The Newseum is an interactive museum of news under construction in Washington, D.C. The museum was originally founded at Arlington, Virginia, in April 1997 by the Freedom Forum. Within five years, it became a globally recognized attraction, drawing more than 2.25 million visitors and receiving critical approval (from press and public alike) for its exhibits and programs. In March 2002, the Newseum closed its Arlington facility to allow its staff to focus on building the new, larger museum in Washington. The new site contains office space for Newseum and Freedom Forum staff, an 11,000-square-foot conference center, more than 30,000 square feet of retail space and more than 145,000 square feet of housing. The Freedom Forum, established in 1991, funds the operations of the museum. Based in Arlington, it is a nonpartisan foundation dedicated to free press, free speech, and free spirit for all people. When it opens in 2007 on “America’s Main Street,” Pennsylvania Avenue, the new Newseum will be one of the most prominent and well-attended museums in Washington. Here visitors can relive famous news events and play reporters, photographers, editors, or broadcasters. There are theaters with vintage news reels, and exhibits with artifacts and memorabilia.