US Diplomacy Center

The US Department of State's Diplomacy Center's (USDC) primary purpose is to educate and inform the general public about diplomacy. To engage the public and bring the story of American diplomacy to life, the USDC, a state-of-the-art museum and education center, is dedicating 40,000 SF to a new USDC Pavilion. The Center's mission is to invite visitors to explore the impact of diplomacy through interactive exhibits, compelling artifacts, hands-on education programs, diplomatic simulations, and the expertise of foreign affairs specialists. Education will be at the core of the Center’s work, drawing on the experiences of our diplomats through case studies and as the basis for interactive simulations.

Heery was contracted to provide construction management agency services to the General Services Administration for the construction of a security pavilion and building alternations for the USDC. The project is located in the foreground of the existing Marshall Wing historic entrance of the Truman Building located in downtown Washington, DC. The building addition will provide security screening for the general public as well as reception, exhibits and support spaces for the Center.

The pavilion will consist of approximately 22,375 SF on two levels; the upper level will consist of 11,693 SF of interactive exhibit space and the lower level will consist of 10,682 SF of support spaces. The building’s mechanical, electrical, fire protection, plumbing, and communications systems will be integrated with the existing Truman Building’s systems and will also serve a future interior phase of the project.

The completed building is expected to achieve LEED Silver. The project has a construction budget of almost $25 million. All funds for the project are donated; no government allocated funds are involved.