America became a country. However, it didn't attract enough visitors to pay for itself, and it closed just two years later in 1978.
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Why the Visitor Center Was Built
After World War II, fewer people traveled by train. Because of this, Union Station, which was once a grand and busy place, started to fall apart. Its owners, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Pennsylvania Railroad, even thought about tearing it down.
In the early 1960s, there were ideas to turn the station into a cultural center or a museum. But these plans didn't happen.
Then, in 1967, a government official suggested using Union Station as a visitor center. This idea was perfect for the upcoming U.S. Bicentennial celebrations. A U.S. Representative named Kenneth J. Gray strongly supported this plan.
In 1968, Congress passed a law called the National Visitor Center Facilities Act. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed it. The goal was to create a "central clearinghouse" where visitors could find information about Washington's many monuments and museums. The National Park Service was put in charge of the new center.
It took six years to get enough money for the project. There were also delays from lawsuits and disagreements between different groups. These included Amtrak, Congress, the National Park Service, and other government departments. Construction finally began in May 1974. Workers had to rush because they were already behind schedule.
What Was Inside the Center
The station was rebuilt to include some interesting features. The famous Main Hall, with its 90-foot-high ceilings, had a special sunken area. This area was used to show an expensive slide presentation called "Welcome to Washington." It was officially known as the PAVE (Primary Audio-Visual Experience). It used 100 Kodak Carousel slide projectors! People sometimes jokingly called it "the Pit."
The center also had two movie theaters, each seating 175 people. There were information desks where you could get help in different languages. Other exhibits included one about first ladies and a "Hall of States." A new parking garage and a bookstore were also part of the plan.
Opening and Closing Down
The National Visitor Center opened on July 4, 1976, just in time for the Bicentennial. However, the huge crowds they expected didn't show up.
Over time, things didn't get better. The center wasn't well-known, and there wasn't enough easy parking. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan pointed out that it didn't make sense to watch slides of the U.S. Capitol when you could see the real thing outside.
By May 1978, the parking garage was still not finished. On some days, only a few dozen tourists visited the center. The two movie theaters often played the film City Out of Wilderness to almost empty rooms. The National Park Service spent over $100 million on the project. The "Pit" and its slide show became a symbol of the center's failure.
Because so few people visited, the center couldn't afford to stay open. On October 28, 1978, the National Park Service closed the theaters and stopped the slide show. They also had to let go of almost three-quarters of the staff.
Union Station After the Center Closed
After the visitor center closed, Union Station got even worse. Parts of the roof fell in, and rain caused damage. Even toadstools started growing inside the main hall! In 1981, the entire station was sealed shut.
Congress decided to save the building. Control of Union Station was given to the Department of Transportation in December 1981. Workers soon covered up the "Pit." They also finished and expanded the parking garage. The basement movie theaters were refurbished.
Union Station was finally restored and reopened in 1988. It became a busy train station again and a popular place for shops and restaurants.
Looking back, the National Visitor Center is often seen as a big mistake by the government. It was called "one of Washington's major embarrassments." One historian joked that the main thing left from the center was "100 surplus Carousels" (referring to the slide projectors).
