Armenian Genocide Museum of America (AGMA) is a proposed

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...

museum in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, run by the Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial Inc. (AGM&M). The project was launched in 2000 and is yet to be finalized.

Concept and organization

The idea to dedicate a building for commemorating the

Armenian genocide The Armenian genocide was the systematic destruction of the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, Armenian people and identity in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Spearheaded by the ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), it was ...

was launched by Hirair Hovnanian and Anoush Mathevosian. The project was run by the

Armenian Assembly of America The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The organization aims to "strengthen United States/Armenia relations, promote Armenia's democr ...

(AAA) from 2000 to 2003. In November 2003, the project was transferred to the Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial Inc. (AGM&M), with the Armenian Assembly of America given a trusteeship position.

Location

The Armenian Genocide Museum will be housed in the former National Bank of Washington building, built in 1926 with a historic Interior and located on the southeast corner of 14th and G Streets, N.W., in

downtown ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business distric ...

Washington, D.C. The building was purchased for $7.25 million, in addition to four adjacent properties, costing a total of $20 million. The site is two blocks from the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...

and three blocks north of the

National Mall The National Mall is a Landscape architecture, landscaped park near the Downtown, Washington, D.C., downtown area of Washington, D.C., the capital city of the United States. It contains and borders a number of museums of the Smithsonian Institut ...

Funding

The main contributors were: *

Armenian American Armenian Americans ( hy, ամերիկահայեր, ''amerikahayer'') are citizens or residents of the United States who have total or partial Armenian ancestry. They form the second largest community of the Armenian diaspora after Armenians in ...

philanthropist

Gerard Cafesjian Gerard Leon Cafesjian ( hy, Ջերարդ Լեւոն Գաֆէսճեան, 26 April 1925 – 15 September 2013) was a businessman and philanthropist who founded the Cafesjian Family Foundation (CFF), the Cafesjian Museum Foundation (CMF) and the Ca ...

and the Cafesjian Family Foundation (CFF) – $14.4 million in funds and properties. * Anoush Mathevosian – $3.5 million * Hirair Hovnanian – $1.5 million The official website of the museum sets the opening date as 2011. The project however has been marred by disagreements and a litigation between Cafesjian and the Cafesjian Family Foundation on the one side, and the other trustees on the other side. A trial was held in Washington, D.C. between March 9 and 29, 2011 before U.S. District Judge

Colleen Kollar-Kotelly Colleen Constance Kollar-Kotelly (born April 17, 1943) is an American lawyer serving as a Senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and was previously presiding judge of the Foreign Intell ...

. After hearing witnesses and evidence, she issued a 190-page opinion and an order to the Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial (AGM&M), Inc. to transfer the grant property back to the Cafesjian Family Foundation (CFF).

Temporary exhibits

While still in its formative stage, the Museum participates in temporary exhibits.

References

External links

Armenian Genocide Museum of America
''official website''

video tour by ''

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'' {{Armenia topics Armenian-American history

America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...