Visit The Frederick Douglass House
This might be the first time youâre hearing of this place, but the Frederick Douglas House is an incredible museum in the home of the famous abolitionist Frederick Douglas.
He lived there from 1877 until his death in 1895 and is a National Historic Site located in Anacostia.
The home is free to visit and has guided tours running throughout the day.
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What Are The Shops At The Washington Dc Museum Of African American History
The Museum of African American History shops in Washington DC are operated in partnership with Smithsonian Enterprises. Here you’ll find many souvenirs and details that you’re sure to love. Prices range from approximately 10 to 50 for everything you’ll find.
The main shop is located in Heritage Hall, level 1, while the Pop-up Stores are on level 3, outside the Community Galleries. The shops open at 10am and close at 5.30pm. Please note that the shops are not always open at the same time. Generally, the main shop is the one that provides the most consistent service.
The museum also has an online shop. Shopping there may be a good option if you don’t want to wait in line or if you don’t want to waste time and continue visiting historic sites in Washington DC.
How Long Does It Take To Walk Through The African American Museum
Walking 1 mile around the museum is required for the entire History Galleries, which will take approximately 2 hours.
The National Museum Of African American History And Culture: A Wealth Of History
There are numerous exhibits on African American life, such as The Making of an African American Community,The Arts of African American Life, and Emancipation and Freedom, as well as many other themed areas. Additionally, there is a large collection of artifacts on display, including furniture, clothing, and everyday objects from the African American experience. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
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Where To Eat Near The Washington Dc Museum Of African American History
On a sightseeing tour you should always take into account a special stop for lunch. I suggest you take time out of your day, either before or after your visit to the museum, to enjoy lunch or dinner. If you want something light, you can visit The Sweet Home Café, which is open daily from 11am and closes at 3pm.
Here you’ll find traditional and authentic samples of African-American culture and history. You’ll also find contemporary options made with locally sourced ingredients. You can also get special dishes if you have any allergies or are vegan. You can talk to the manager to find out what options are right for you.
If you decide to eat outside the museum, you can choose from different options that you are sure to love. The first option I recommend is Barmini, which many people rate as one of the best restaurants in Washington. However, it is located about 10 minutes away from the museum. In addition to the dishes, you can order quality alcoholic beverages.
Another option that is located much closer to the museum is the Round Robin Bar. The food here ranges in price from 15 to approximately 50. You can also choose from a wide variety of dishes and it is located just 5 minutes from the museum.
Its Now Possible To Visit The Smithsonians African American History Museum Virtually
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The NMAAHC launched a âSearchable Museumâ this week, translating its archives and stories into an interactive digital experience. Alan Karchmer/Courtesy of the Smithsonianhide caption
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Anyone whoâs been to the Smithsonianâs National Museum of African American History and Culture will speak of its elevator ride through time, which takes visitors from the present day to the 15th century and kicks off the first exhibit, Slavery & Freedom. With the launch of a new virtual platform, visitors can now travel on the elevator down to that exhibit without ever leaving their homes.
The Searchable Museum, launched Thursday, transforms the artifacts, stories, and interactive experiences of the physical exhibit into a digital platform where museumgoers can take it in at their own pace.
Eventually, the museum plans to bring all of its exhibits online. The next exhibit, Making a Way Out of No Way, will go online this spring.
âHistory, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived but if faced with courage, need not be lived again, â echoes Angelouâs voice as a video plays, showing images from the past 600 years of Black history.
Unlike other Smithsonian museums, the NMAAHC has required timed-entry passes to enter the site almost exclusively since it opened in 2016. Though these timed tickets are still free of charge, they can be snapped up pretty quickly: Many tickets for December have already been claimed.
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Full Day African American Heritage Tour
Groups of 20 or more can receive motor coach transportation in a newer model, fully-equipped bus for a full day. This includes a three to four hour tour with an African American Tour Specialist as well as tickets to the NMAAHC (African American Museum in Washington DC. Some of the tour stops and drive by locations are listed below on this page.
TYPICAL ITINERARY
- Motor Coach will Pick Up Your Group at Your Hotel
- Washington DC Tour with Guide Specialist
- Take Group to NMAAHC after Tour. Tickets May be Provided
- Motor Coach Meets group at NMAAHC at End of Day
- Return Transportation to Group Hotel
Your Group will Enjoy Use of a Fully-Equipped Motor Coach for up to 9 hours. You will also have an African American Heritage Tour Guide for around four hours plus Free Tickets into the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Availability for Buses, Guides and Museum Tickets are limited. Please call for information at your earliest convenience.
