. ♪ stand by me the national building museum, with thousands of plastic balls? ll, they're now being used in a whole new way, and it's becoming the hottest ticket in town. news 4's megan takes us underneath the streets of dupont circle. >> it's an interesting idea, recycling art and recyclingn old space that that's been used in a long time. the trolly station. do you remember the balls used in the beach exhibit at the national building museum? those little balls are now a part of a new installation. they've taken all of those balls, and they've actually glued them together and put little velcro pieces on. people who are lucky enough to score a ticket, and they are very difficult to get, well, they're going to be able to come down here into the old trolly tunnel. they'll be able to use these blocks to build art. you can do anything you want. you can you can build something new. anything that strikes your fancy. the desires? they want people to be creative and have a good time. >> i want people to have a lot of fun, building anything they can imagine. i think they

is a newries exhibition at the national building museum and washington, d.c. ouring exhibition london. we have brought 12 of our most special doll's house is over to tell the story of british homes over the last 300 years. you have small terrace houses all the way to grand country mansions. we have high-rise apartments. open plan family homes. one particularly beautiful house is from the 1830's and 1840's. when you look into the beautiful rooms, you can see the craftsmanship that has gone into making the tiny items. the dolls are dressed beautifully in layers of lace and satin. their hair has been individually curled. in one room there is a tiny pair of slippers that must have been totted on a pair of needles get them that small. a lovely thing about doll's houses is it brings generations together. a great exhibition for grandparents, grandchildren, and parents to come to together to talk about their own experiences of family life and living in different styles of homes. it plays a important part of childhood. the process of playing fantasy life. cute. very i w

do you remember the balls used in the beach exhibit at the national building museum? those little balls are now a part of a new installation. they've taken all of those balls, and they've actually glued them together and put little velcro pieces on. people who are lucky enough to score a ticket, and they are very difficult to get, well, they're going to be able to come down here into the old trolly tunnel. they'll be able to use these blocks to build art. you can do anything you want. you can deconstruct what is already here. anything that strikes your fancy. the desires? they want people to be creative and have a good time. >> i want people to have a lot of fun, building anything they can imagine. i think they will because we've done this so far and have had a great time doing it. >> you do have to have a ticket for this exhibit. tickets are hard to come by. in fact, they are sold out for the next several weeks. dupont underground, they're going to be making more tickets available. they will post the time slots on their website as soon as they're available. keep your

it was created from the 650,000 plastic balls that filled the national building museum last summer now, they have been repurposed into a recon figure bl exhibit and the newly opened underground. the one time trolley museum and food court and fall-out shelter is now an art space. >> a very long utilized space that has been forgotten by the city. >> i would like to see them bring other artists in from around the nation and the world to create other things that the public can get engaged in. >> other than a fall-out shelter in the late 1960s and a short lived food court on the west platform in the mid 90s , that space has remained empty until now. >>> well, just ahead tonight, how neighbors are pulling together and helping a disabled vet who has been in his home for decades stay just a little longer. >>> and the red carpet is out and the celebrities in town for the white house correspondence dinner. we have your ticket coming up. >> and the weather the crowd from having fun at maryland day. we will head out to college park when we come back. >> a disabled veteran who has been in his home

this by the national building museum main entrance. sands of runners taking part, and there is actually a 60-year-old man running to raise money for the family of a fallen trooper, and raising money for the officer down memorial, raising money for line of duty death foundation and families of fallen officers. of course, with this race going on, most of this course will be south along third street. if you come down this way you have to make plans to work around, rolling road blocks and police there to get you around it, but, of course, it is a somber event, but one that expends a lot of sweat equity. live at the national enforcement memorial. back to you. >>> and after the boston marathon bombing, hearing the 911 calls that ended the manhunt for dzhokhar tsarnaev in watertown. >> i have a boat in my yard. there's blooz all over the inside. there's a person in the boat. >> are you sure? >> i just looked in the boat. >>> dzhokhar tsarnaev was in the boat. he and his brother were behind the bombing that killed three and hurt hundreds more.

