On July 20, The Drug Enforcement Administration Museum (DEA) and Visitors Center, located in Pentagon City, will have its last day of exhibitions until the fall of 2020 when it is expected to reopen following renovations.
The museum, which aims to educate the public on the history of drugs, drug addiction and law enforcement in the U.S., has been open since 1999 as a result of staff collecting old badges of narcotics agents, photos, documents and more. The entirety of the museum lies within the DEA headquarters
Back in 2018, there was negotiation of moving the headquarters to a new location, following the expiration of the Pentagon City lease. As of last April, though, the Arlington County Board approved a $11.5 million grant for the year-long renovation, keeping the facility in Arlington. Plus, Clarion Partners (the landlord) agreed to invest $82 million into the alterations and give the DEA temporary space in Crystal City during construction.
Over the course of this year, the interior of the more than 500,000-square-foot space will be completely renovated, creating a more engaging, visual experience for guests of the DEA Museum, as well as employees of the department.
During the closure, the museum is encouraging interested visitors to view its virtual exhibits online.
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