Washington National Cathedral

=== The Great Organ ===
The Great [[pipe organ|Organ]] was installed by the [[Ernest M. Skinner]] & Son Organ Company in 1938. The original instrument consisted of approximately 8,400&nbsp;pipes. The instrument was enlarged by the [[Aeolian-Skinner]] Organ Company in 1963 and again between 1970 and 1975, during which time more than half of the original instrument was removed. The present instrument consists of 189&nbsp;ranks and 10,647&nbsp;pipes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dcago.org/washington-national-cathedral.html |title=Washington National Cathedral |website=American Guild of Organists: District of Columbia Chapter |access-date=April 23, 2018}}</ref>

==== Renovation ====
Although the instrument was mechanically restored in the late 80s and early 90s, the instrument has deteriorated to the point where a third of the instrument was unplayable, including the entire Solo division. Furthermore, the layout of the organ created a confusing sonic effect for listeners, and the neo-classical approach to organ building that was popular during the era of the Organ Reform Movement had become obsolete.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Everything (and more) You Wanted to Know About the Cathedral Organ |url=https://cathedral.org/blog/everything-and-more-you-wanted-to-know-about-the-cathedral-organ/ |access-date=2023-04-01 |website=Washington National Cathedral |language=en}}</ref> The organ was to be replaced with a new instrument built by [[Dobson Pipe Organ Builders]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Midgette |first=Anne  |date=June 17, 2008 |title=Fans Pipe Up About Replacing Venerable Cathedral Organ |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/16/AR2008061602834.html |access-date=December 16, 2018}}</ref> but this plan was scrapped in 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Organ Project |url=http://www.nationalcathedral.org:80/arts/organProject.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091130011146/http://www.nationalcathedral.org/arts/organProject.shtml |archive-date=November 30, 2009 |access-date=December 16, 2018 |website=Washington National Cathedral}}</ref>  

As of 2023, plans are being developed for a renovation of the instrument. The organ will be renovated by Foley-Baker Inc. of Tolland, CT over a span of 4 years from 2024 to 2028 at the cost of $14 million, and is expected to reduce the size of the organ to 172 ranks and 9,787 pipes.<ref name=":0" />It will include a complete removal of the instrument, and the addition of a suitable digital organ by the Walker Technical Company for the duration of the project. This renovation will include the addition of a new division within the Nave to improve the clarity of the organ to listeners within the Nave, a new mechanical chassis for the instrument, and the removal of some of the least successful pipes from the 1970s renovation. Approximately 50 ranks of pipes from the original 1938 instrument remain, and as many of these ranks will be reused as possible, as well as some of the pipes from the 1970s renovation. The rest of the instrument will consist of new pipework which will seamlessly integrate with what remains from the previous instrument.<ref name=":0" />

On December 31, 2023 the temporary Walker organ was unveiled during worship services.