What Your Group Will See
Construction Of The Museum Building
The museums groundbreaking ceremony took place on February 22, 2012. President Barack Obama and museum director Bunch were among the speakers at the ceremony. Actress Phylicia Rashd was the Master of Ceremonies for the event, which also featured poetry and music performed by Denyce Graves, Thomas Hampson, and the Heritage Signature Chorale.
Clark Construction Group, Smoot Construction, and H.J. Russell & Company won the contract to build the museum. The architectural firm of McKissack & McKissack provided project management services on behalf of the Smithsonian, and acted as liaison between the Smithsonian and public utilities and D.C. government agencies. Guy Nordenson and Associates and Robert Silman Associates were the structural engineers for the project.
The NAAMHC became the deepest museum on the National Mall. Excavators dug 80 feet below grade to lay the foundations, although the building itself will be only 70 feet deep. The museum is located at a low point on the Mall, and groundwater puts 27.78 pounds per square inch on the walls. To compensate, 85 US gallons per minute of water were pumped out every day during construction of the foundation and below-grade walls, and a slurry of cement and sand injected into forms to stabilize the site. Lasers continually monitored the walls during construction for any signs of bulging or movement.
The 350,000 square feet building has a total of 10 stories .
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Visiting Nmaahc With Children
Ive had people ask me if the NMAAHC is appropriate for children. I think it depends on the child. My daughter was 9 when we visited. She said her favorite thing about the museum was learning about the Green Book, which is a book that African American travelers used during segregation so they knew where they were allowed to use the bathroom or get gasoline.
There were also games oriented towards children including one that taught them about stepping. There are several things that might not be appropriate for children. One is Emmett Tills original casket, which was exhumed years later for a retrial of the men who murdered him. That was located in a completely separate room with appropriate warnings. We choose to skip that section. For some children though their parents might find it appropriate. Its up to each parent to decide that on their own.
Are The Smithsonians Free
Throughout the Washington, D.C., region, you will be able to visit all Smithsonian museums. The program is free to download. There are two museums in downtown Washington: The Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery . to 7 p. daily. At the back of the Smithsonian Institution Building, called The Castle, there is a central location for providing information.
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How To Get Tickets To The Museum Of African American History In Washington Dc At The Box Office
Perhaps you are more traditional and want to buy your free pass at the ticket office. However, the only way available is to book your pass online. In less busy seasons, you may be able to go to the ticket office, but it is usually online.
When you arrive at the entrance you must show the code you receive after booking your ticket. This will be scanned to check that everything is in order. You can show it using your smart phone or if you prefer, print out your pass before your visit. I recommend you to be very punctual because if the time has expired, you will not be able to enter.
Us Capitol & Capitol Visitor Center
While advance reservations are recommended for this iconic DC attraction, same-day passes are available at Information Desks on the lower level of the Capitol Visitor Center, although availability can become limited during spring, summer and the holiday season. Tour reservations for individuals, families and small groups and groups featuring more than 15 participants can be booked on the Capitols official website. Individuals and small groups can reserve 90 days in advance, while large group reservations can be booked 120 days in advance at 8 a.m. EST. You must create an account to reserve a tour.
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How Much Time Do You Need To Visit The Washington Dc Museum Of African American History
I can’t tell you exactly how many hours you will need to wander through the more than 25,000 square metres of exhibits inside the Museum of African American History in Washington DC. It all depends on the pace of your visit. The good news is that you can stay inside the museum until it closes its doors.
On the other hand, before entering the museum it is normal to queue. The length of the queue will depend on the number of visitors and the season in which you visit. If it is a high season, such as in summer, you may spend up to an hour waiting for your turn to enter. Once inside the museum, you will sometimes have to wait for a room to be vacated before you can enter.
In any case, I recommend you be prepared to tour the museum in at least 1 hour. If you have certain exhibits in mind that you want to see, I advise you to go straight to them. Afterwards you can go through the rest of the exhibitions. In any case, if you go with a guide, he or she will help you visit the most popular, relevant or eye-catching parts of the museum.
Traveller Tip
If you’re in Washington DC for a limited time, I recommend making a well-organised travel itinerary. Museums like the African American History Museum have so many galleries to explore, but you’ll only be able to see them all if you spend a few minutes in each one.
Whats Inside The Museum
The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture is a state-of-the-art building that addresses nearly every aspect of the African American experience, covering the arts, slavery, the Civil Rights Movement, athletics and much more. The buildings exterior, conceived by Ghanaian-born architect David Adjaye, is artfully made up of a three-tiered, bronze-colored screen. This lattice pays tribute to the intricate ironwork forged by enslaved African Americans in the southern United States.
