I'm a little late to this but the Hirschorn, an art museum in Washington, D.C., will be temporarily inflating this big balloon on its roof next year. It'll be named after New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

The balloon was originally called "The Hirschorn Bubble" but after Bloomberg's financial news media company donated money to the museum, it was renamed "the Bloomberg Balloon."

Why rename the Bubble? According to the Hirshhorn staffer, Bloomberg LP wanted to avoid the potentially negative financial connotations associated with the word "bubble." Hence: the Bloomberg Balloon.

The structure is actually a pavillion that will serve as a place for lectures and seminars.

Next time you're flying over Washington and you see a big blue ball, remember Bloomberg.

[Washington City Paper]