first shown at the national building museum last summer. >>> so 650,000 balls were brought over to the dupont underground and design contest that had submission from around the world 19 different countries and jury pick one design and this is it. it's all the balls made into cubes and then the cubes are meant to be moved around, repurposeed and put into different shapes. people can do what they want with it. >> got see that last summer it was cool. art exhibit now will run through june 1 underground space was for 49 people at a time and it's cramped and la sold out. you can check back. >> local fifth graders are putting their best foot forward on the ballroom dance floor. >> chip shows us the move and lifelessones they are learning. ♪ today we're at stodard elementary school this is our culminating event for our in-school residency program. ♪ from day one we come in and tell them they'll start ballroom dancing and there's definitely a lot of growns and worried looks. >> nervous. >> scared. >> we ask them to come out of their comfort zo their comfort zone a little bit. >> i don't like b

still to come tonight, the story behind the design of the new smithsonian museum on the national mall. >> it's one of the most eye-catching buildingsthe national mall today. we talked to >>> if you've been anywhere near the washington monument, odds are you have noticed a new museum rising along constitution avenue. the smithsonian museum of african-american history and culture is arguably the most unique building on the national mall. >> you can't miss it. as aaron gilchrist reports, everyone the outsieven the outside of the building tells the story. >> reporter: a massive monument to the impact black people have had and continue to have in america. these are panels of -- >> those are cast a panels. >> reporter: we spent time with a renowned architect whose firm is leading the designing and building of the museum. >> it is derived from a western african architectural form. >> reporter: it is a traditional wooden building column like this and features a crown or corona exactly like the new museum. >> that was very compelling to us ooas a design team. it might be interesting to take that notion and develop it as a protector of the c

events of the assassination of president lincoln that the museum moved into its first long-term residence and moved into fords theater before moving to what became the national mall in a buildinguilt in the 1880 that we family call the old red brick in a building that is no longer there, but was in the location where the gallery is today. and the museum moved in 1968 from its now former location on the national mall to walter reed army medical center in washington, d.c., where it was housed for years before moving to silver spring, where we are today. the museum today is a museum of 25 million objects. we are inside our civil war medicine exhibit here at the national museum of health and medicine and starting our visit in front of the skull here of an individual from a particularly renowned african-american regular meant, stood up in 1863. we don't even know the name of this person, but he was a soldier with the 54th massachusetts. called up in boston and took various different actions before arisk at the battlefield of wagner in july of 1863 and this soldier would have been with the 54th when they made their initial assault on the evening of july 18, 1863. but you can see tha

the united nations. japan's national museum of western art is expected to win recognition as a unesco world heritage site. the main building is the only one that a french designer designed in japan. it was completed in 1959. it features pillars and a winding staircase that slopes through the center of the gallery. it's designed to receive plenty of sunlight. japan, france and five other nations jointly nominated 17 works by the designer in their countries as a single entry on the world heritage list. officials of japan's cultural affairs agency say the international council on monuments and sites has recommended registering the building. the museum is likely to be officially listed in july. >>> the governor of tokyo is fighting to clear his name amid allegations he misused political funds for private purposes. he is promising to release more details to account for the way he used the money. he has been battling the claims since they came to light last week in a weekly magazine. an expense report shows his former political group spent more than $3,000 at a hotel in 2013 and 2014. he admits his family stayed at the hotel but

. >> premier in the city, washington business hall of fame, national building museum.dy has been there. it is a fun night. but it is really student focused. it's to bring attention to this issue. >> they have had some phenomenal student speakers there that just are very inspiring. >> i'm sure, you know, as former educators and being part of this program, to see these kids go through a program like this just must make the two of you feel, gosh, pretty proud about it. >> i'm so delighted and excited that thiss county. it's really needed in prince george's county. it is amazing facility. it really is. the kids come out of there like, wow. >> yeah. >> so we're happy to have ja there and the chamber is delighted to be a partner. >> you've got the business, the students. it's such an integration of the community working together to educate these kids on the financial end, which is fabulous. >> very real life. feels like you're making a difference. that's why we go into education, to make a difference. >> great. that you so much for joining us. you guys were great. welcome in

the expected opening of the smithsonian museum of african museum of history and culture. >> thanks to "the washington post" we have our first look at the work taking place inside the big building at the national mall. the construction workers are finishing putting the last touches on the 400,000 square foot museum. more than half of actually below ground level. many of those artifacts and exhibits are boxed and wrapped. among them a cabin from south carolina which will help better under stayed the experience. the hanging from the ceiling of a world war ii plane flown by tuesday by tuskegee airmen. >>> are in western kentucky, a tornado formed on camera causing massive destruction. ten people got hurt when the twister ripped through the town of mayfield. the winds formed a funnel cloud within seconds. the storm damaged homes, businesses and narrowly missed several schools. >> it was black as can you. you can see it. we could see the stuff coming out of the sky. >> all i know, the torndado come through here. my parents, when i seen them i fell to my knees that they were okay. >> connected to a system that spawned violent tornadoes across southern oklahoma monday. we have been talking about one

