The National Museum of African American History and Culture opened to the public Saturday, Sept. 24.  NMAAHC  images

"After 13 years of hard work and dedication on the part of so many, I am thrilled that we now have this good news to share with the nation and the world,” said Lonnie Bunch, the museum’s founding director. "We are prepared to offer exhibitions and programs to unite and capture the attention of millions of people worldwide. It will be a place for healing and reconciliation, a place where everyone can explore the story of America through the lens of the African American experience."

 "The National Museum of African American History and Culture furthers the Smithsonian’s commitment to telling America's story in all its dimensions," said David Skorton, Smithsonian Secretary.

President George W. Bush signed the legislation establishing the museum in 2003. In 2009, the museum's architectural team of Freelon Adjaye Bond/SmithGroupJJR was selected, and in 2011 Clarke/Smoot/Russell was chosen as the construction firm. David Adjaye is the lead designer, and Phil Freelon is the lead architect. The landscape design is by the team of Gustafson Guthrie Nichol.

The Smithsonian broke ground for the museum Feb. 22, 2012 on its five-acre site on Constitution Avenue between 14th and 15th streets N.W. The 400,000-square-foot building has five levels above ground and four below. The museum has exhibition galleries, an education center, a theater, café and store, as well as staff offices. Among the building's signature spaces are the Contemplative Court, a water- and light-filled memorial area that offers visitors a quiet space for reflection; the Central Hall, the primary public space in the museum and the point of orientation to building; and a reflecting pool at the south entry of the museum, with calm waters meant to invite all to approach.

President Barack Obama greets the Tennessee State University Marching Band on the South Portico of the White House following a reception for the opening of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC, Sept. 23, 2016. The band performed on the South Lawn for the arriving guests. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Pages: 1 · 2

More Articles

• Masterpiece Theater: Man In An Orange Shirt
• 100 Pairs of Shoes: Walk This Way Exhibition Includes Stories of Conformity, Independence, Culture, Class, Politics and Performance
• The Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration Near a Prominent Slave Auction Place In the United States
• High Society from Cranach to Velázquez and from Rembrandt to Manet at the Rijksmuseum
• Three-Fourths of Female Veterans Served During Wartime; Younger Veterans Are More Educated, More Diverse
• Casanova, The Seduction of Europe: “He knew the greatest figures of the age, from monarchs like Louis XV of France and Catherine the Great of Russia, to popes, to intellectuals like Voltaire and Benjamin Franklin”
• Reprise, Bobby Kennedy, The Train: "Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope"
• Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's Dreamers (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) Record-breaking Speech
• Reading Recommendations from Radcliffe’s Fellows and SeniorWomen's Editor
• Restoring the Armada Portrait of An Icon, Queen Elizabeth - Shopping for Sextants, Prime Meridian Cufflinks, Dollond Quarter Size Sundial, Clockwork Pendant Necklace