Work Begins on the Smithsonian "Castle" <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/74">James Renwick, Jr </a>began work on the <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/52">original Smithsonian Institution building</a> in 1847. Renwick's design was inspired by western European structures originally built in the 1100s, making this Gothic Revival building look like a castle. When construction began, <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/355">the Mall was quiet</a> and the Smithsonian building was isolated from the city Washington. When it opened in 1855, the Castle housed the first museum on the Mall. <p>Smithsonian Institution Archives. <a href="http://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_sic_10696">View original</a>.</p> 1847 <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=38&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1830-1859">1830-1859</a>