(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) celebrated the ribbon cutting of the Rubell Museum DC, a significant milestone in the redevelopment of the historic Randall School, a long-awaited DMPED project that will deliver a new cultural space that further establishes DC as a city for creatives.  

“Through this project, and with the support of the Rubell family, we have been able to preserve a historic school and transform it into a fantastic cultural amenity that will be free to DC residents,” said Mayor Bowser. “We have a lot of world-class museums in DC, and now we have one more – one more museum and one more reason to visit DC.” 

The Rubell Museum DC, which will open to the public on Saturday, October 29, will have exhibits that include contemporary paintings, sculptures, photographs, videos, and site-specific work by local, national, and international artists. District residents will receive free admission to the museum and Ward 6 residents will be provided with expanded opportunities to engage with artists. The 32,000-square-foot museum will also feature public programming, flexible activation spaces, a bookstore, and a café with indoor and outdoor dining. 

The museum, located at 65 I Street SW, is housed in the historic former Randall School, which was built in 1906 as a school for African American children. The adaptive reuse of the former school into a museum preserves an important DC landmark and brings it back to life as a public resource. Another part of the redevelopment, adjacent to the museum, is Gallery 64 – which will deliver 492 apartments, including 98 affordable units, in early 2023. 

“Mayor Bowser is known for her commitment to the arts and her leadership for moving forward long-stalled projects,” said Deputy Mayor John Falcicchio. “With the Rubell Family and our partners at Lowe, we are delivering a new cultural space today, and marking progress toward delivering 492 new homes, of which 98 are affordable in Southwest DC. The opening of the Rubell Museum DC brings more contemporary art to our culturally rich city and helps unlock even more opportunities for our creative community.”

This project was made possible through a partnership with DMPED. Together, Mayor Bowser, DMPED, the Rubell Family, and Lowe partnered to preserve the historic Randall School and create a unique cultural space and much-needed housing.

For more information about the museum and to learn more about upcoming exhibitions, visit the Rubell Museum.  

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