Updated: May 26, 2015 at 9:24 p.m.

D.C.’s historical preservation office recognized the GW Museum and Textile Museum for innovated design, the University announced Tuesday.

“GW has made a long-term commitment to the historic preservation of our campus. We are proud that this project celebrates both the rich history of the Foggy Bottom Campus and D.C. as a whole, and that it melds the historical significance of the building with the university’s educational programs,” Senior Associate Vice President of Operations Alicia Knight said in the release.

The museum includes the historic Woodhull House, a 160-year-old building that was renovated to house the Albert Small Washingtoniana collection of almost 1,000 objects documenting D.C.’s history. The new complex openedin March and holds more than 2,000 artifacts from around the world including carpets, maps and other textiles dating back as far as 5,000 years. The museum also has an elliptical staircase and 14-foot ceilings.

Construction began for the project in October 2012 after Small donated $5 million to the University for the project. Maxwell Zandt Woodhull donated the historic house to the University in 1921, and the previous honor was William Seward, who was a former secretary of state and New York governor.

Graduate students played a role in developing the exhibits, and students are able to lead tours of the textile museum.

GW was one of 44 individuals, businesses or other D.C. organizations that received awards for historical preservation in ceremony, which was held earlier this month at DAR Constitution Hall.

This post was updated to reflect the following correction:
The Hatchet incorrectly reported that Small donated $5,000 to the GW Museum and Textile Museum. He donated $5 million. We regret this error.