The museums collection of artifacts is astounding: 3,500 are on view, with another 35,000 or so in the collection. Standout items include a shawl given to Harriet Tubman by Queen Victoria, training aircraft used by the Tuskegee Institute, an invitation to President Obamas 2009 inauguration and a boombox owned by Chuck D of Public Enemy.
Navigating the entirety of the NMAAHC would be very difficult to accomplish in one visit, and the breadth of its exhibits is astonishing. However, there are several displays that you should be aware of before you go.
The Musical Crossroads exhibit details the history African American music, from the arrival of the first Africans to today. From jazz to hip-hop, African American musicians brought forth new forms of expression that lit a candle for liberty, justice and change. You will be able to experience the emergence of some of Americas finest art forms and the amazing creative expressions that came from them.
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What You Can Expect
Delve into the African American heritage of the United States and its capital city on this local-led tour of D.C. Visit landmarks like Frederick Douglass house and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, and get free tickets at the end of your tour to visit the powerful new National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Meet your guide and group and climb aboard a comfortable, air-conditioned coach to set off through D.C. Drive to the home of Frederick Douglass, which he named Cedar Hill, and spend some time visiting the grounds and visitor center. From there, make your way back into the city, exploring historic neighborhoods around Capitol Hill as you seek out landmarks like the statues of Mary McLeod Bethune and Abe Lincoln in Lincoln Park.
Pass by the Howard Theater , one of the first theaters in the country to be built specifically for African American audiences to attend, and see Dunbar High School, one of the first black high schools in the US. Ride down U Streetthe old Black Broadwayand pass the campus of Howard University. At the White House, hear the stories of the African American men and women who built this presidential estate and labored within its walls, and then make a stop at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and the African American Civil War Memorial.
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Sit Back Relax And Leave The Driving To Us
We have arranged for round trip transportation on lavatory equipped video buses so that you can start having fun right from the beginning of your trip. Buses are also used throughout the stay for all transfers to and from activities.
Individuals / Small Groups will be given an option to select a convenient pickup location from major cities in the following states at time of booking.
These are the general designated departure locations for individuals and small groups at this time. You will given the option to select your preferred departure location upon making a reservation for your tour. Pickup times vary depending on the tour and will be verified with you. Depending upon the event location, certain departure areas may not be available.
DC: Oxon Hill Park & Ride, 414 West & Indian Head Highway, Oxon Hill, MD
DE: Delaware Welcome Center Travel Plaza, 530 JFK Memorial Hwy., Newark DE
MD: Security Park & Ride, Ext. 94 off I-70, Baltimore, MD
NJ: Peter Francisco Park , Market & Ferry Streets, Newark, NJ
NY: Harlem State Building, 125th & 7th Avenue, NY, NY
NY: Brooklyn Academy of Music, 30 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY
NY: Grand Concourse & East 149th Street, Bronx, NY
NY: Parsons Blvd & Jamaica Ave, Queens, NY
PA: 30th Street Station Building, 3100 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA
PA: M L K High School, 6100 Stenton Ave, Philadelphia, PA
PA: Progress Plaza, Broad & Oxford, Philadelphia, PA
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Check Out The Online Portal
The museum opened a free-to-use web portal that helps people explore issues of race, racism and racial identity called Talking About Race in 2020. It examines how forces surrounding racial identity shape every aspect of society in the US, from the economy and politics to the broader culture. It has videos, online exercises, scholarly articles and over 100 multi-media resources tailored for educators, parents and caregivers and individuals committed to racial equality. The portal is free and does not require a registration or sign-up to use.
Dc’s History Of Slavery Tour
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- 17th Street NW, between Constitution Avenue NW and Independence Avenue SW, Washington D.C., United States
The theme/subject is a much needed topic of discussion for all Americans, young and old. This tour is unique because it is one of a kind in the Nation’s Capital. There are many so called “classical tours” given but none on the lines of my tour which offers the history of slavery in the Federal City.
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Are There Special Tickets For Children
Children, like all visitors regardless of age, must book their tickets in advance. Children must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. They are not allowed to run or play on the premises.
This museum is a place that can be fascinating for all audiences. If you were looking for things to do with children in Washington DC, this may be a good option.
If you are interested in activities specially designed for children, I recommend checking the museum’s events list before your visit. There you can see if there is anything special where your children can learn about history in a fun way.
