—14,000-square-foot experience transforms the Museum’s Great Hall into an imaginative landscape for exploration, creativity, and intergenerational play—
WASHINGTON, D.C.– July 3, 2026—THE PLAYGROUND is now open at the National Building Museum. The 14,000-square-foot installation, developed with New York-based design practice Snarkitecture – and design collaborator Gluten – is the largest indoor installation in the Museum’s history. Through August 30, visitors can experience the Museum’s iconic Great Hall as an expansive landscape for climbing, building, gathering, relaxing, and open-ended play.
Using materials more commonly associated with construction than recreation, THE PLAYGROUND reimagines the familiar playground through inventive design and extraordinary scale. Scaffolding, birch plywood, cork, rope, and other materials drawn from the built environment take on unexpected new purposes throughout nine distinct activity zones. Rather than prescribing how visitors should move through the space, the installation encourages each person to chart their own course, revealing how thoughtful design can transform ordinary materials into extraordinary experiences.
“Snarkitecture has always been interested in the familiar made unfamiliar –environments that invite people to see and experience the world differently. The Playground reimagines the familiar experience of a playground into something unexpected: an invitation for people of all ages to rediscover the joy, creativity, and wonder of open-ended play,” said Alex Mustonen, co-founder of Snarkitecture.
The Hill serves as the centerpiece of THE PLAYGROUND, transforming layers of birch plywood into a sculptural landscape with slides, tunnels, and places to gather. From there, visitors are invited to continue exploring the installation’s eight additional activity zones. They can navigate a 100-foot Obstacle Course, climb a 15-foot Climbing Wall, unwind in oversized rope hammocks, shoot hoops at the Sport Court, wander through the Wavy Walls maze, or dig through the Dig Pit, a construction-inspired play space filled with natural cork.
One of the installation’s most distinctive spaces is the Adventure Yard, inspired by a movement that encourages children to shape their own environments through building and experimentation. Using real materials and tools, young builders are invited to imagine, construct, test ideas, and collaborate as they explore the fundamentals of design and making. Rather than providing a predetermined outcome, the space encourages creativity, problem-solving, and confidence through hands-on exploration, demonstrating that the built environment is not just something we inhabit, but something we can all help shape. Nearby, the Tot Spot offers the Museum’s youngest visitors an age-appropriate place to discover, climb, and play.
Material selection is central to design of THE PLAYGROUND. Industrial scaffolding frames spaces for gathering and recreation, while cork, a renewable material more often associated with construction and manufacturing, fills the Dig Pit, inviting visitors to dig, build, and imagine. Layered birch plywood shapes The Hill and Wavy Walls, and recycled flooring provides a durable surface throughout the installation. Whenever possible, materials used throughout the installation will be repurposed or recycled following its close, reflecting the Museum’s commitment to thoughtful stewardship of the built environment.
THE PLAYGROUND was designed for visitors of every generation. Through immersive environments, thoughtful design, and opportunities for open-ended exploration, the installation invites children, teens, and adults alike to experience curiosity, creativity, and connection in their own way. Whether climbing, creating, gathering with friends, or simply taking in the space, every visit offers a different experience.
Throughout the summer, the experience extends beyond the installation with a full calendar of programs and special events for adults, teens, children, and families. Visitors can enjoy Late Nights featuring live music, food, and drinks, hands-on workshops inspired by the installation, weekly storytimes, Building Readers Club events, STEAM Saturdays, and drop-in artmaking activities.
“Playgrounds are where so many of us first discover the joy of exploring, creating, and connecting with others,” said Aileen Fuchs, President and Executive Director of the National Building Museum. “With THE PLAYGROUND, we’re inviting visitors of all ages to experience that sense of wonder together in an entirely new way. As the nation celebrates America’s 250th anniversary, this installation reminds us that public spaces have the power to bring people together, spark curiosity, and create lasting memories. We hope every visitor leaves with a smile, a sense of possibility, and a deeper appreciation for the role that thoughtfully designed places play in our lives.”
THE PLAYGROUND is open daily through August 30, 2026. Timed tickets are included with Museum admission and may be reserved in advance at https://orders.nbm.org/events/a953fd9c-aeb7-68fa-e235-d2116048654d.
CURRENT SPONSORS
Presenting+ Sponsor: Amazon. Major support provided by: Nike Grind, Hero Flooring, Mohawk Group, American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), Clark Construction, DAVIS Construction, DPR Construction, DowntownDC Business Improvement District and the District of Columbia Executive Office of the Mayor – Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, Milwaukee Tool, Monumental Sports, National Basketball Association (NBA), Thornton Tomassetti, Urban Umbrella, ZGF.
IMAGES: Images available HERE.
MEDIA CONTACT: Karen Baratz, karen@baratzpr.com, 240.497.1811
ABOUT THE NATIONAL BUILDING MUSEUM
The National Building Museum inspires curiosity about the world we design and build. We believe that understanding the impact of architecture, engineering, landscape architecture, construction, planning, and design is important for everyone. Through exhibitions, educational programs, and special events, we welcome visitors of all ages to experience stories about the built world and its power to shape our lives, our communities, and our futures. Public inquiries: 202.272.2448, info@nbm.org, or visit www.nbm.org. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
ABOUT SNARKITECTURE
An impossible voyage by an improbable crew to find an inconceivable creature.
Snarkitecture is a New York-based design practice dedicated to reimagining the familiar. We collaborate with cultural, commercial and private clients around the world to design memorable spaces, experiences and objects. With a focus on sensory experience, the studio works across scales and typologies, including retail, hospitality, residential, collectible design, and object collaborations.
With an ethos of “not art, not architecture” and a methodology that challenges conventional approaches to materials and structures, our team thrives on creating environments and moments that invite people to explore, play, and reflect.