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[[underlined]] Tourist Season Evening Hours for Mall Museums [[/underlined]]

The Regents suggested that the Institution reconsider its decision to reschedule tourist season evening hours from April 1 until June 1 beginning this year. This decision, reached during Smithsonian staff deliberations on the fiscal year 1979 budget, was based on financial considerations as well as an analysis of the low evening visitation during the months of April and May. A budgetary review of reversing this decision now indicates that additional funds will be required, primarily for protection services and utilities, during this two-month period. However, it appears that additional buildings management costs can be absorbed by the affected units.

Our Office of Programming and Budget finds that the Institution has the capacity to meet these costs within available funding this fiscal year with specific funds to be identified later in the year.

In view of the Regents' wish to keep our museums as accessible to the public as possible without imposing unduly on existing programs, we shall begin evening hours on April 1 this year as we have in the past. The Regents and the Congress will be informed, and necessary adjustments to the Institution's plans will proceed immediately. 

The following buildings will be open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 9 p.m. beginning April 1 and continuing through Labor Day, September 3:

Smithsonian Institution Building
Arts and Industries Building
History and Technology Building
Natural History Building
National Air and Space Building
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

The National Zoo's summer hours are effective April 1 through September 30, 1979. The grounds open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m. Buildings open at 9:00 a.m. and close at 6:30 p.m.