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has come from trust fund allocations and Federal appropriations, the Smithsonian's Special Exhibition Fund, the George Gund Foundation of Cleveland, and the James Smithson Society; transportation support has been provided by the Malaysian Airlines Systems. "Tropical Rainforests" opens May 12, 1988 in the Smithsonian's International Center Gallery and continued until the end of the year, when it will be packed for travel to 12 locations across the nation. 

The National Portrait Gallery's exhibition "A Century of Portraiture: 188501985" was originally organized by the Gallery under the auspices of the United States Information Agency as the 1987 exchange exhibition implementing the 1979 Cultural Accord between the United States and the People's Republic of China. In July the USIA cancelled the Chinese venues for the show when the Chinese refused to allow two of the portraits (of Golda Meir and General Douglas MacArthur) to be shown in China. The Hong Kong venue will take place as planned, from December 18 until January 24, 1988. With the assistance of Mrs. Matano, the Portrait Gallery is currently negotiating with the Japanese Cultural Agency to arrange for the exhibition to go to Japan following its Hong Kong showing. Venues and funding must be secured, and to that end appointments have been arranged for the Director of the Portrait Gallery to meet with the Cultural Agency and representatives of potential funding sources and museum sites in Japan. 

[[underlined]] Major Construction Projects [[/underlined]]

The Quadrangle Building will open to the public on September 28. Residual work to be completed includes balancing of the heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, and correction of punch list items. Design and specification documents for construction of  the tunnel to connect the new building with the Freer Gallery are scheduled for completion to allow for solicitation of construction bids in November. It is anticipated that construction of the link and related work in the Freer Gallery basement and courtyard will start in February 1988 and be completed in February 1990. 

Construction of the National Air and Space Museum Terrace Restaurant is currently fifteen percent complete and on schedule for construction completion in July 1988. Construction of the Tupper Laboratory, Conference and Dining Facility in Panama is now ten percent complete and on schedule for completion in September 1988. The design of the Smithsonian Information Center in the Smithsonian Institution Building has been completed and bids are expected in September 1987. 

Alternative site arrangement plans for construction of the Whipple Observatory Base Camp are being considered by the Smithsonian. Funding for the design and construction of this project is under consideration by Congress, and the Institution is hopeful that the House appropriation of $1,315,000 for this project will be approved by the Senate. 

[[underlined]] The National Postal Museum [[/underlined]]

In June the District of Columbia Deputy Mayor Carol B. Thompson, who serves as the State Historic Preservation Officer, overruled the city's