the national mall and the thating built in the 1880s we familiarly call the old red brick, a building that is now no longer there, but was in the location where the hershorn gallery is today, and the museum now in 1968 from its former location on the national reed army medical center in washington d.c., where it was housed for about 30 years its new home to here in silver spring, where we are today. the museum today is a museum of 25 million objects. most of those are in five major genesis of but the that collection, the core of the objects, is in civil war medicine, and that's the we're about to start today, and so come along. war e inside our civil medicine exhibit here at the health and eum of medicine and we are starting our visit in front of the school from a an individual particularly renowned regiment, stood up in 1863. we don't even know the name of he was a n, but soldier with the 54th massachusetts, called up in boston and took various ifferent actions before arriving at the battle of of 1863, gner in july and this soldier would have been ith the 54th when they made their initial assault on the evening of july 18, 1863. but you can see that this soldier died instantly from a ca

the monuments, odds are that you've noticed a new museum rising along constitution avenue, the smithsonian museum of african-american history and culture is arguably the most unique building on the nationall. and as aaron >> reporter: long before it opened it's a standout building on the national mall, massive monument black people have had and continue to have in america. these are panels -- >> cast aluminum panels. >> reporter: we spent some time with renowned architecture of cultural center whose firm is leading the designing and building of the museum. >> so it's derived from west african architectural form. >> reporter: a traditional wooden building column like this and features a crown or corona exactly like the new museum. >> that form was very compelling to us as a design team. and we thought this might be interesting to take that notion and develop it as a protector of the content inside. >> reporter: from a distance the material looks like bronze skin, history has seen as high quality and sturdy, this is aluminum coated to look like bronze. e materials and the latticed appearance of the back brokie work of yesteryear. >> it's significant where african-americans freed enslaved a

. >>> if you've been down to the national mall, odds are you've noticed the museum. >> it's arguably the most unique building>> reporter: long before it opens, it's become the standout building along the national mall, a massive monument to the impact black people have had and continue to have in america. these are panels of -- >> those are cast aluminum panels. >> reporter: we spent time with the architect whose firm is leading the design and building. >> it's derived from west african architectural form. >> reporter: caryatid is a traditional wooden building column like this and feature as crown or corona. >> that form was compelling to us as a stein team and we thought this might be interesting to take that notion and develop it as a protector of the content inside 37. >> reporter: the material looks like bronze from a distance. in fact this is to look like bronze. he calls it a merger of modern durable materials and the lattice appearance of the back breaking iron work of yesteryear. >> it's reminiscent of places like charleston and savannah, new orleans where african americans freed and slaved africans

copyright national cable satellite corp. 2016] >> each week, american artifacts takes viewers into archives, museums, and historic places across the country. next, we visit the dirksen senate building with don ritchie , to learn about its namesake, former republican leader everett dirksen. richie: -- mr. ritchie: this building was named for everett dirksen, quite a popular figure at the time, a deep mellifluous voice, a great orator. he won a grammy award for a record he did that was just ,eading patriotic sheet music patriotic speeches with music playing in the background. it was quite popular at the time. senator dirksen: down through the years, there have been men -- brave, gallant men -- who have died that others might be free. mr. ritchie: he was known as the spirit of lose. he was the minority leader in the senate. a very small minority. usually 35 or 36 senators on his side of the aisle, which out of 100 is a very small minority, but his boat was critical back in the day when you needed two stop a filibuster. if the senate was going to stop a filibuster on civil rights, they needed everett dirksen. the civil rights act of 1964 -- once dirksen came on board, once he agreed to

the five of the museum moved into its first long-term residents. they actually moved into ford's theatre where they stayed about 20 years before moving to what became a national mall in a building built in the 1880's call the oldiarly red brick in a building that is now no longer there. it was in a location where the hirschhorn gallery is today. in 1968 fromved its now former location on the national mall to walter reed army medical center in washington, d.c. where it was house for about 30 years before moving to its new home in silver spring where we are today. museum today is a museum of 25 million objects. most of those are in five major collections. collection,of the the court of the 25 million objects is in civil war medicine. that is where we are about to start today. come along. >> we are inside the civil war and we arehibit starting our exhibit in front of the school of an individual from a particular african-american regiment, stood up in 1863. we don't need to know the name of this person, but he was ace -- a soldier with the 54th massachusetts, called up in boston, and took various beforent actions arriving at the battle of battery wagner in july of 1863. this soldie

