The Commission of Fine Arts meeting scheduled for 20 November 2025 has been cancelled. Please continue to check www.cfa.gov for the scheduled date of the next CFA meeting. (updated: 11/17/25)
Over the past year, there have been repeated security breaches at the White House involving intruders jumping over the perimeter fence. Three years ago, a man opened fire from a car on Constitution Avenue, breaking the outer pane of a window in the private quarters of the president and his...
We recently found in the CFA library a folder containing 44 black-and-white photographs dating from 1900 to 1930 that are attributed to landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. (1870–1957). The photos depict areas of central Washington—among them the Mall, the Washington Monument Grounds, the Tidal Basin—that were redeveloped following Olmsted’s...
There has been much discussion about the location of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and the National Park Service’s plans to impose stricter regulations on the use of the Mall. The Mall is a unique space that serves many users and interests—from the Smithsonian’s seasonal programming to Independence Day celebrations, from...
The Dec. 26 Metro article “ Broad Branch Road is neither broad, sturdy” noted several issues regarding the proposed D.C. Department of Transportation (DDOT) rehabilitation of Broad Branch Road, including substantial tree loss and the desire to provide safe access for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists. While the U.S. Commission of...
In September 2011, the Commission of Fine Arts approved a concept design for the proposed Dwight D. Eisenhower National Memorial, expressing great enthusiasm for the development of the design and for the artistic quality of the tapestry mockups as displayed on the memorial site. The stone-clad columns would frame the...
