The idea of building an art museum on the National Mall was first proposed in 1930, but it wasn’t until 1969 that it was finally inaugurated. The museum is based on a large modern art collection gathered by Joseph Hirshhorn, a Latvian collector. In 1966, as constructions began, Hirshhorn donated more than 6,000 paintings and sculptures to the U.S. government, which became the foundation of the new museum’s collection. Upon his death, he left behind an additional 6,000 works, leading to the museum presenting a collection of over 12,000 pieces of contemporary art. Many masterpieces by Picasso, Matisse, Rodin, and Soyer decorate these walls. Its striking cylindrical architecture was designed by Gordon Bunshaft.