National African American Museum Dc

Have An Object To Donate

The National Museum of African American History and Culture, like all other Smithsonian museums, hopes to benefit from donations of historical artifacts, archival documents, and works of art. Before accepting anything for the National Collection, the Museum must evaluate all material. This process involves, but is not limited to, the following steps:

If you have an important object/collection you believe the Museum should consider, start by submitting our collections information form at the link below.

How Do You Get Nmaahc Tickets

The easiest way for visitors to obtain free daily passes is with a smart phone, since almost everyone will have one when they are traveling. You can also use a computer if you have one. The process is exactly the same, but on a different screen.

When you reserve passes on your phone print at home will be the only delivery option. This is a little misleading, as you dont actually have to print the tickets, you can show them on your phone when you arrive. After you check out, check your email and youll see the tickets. Just bring those with you on your phone at your assigned time and have fun!

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Start With The History Gallery

You enter the main exhibit by heading down to subterranean three levels of concourse galleries. Symbolically it feels like descending into the hold of slave ship, with each subsequent step taking you deeper into the African-American legacy.

Theres so much information here that you could literally spend days absorbing the information.

Galleries include shackles, a slave auction block and Ku Klux Klan robes. A statue of Thomas Jefferson is flanked with bricks listing the humans he owned. Its all offered factually with extensive documentation, all of which makes the impact all the stronger.

But for many the emotional pivot of the entire museum is the casket of Emmett Till Jr. Visitors line up as theyre at a funeral home visitation to pay honors to the 14-year-old boy, who was brutally murdered in northern Mississippi. His mothers courageous decision to hold an open-casket funeral in Chicago, shocked the nation when images were published in Ebony magazine. Tills horrific murder, scholars believe, was the start of the modern Civil Rights movement, and for that we still owe Mamie Till our gratitude.

Now, decades later, its still a heart-rending experience. The curators included a contemplation area for reflection. Take a moment to do just that.

Finally, the galleries touch on modern history with election of Barack Obama and the start of the Black Lives Matter movement.

When you step back outside, youll feel like youve taken a journey. In reality, you have.

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African American Life History And Culture Explored In Washington Dc

The Museum building is African American history and culture writ large on the National Mall of the United States. Its location and its design represent the past, present, and future of the African American experience in ways tangible and symbolic.

Looking north from the building, visitors can see the White House, which made history in 2008 with the election of the country’s 44th president, Barack Obama. Rising to the east beyond the National Mall and other Smithsonian museums is the U.S. Capitol, seat of the nations legislature. To the south and west are monuments and memorials to Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, and George Washington, whose contributions to African American history and culture are told in the museum.

Vista of the Museum from Constitution Avenue, looking across the north lawn to the Washington Monument.

The Museum’s symbolic presence on the National Mall is matched by the symbolism of the building itself. Lead designer David Adjaye and lead architect Philip Freelon, together with their architectural team Freelon Adjaye Bond/SmithGroup, won an international competition in April 2009 to design and deliver the museum to the people of the United States. Groundbreaking on the five-acre site took place in February 2012, with the Museums grand opening celebrated on September 24, 2016.

A time-lapse video of the Museum building’s construction

NMAAHC illuminated at night. Photo credit: Alan Karchmer/NMAAHC

Public Transportation To National Museum Of African American History And Culture In Washington

Wondering how to get to National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, United States? Moovit helps you find the best way to get to National Museum of African American History and Culture with step-by-step directions from the nearest public transit station.

Moovit provides free maps and live directions to help you navigate through your city. View schedules, routes, timetables, and find out how long does it take to get to National Museum of African American History and Culture in real time.

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National Museum Of African Art

The National Museum of African Art is the Smithsonian Institution‘s African art museum, located on the National Mall of the United States capital. Its collections include 9,000 works of traditional and contemporary African art from both Sub-Saharan and North Africa, 300,000 photographs, and 50,000 library volumes. It was the first institution dedicated to African art in the United States and remains the largest collection. The Washington Post called the museum a mainstay in the international art world and the main venue for contemporary African art in the United States.

The museum was founded in 1964 by a Foreign Service officer and layman who bought African art objects in Germany and multiple houses in the Capitol Hill neighborhood in which to display them. The collection focused on traditional African art and an educational mission to teach black cultural heritage. To ensure the museum’s longevity, the founder lobbied the national legislature to adopt the museum under the Smithsonian’s auspices. It joined the Smithsonian in 1979 and became the National Museum of African Art two years later. A new, primarily underground museum building was completed in 1987, just off the National Mall and adjacent to other Smithsonian museums. It is among the Smithsonian’s smallest museums.

Construction Of The Museum Building

The museum’s 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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Insider Guide To The Smithsonians Nmaahc One Of The Worlds Top African American Museums: App Cafe Tickets And More

UPDATE: The museum is now open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Timed-tickets are required.

From the moment it opened in 2016, the Smithsonians National Museum of African American History and Culture has been one of the citys top draws and one of the worlds top African American museums. For years, it required a reservation, and although it has become a little easier to visit, you generally need to plan ahead.

If you wonder if its worth the time, effort and hassle, the simple answer is absolutely.

First download the NMAAHC app. The multi-level galleries take visitors from the horrors of slavery to the glory of the Olympics. The meticulously researched exhibits follow the literal journey of African-Americans across the Middle Passage, through Plantation society, the Jim Crow era, the modern civil rights movement, and the Obama Presidency.

Its a thrilling, exhausting and deeply moving experience, and alone makes a visit to Washington worthwhile.

