HB 8810, the “No Wasted Space Act,” would create a temporary commission to study possible future uses of the Smithsonian’s Arts and Industries Building on the National Mall. The commission would be tasked with examining options for the building’s use, including potential educational, museum, cultural, and tourism-related purposes, as well as the feasibility and cost of converting the building into a modern museum. It would also look at whether the building could be operated and maintained through public contributions, admission charges, or other non-federal funding sources.
The commission would be composed of nine appointed members drawn from congressional leadership and the Smithsonian, with required experience in museums, family tourism, urban planning, and education in the Washington, DC area. Within one year of its first meeting, it must submit a report, fundraising plan, and legislative recommendations to the President and Congress, including proposals on appropriations, operations, maintenance, and even a possible new name for the building. The commission would terminate shortly after submitting its final materials.
The bill would not immediately change substantive law governing the Arts and Industries Building, but it would create a new advisory body and set in motion a formal federal review of the building’s future use. It would affect the Smithsonian Institution, Congress, and potentially federal property and appropriations policy by generating recommendations on whether and how the building should be renovated, operated, funded, and renamed. The measure also contemplates possible future legislation and funding decisions, including one-time and continuing appropriations, but does not itself authorize those changes.
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded votes or committee debate, the measure appears largely exploratory and noncontroversial in tone. Its framing suggests interest in making productive use of an underused historic building and in identifying a financially sustainable path forward without relying heavily on federal appropriations. Because there are no transcripts or votes provided, there is no documented public opposition or support in the available record beyond the bill’s introduction and referral.
The main points of potential contention are likely to be funding and governance. The bill asks the commission to consider whether the building can be supported through donations, admissions, or other non-federal sources, which may raise concerns about privatization, long-term sustainability, and the role of federal appropriations. Another possible issue is the building’s future identity and use, including whether it should become a modern museum, host other cultural or educational tenants, or receive a new name. Stakeholders most likely to care include the Smithsonian, museum and cultural institutions, federal property managers, tourism and education advocates, and members concerned about costs and the use of National Mall space.