Pope John Paul II Cultural Center
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 Location within Washington, D.C.
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| Established | 2001 |
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| Location | 3900 Harewood Road NE Washington, D.C. 20017 - 4471 |
| Coordinates | 38°56′16″N 77°00′17″W / 38.9377°N 77.0047°W |
| Type | Religious shrine |
| Public transit access |
 Brookland–CUA
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| Website | www.JP2Shrine.org |
The Saint John Paul II National Shrine is a national shrine in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the Knights of Columbus. It is a place of prayer for Catholics and welcomes people of all faiths. It houses a permanent exhibit called "A Gift of Love: the Life of Saint John Paul II" and hosts temporary exhibits relating to the history of the Catholic Church in North America. It has a Chapel with daily services.
The 130,000-square-foot (12,000 m2) building is built on 12 acres (4.9 ha) adjacent to The Catholic University of America and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in the Brookland neighborhood of Northeast Washington.
Although they are two separate projects, the building which now is the Saint John Paul II National Shrine historically housed the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center. The idea for the center originated at a meeting between Pope John Paul II and Adam Maida, then Bishop of Green Bay, in 1989. Maida had proposed an institution similar to a U.S. presidential library be built in honor of the pope; the pope instead suggested a center for exploring interfaith issues. The Pope John Paul II Cultural Center was envisioned as a museum and Catholic think tank which would explore the intersection of faith and culture through interactive displays, academic discussion and research, and museum exhibits.
In 1990 Maida was appointed Archbishop of Detroit, and made a cardinal, and he set to work raising funds. About $50 million was raised from several thousand donors. The Archdiocese lent $17 million directly to the center and also guaranteed its $23 million mortgage. Construction of the complex cost $75 million. The center was opened to the public in a ceremony in March 2001, attended by President George W. Bush, several cardinals, members of Congress and other dignitaries.
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