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of Columbia, which bordered the Potomac River (thus affording facilities for the required display of naval craft) and which was, at the same time, appropriate as a location for the land facilities envisioned in Section 3(b).  A narrative history of the Smithsonian's efforts to acquire such a site is submitted as an enclosure to this report.

On September 20, 1973, the Smithsonian Institution entered into a cooperative agreement with the Department of the Interior, whereby the Smithsonian and the National Park Service may conduct jointly at Fort Washington, in Prince George's County, Maryland, a long-term outdoor museum program exemplifying the purposes expressed in Section 3(b), Public Law 87-186.  Such program would seek to interpret the historic fortifications at Fort Washington as, in the overall, illuminating historical American attitudes toward matters of national defense.  The Advisory Board gave its endorsement to this program on November 28, 1973.

The cooperative agreement provides that--upon receipt from the Smithsonian of a proposal defining the nature, scope, and physical layout of such program as it considers suitable at Fort Washington--the National Park Service will prepare and carry out jointly with the Smithsonian a master plan for historical interpretation at Fort Washington.  The plan will, so far as is consistent with the Department of the Interior's own statutory responsibilities and obligations regarding the site, provide facilities for such program as the Smithsonian may propose.

The National Armed Forces Museum Advisory Board here reaffirms its approval of the cooperative agreement of September 20, 1973, in the conviction that the Smithsonian, working in concert with the National Park Service, can develop at Fort Washington over time a program which will exemplify the spirit of Section 3(b), Public Law 87-186.  Toward such an end no additional legislation would appear necessary.

It is the considered opinion of the Advisory Board that, in view of recent history, renewed efforts by the Smithsonian to acquire lands and buildings in and around the District of Columbia whereon to establish a National Armed Forces Museum Park as a separate entity are not