Coming Together: Reimagining the American Downtown

Your Voice: Future Cities

Each step you take through the exhibition Coming Together reveals a new story, a new perspective, and an opportunity to participate. You’re first greeted by a video installation, then drawn into stories of cities across the country, and invited to contribute your perspectives through participatory elements. The journey culminates in the City Action Hall.

Unlike any other museum space, the City Action Hall is not just a place to look; it is a place to gather, exchange ideas, and take action. This is where the exhibition moves from observation to participation, from inspiration to progress. The City Action Hall serves as a physical embodiment of the Museum’s Future Cities initiative’s commitment to place people at the center of an optimistic future for American cities.

Since opening in Fall 2025, the City Action Hall has lived up to this commitment. Hosting organizations ranging from the Congress for New Urbanism and The Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate to Martha’s Table and Virginia Tech, the impact of these events is displayed on the walls of the City Action Hall where each group leaves behind their work to co-create a dynamic tapestry of how they are shaping the future of cities.

We are Coming Together

Coming Together tells the story of how the American downtown, once defined as a central business district, is being transformed into a vibrant center for people to live, work, and play. The exhibition brings this narrative of transformation to life with success stories from cities that are leading the way. It showcases impressive examples of leveraging institutions as economic anchors, integrating digital and physical shopping, the rise of place management organizations, investments in walkability, housing, and more.

The exhibition features a series of experiences to invite your voice to the work of reimagining our shared urban home. A sticky-dot activity, familiar from community meetings, is designed to be more expressive, with each dot representing a map of our spatial and experiential relationship to downtowns.

The most expansive element in Coming Together is a digital platform called I Hope This Becomes. I Hope This Becomes is a national map where anyone, anywhere, can add a geolocated pin and share a memory, a love, or a hope. There are now more than 2,500 entries, personal reflections that collectively tell our shared story of place.

You can go to ihopethisbecomes.nbm.org and contribute your own stories:

I remember this was…
I love that this is…
I hope this becomes…

The premise here is simple: if everyone can see how the built environment shapes their lives, how places make us who we are, then everyone can better understand the importance of the decisions we make for the world we design and build. And once everyone sees the intimacy and impact of this connection, they’re more likely to act, to participate in shaping the world around them.

Shape What’s Next

From April 9 to 30, the Museum is thrilled to host the National Capital Planning Commission’s public engagement series on the future of Pennsylvania Avenue in the City Action Hall.

Pennsylvania Avenue, the iconic corridor between the U.S. Capitol and the White House, embodies a deep history that represents the spirit of democracy. Pennsylvania Avenue hosts major ceremonial events, including Presidential Inaugurations and public celebrations, as well as popular local gatherings. Central to the identity of the nation’s capital, it plays a vital role in Washington, D.C.’s economy and culture.

Federal and local partners are collaborating with consultant support to prepare a new Pennsylvania Avenue Plan that will revitalize the Avenue. Work is guided by a vision — the Avenue as a Venue — to transform the Avenue into a venue for spectacular events and celebrations; create an inspiring and beautiful realm for daily use; modernize infrastructure; and streamline administration of operations to make the Avenue a great street and an iconic destination. 

The new design concepts for the corridor will be on view at the National Building Museum in the City Action Hall from April 9 to 30, 2026. During that time, the Coming Together exhibition will also be free to the public.

Come on by, bring a friend, and spread the word. Step into the City Action Hall, spend time with the ideas on view, and add your voice to the conversation. The future of cities isn’t something that happens somewhere else, or sometime later. It’s shaped in moments like these: when people gather, reflect, and choose to participate.

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Thank you to our Coming Together sponsors: AARP, Wells Fargo, Enterprise, Rooted Communities, National League of Cities, CBRE, Driehaus Foundation, KPF, and Whayne and Ursula Quinn.