Since the Castle first opened to the public, the Great Hall has welcomed legions of visitors to the Smithsonian Institution. The hall initially served as the National Museum and displayed natural history specimens and replicas, such as this one of a hadrosaurus. Because of the large crowds drawn by the exhibits and a growing need for more collections space, a building to house the United States National Museum was constructed next door to the Castle. Now named the Arts and Industries Building, it opened in 1881 with many of the natural history exhibits on view that had been moved from the Great Hall. The Smithsonian's continued growth resulted in the creation, in 1911, of the new National Museum, now the National Museum of Natural History. All natural history collections were moved there, and the upper galleries in the Castle's main hall (now known as the "Great Hall"), where curators had worked, were demolished. The hall was refitted to hold a library, exhibits, and special events, such as the 1927 Conference on the Future of the Smithsonian Institution. Since the 1940s, exhibits in the Great Hall have described the ever-growing list of Smithsonian museums and research programs. The hall you see today - a postmodern interpretation of Victorian decor - dates from the 1980s, when the Great Hall was renovated to better serve as an enhanced Visitor Information and Associates' Reception Center. (less info)