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Bringing The Design To Life

Flegel called the buildings design “very unique” and said he had “never seen something like it.” Freelon Adjaye Bond/SmithGroup designed the exterior to echo the “corona” an African crown architectural form, according to the Smithsonian. Flegel added that the angle of the slanted exterior panels mirrors the angle of the top of the Washington Monument.

The exterior itself is “meant to be an exhibit,” Flegel said. The structures sides feature curtain wall covered by metal panels. Determining how to create the complex corona exterior presented one of the projects greatest challenges, but it is also the aspect of the building that Flegel said he is most proud to have built.

After adapting the original designs assembly plans, the construction team landed on a special aluminum alloy for the panels that they believe created a “noble” look. Once the material was selected, project managers needed to determine what type of finish to use for the bronze appearance. Valspar worked with them to create a five-part system for painting the panels that offered the desired dimension in the design.

Flegel said it took more than a year to cast, paint and assemble the exterior panels onto frames. Once they were brought on site, a lifting mechanism lifted the frames to lock onto pins on the building. In total, it took workers approximately eight weeks to assemble the nearly 3,700 panels. “It was a great collaboration in tackling the first of its kind,” Flegel said.

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How To Get Free Tickets To The National Museum Of African American History & Culture

The Smithsonians National Museum of African American History and Culture opened in September of 2016. It is an amazing museum that is worth a visit on on any trip to Washington, DC. That said, its still very new and very popular, so unlike other museums on the National Mall, you need a free ticket if you want to go. Its not difficult to get one but you will have to wake up early.

If Sensitive Kids 2 Options For The History Galleries:

There are 2 great options if you have sensitive kiddos for going through the galleries. The first option, which we did when the kids were younger, was to skip the 3 below ground History Galleries. This covers the years 1400-present day. The 3 above ground Culture Galleries are great for kids

The other option, which we took this time, is to move quickly through the History Galleries. The museum has a red box over particularly difficult/sensitive material which you can see from afar and not go up close and read.

When you first exit the elevator the first exhibit is entitled 15th 19th centuries: The Making of the Atlantic World. It has a beautiful picture of Queen Nzingha Mbande of present day northern Angola. This reminds you of the history and culture prior to the transatlantic slave trade. The next spot we stopped at was the Paradox of Liberty which talks about the Declaration of Independence and the 12 of the first 18 presidents who owned slaves. There is a shackles artifact right next to the statue of Thomas Jefferson. He owned 609 slaves in his lifetime which are represented by bricks surrounding his statute.

• Paradox of Liberty, chains next to Declaration of Independence.

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When Are These Tickets Available

Same day online passes are released every morning on the museum website at approximately 6:30am. The good news is that they are fairly easy to get. The bad news is that you have to wake up early to do it. These tickets are in high demand and they go quickly. Log on at exactly at 6:30am to make sure you dont miss out! This is the easiest and surest way that you can see the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

What Is The Smithsonian National Museum Of African Art And Where Is It

The National Museum of African Art is located on Independence Avenue SW on the National Mall. The museum possesses the largest publicly held collection of African art in the United States, with roughly 12,000 objects in total. Its mission: to teach visitors about African art in order to create a dialogue that crosses cultural boundaries.

The museum is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. 5:30 p.m. daily, except for Dec. 25. All public spaces, exhibitions and programs at the museum are accessible to visitors with disabilities.

The easiest way to reach the National Museum of African Art is via public transportation. If traveling by Metrorail, exit at the LEnfant Plaza stop and use the Maryland Avenue/Smithsonian Museums exit. If traveling by bus, take the DC Circulators National Mall route or 30, 32, 34 or 36 Metrobus lines.

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National Museum Of African American History And Culture Washington Dc: Hours Address National Museum Of African American History And Culture Reviews: 5/5

• Federal Triangle 6 min walk
• Smithsonian 7 min walk

A Photo Essay: The National Museum Of African American History And Culture

Over the Christmas holidays, we had the privilege of visiting the new National Museum of African American History and Culture. I stalked the website for the tickets before I even knew we would be going to DC for the holidays. I didnt know how we would get there, but I knew we were going.

It was amazing.

It was gut wrenching, and it was glorious to see a museum dedicated to people who look like me. We didnt even get to see the entire museum, and there were parts that I want to go back to and look at again and again. Its beautiful its compelling, its educational, its entertainingI was near to tears at the sheer magnitude of it all.

Im already planning on going back.

IF you havent visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture, GET YOUR TICKETS. Free tickets for April go on sale this morning at 9 am.

Just go. Its worth it.

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National Museum Of African American History And Culture

The National Museum of African American History and Culture is a Smithsonian Institution museum located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in the United States. It was established in December 2003 and opened its permanent home in September 2016 with a ceremony led by President Barack Obama.

Early efforts to establish a federally owned museum featuring African-American history and culture can be traced to 1915, although the modern push for such an organization did not begin until the 1970s. After years of little success, a much more serious legislative push began in 1988 that led to authorization of the museum in 2003. A site was selected in 2006, and a design submitted by Freelon Group/Adjaye Associates/Davis Brody Bond was chosen in 2009. Construction began in 2012 and the museum completed in 2016.

The NMAAHC is the world’s largest museum dedicated to African-American history and culture. It ranked as the fourth most-visited Smithsonian museum in its first full year of operation. The museum has more than 40,000 objects in its collection, although only about 3,500 items are on display. The 350,000-square-foot , 10 story building and its exhibits have won critical praise.