A summer full of events celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States will be concluded this weekend with a race through the heart of Washington D.C. Curators of the many museums there are concerned about the vibrations from the race cars. These could cause damage to irreplaceable works of art.
The Freedom 250 Grand Prix is the finale of a series of events initiated by President Trump this summer. His organizing committee Freedom 250 previously brought a cage fight, a fair, and a national day of prayer to the capital.
The Grand Prix was initiated by television channel Fox Sports and Indycar, a major American racing competition. Indycar is comparable to Formula 1, although there are enough differences: the cars are simpler and based on the same chassis. Drivers therefore race closer to each other and the races are generally less predictable than those in Formula 1.
The idea for the race in Washington arose last summer, but Congress did not want a race along its doorstep. The plan seemed to die until the US Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, proposed to design the circuit so that approval from Congress was no longer necessary.
Thus the race came about via a presidential decree from Trump after all. "It will be one of the most unforgettable races the world has ever seen," the president stated in July.
Downside
The day before the race, the atmosphere is already good. Scott from Virginia finds the race "cool," but also sees a downside. "I can hardly imagine how annoying this must have been for the residents. It took three weeks to build this circuit," he says with a beer in his hand.
For many visitors, like Bron from California, this is a dream come true. Wearing an American flag on his shirt, he proudly listens to the roaring engines in the background. "It was about time there was a race in DC. I hope there will be one every year from now on."
For Mary Okin, deputy director at The Living New Deal, this is already one too many. She advocates for the preservation of art created after the recovery from the Great Depression in the 1930s. Some statues and murals from that period stand around the circuit.
"This art symbolizes the moment when vulnerable Americans began to improve again after a long time. It was made by Americans and for Americans and therefore it is the government's duty to protect it."
Not only the New Deal art, but also, for example, the original model of the world's first airplane in the Air & Space Museum and the original Declaration of Independence in The National Archives are at risk, according to Okin.
Vibrations caused by the roaring engines, crashing cars, and the construction of the circuit could damage the pieces, she fears. Moreover, many museums have large basements and cavities underneath, which amplify the vibrations, she explains.
In a letter to the National Park Service, which oversees a large part of the race area, Okin writes: "The vibrations are far above the level of normal street traffic and are louder than those from jackhammers, pile drivers, and even freight trains."
Measures
The National Gallery of Art is also located on the circuit. It houses works by, among others, Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Van Gogh. The museum conducted research into possible damage from the vibrations and took "out of extreme precaution" measures, a spokesperson told the Washington Post. It is not clear what measures these are.
The Smithsonian Institution, responsible for most of the other museums in Washington DC, says it has taken no measures.
According to Okin, damage does not have to be immediately visible: "It is not even visible to the human eye." But even if the damage remains limited, Okin wonders why the risk is taken. "This race could have been organized anywhere. But these pieces cannot just be moved," she says. "They are vulnerable. That the race takes place here is unprecedented recklessness."