It’s a dream. Only a dream. Courtesy Diller Scofidio + Renfro.

The dream of the Hirshhorn Bubble has finally burst for good.

Richard Kurin, the Smithsonian’s undersecretary for history, art and culture, announced the decision not to move forward with the ambitious project today, citing financial uncertainties.

Washington City Paper broke the news.

The final decision was made by Kurin and Smithsonian Secretary Wayne Clough.

“Without the full support of the museum’s board and the funding in place for the fabrication and a viable plan for the operation of the Bubble, we believe it is irresponsible to go forward,” Kurin said in a prepared statement. “Architects, artists and Smithsonian staff have praised the bold vision of a temporary bubble-shaped structure on the Mall, but after four years of planning and fundraising, there was not enough funding to construct the Bubble and, more importantly, to sustain programming for years to come.”

Hirshhorn director Richard Koshalek, who first proposed the Bubble, will step down June 29. Koshalek resigned from his post following a board meeting that left the Bubble’s future in limbo. Kerry Brougher, deputy director and chief curator of the museum, will serve as acting director until a permanent replacement is found.

The 145-foot-tall Bubble would have been inflated on the Hirshhorn’s roof for two months every fall. Thoughts go out to Post critic Philip Kennicott, who will likely be crushed by this news.