the national mall. its closest neighbor stands in stark contrast to the brand new museum of african-american history and culture. >> what i wanted was a buildingand resiliency. and i also thought it was important to have a building that was a bronze corona, because there has always been a dark presence in america that often got undervalued or overlooked. >> reporter: this historian has spent the last 11 years painstakingly planning persuading and perhaps with the same intensity of a political campaign fund raising and following leads to the historical treasures that are beginning to fill the enormous $540 million soon to open museum >> to the right will be africa. to the left will be europe. you're basically drawn by a media piece that from a distance looks like the angry ocean. >> reporter: it's laid out to allow the visitor to follow the slave ships across atlantic ocean. >> you tell the story through artifacts, but in here this is an emotional look like you're inside a ship. you will have a piece of wood it that we brought up from the sunken slave ship. >> reporter: and from there, the tour takes you into the new world. creation of america.

the national mall. it stands in stark contrast to the earth tone rod iron lattice work of the brand-new museum of african-american history and culture. >> i wanted a buildhat spoke of spirituality, resiliency, and uplift. i wanted a building that is a bronze corona. there's always been a dark presence in america that's been undervalued or overlooked. >> reporter: he's been painstakingly planning, persuading, and fundraising and following leads to the historical treasures that are beginning to fill the enormous 400,000 square feet of this $540 million soon to open smithsonian museum. >> to the right will be africa. to the left will be europe. you're drawn by a media from a distance looks like the angry ocean. >> reporter: it is laid out to allow the visitor to follow the slave ships from africa across the atlantic ocean. >> in here, this will be kind of an emotional look like you're inside a ship. you'll have a piece of wood that we brought up from a sunken slave ship off the coast of cape tow town. >> reporter: then the >> it was a place that was a rice plantation, a cotton plantation. >> reporter: many of the larger collected artifacts like this other

the national resource, but now we have an opportunity, and i think that treasure island could be the right spot. >> san francisco is notorious for saying no, and what makes you think that building a museum of this magnitude on treasure island would be any easier than anyplace else? >> if edley, james kim and aaron peskin are on the same page, that is a good start.>> the thing the state lands, or any of those things? >> treasure island is a unique creature under the law, and there's less state oversight over treasure island so i think this could be done. like tell us about how these talks happened.'s back they are in the very preliminary stages, more talks this week, and i'm hoping that we can get on the same page quickly.>> this could be interesting for city that has notoriously had trouble dealing with big projects like this.>> let's think about the successes, the exploratory him -- exploratory him went very successful, and things in the civic center have gone smoothly, and there are instances where we have had some bad bits, but there are some things we can embrace with open arms and get done. >> you were thought of as the dark vader of san francisco, the guy that came in and said no,

copyright national cable satellite corp. 2016] >> each week, american artifacts takes viewers into archives, museums, and historic places across the country. next, we visit the dirksen senate building with don ritchie , to learn about its namesake, former republican leader everett dirksen. richie: -- mr. ritchie:

the national mall. this is the brand new museum of african-american history and culture. >> i wanted a building that spoketuality, resilience and uplift. i wanted a building that was a bronze corona. there's always been a dark presence in america that often got undervalued or overlooked. it has a distinctive covering. >> this historian spent the last 11 years painstakingly planning, persuading and perhaps with the same intensity of a political campaign fund-raising and following leads to the historical treasures that are beginning to fill the enormous 400,000 square feet of this $540 million soon to o museum. >> to the right will be africa. to the left will be europe and you basically are drawn by a media piece that from a distance looks like the angry ocean. >> it's laid out to allow the visitor to follow the slave ships from africa across the atlantic ocean. >> you will tell the story through artifacts here. but in here, this will be kind of an emotional look like you're inside a ship. you'll have a piece of wood that we brought up from a sunkle slave ship off the coast of capetown. >> from there the to

to john of thed the staff national museum of american history for loaning us their facilities for the weekend, it was very generous of them. we had intended originally to be in the building across the way, which i recommend that everyone at least, even in the rain, go outside and take a look at. it sometimes took a little longer. anyone who is running to their home, they know sometimes construction takes a little longer than you expect. -- renovating their home, they know the construction takes longer than you expect. this is of special importance to lonnie and me. he worked here for a long time. in my case, this is where i first participated in the sort of small, specialized conference that establishes lifetime friendships in our business. adria petty, yesterday, mentioned the landmark exhibition in this museum. what she didn't know that a conference associated with that exhibit is where lonnie and i first met, and where i first encountered a remarkable community of scholars, many of whom have become lasting friends and colleagues. i will always be grateful to the national museum of american history. i want to knowledge the support of history, formally known as the hist