Renovation of the Constitution Cafe funded by an endowment from the LeRoy Neiman Foundation.
As part of the Phase II of the Public Space Renewal Program, a small café was built adjacent to the Constitution Avenue entrance to the National Museum of American History (NMAH). Some aspects of the original café design had proven to be less effective and engaging than desired for this valuable location, and for some time, Smithsonian Enterprises and NMAH had been discussing proposed improvements to the café to benefit patrons as well as support the museum’s mission.
Artist LeRoy Neiman (1921–2012) was best known for colorful paintings and illustrations that presented scenes of sports, culture and entertainment. Among his work is a distinctive body of paintings of American jazz legends and music of the 1950s to 1960s. He established the LeRoy Neiman Foundation in 1986 and donated more than $20 million to art institutions and his legacy continues with financial support to the museum’s jazz programming. In the summer of 2015, NMAH received a $2.5 million donation and Neiman’s painting, “Big Band,” an epic jazz mural he considered as one of the greatest in his career. The painting is 9-by-13 feet and features 18 iconic jazz musicians. It is installed at the entrance of the Constitution Café, now rebranded as the LeRoy Neiman Jazz Café.
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