National Museum of African American History and Culture
Photo: Own work — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Opened in 2016, the National Museum of African American History and Culture is the 19th museum of the Smithsonian Institution. It houses over 45,000 artifacts, including significant items like Harriet Tubman’s shawl and Nat Turner’s Bible. The museum’s mission is to capture and share the unvarnished truth of African American history and culture, connecting stories, scholarship, art, and artifacts from the past and present to illuminate the contributions, struggles, and triumphs that have shaped the nation. Visitors can explore exhibits covering slavery, the Civil Rights Movement, and groundbreaking achievements in music, sports, politics, and the arts. The museum is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., at 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Admission is free, but timed-entry passes are required. The museum is open daily, with specific hours varying by day. For more information, visit the official website.
Planning your visit
The National Museum of African American History and Culture opened in 2016 after a century of campaigning, and David Adjaye's building states its argument in bronze: a three-tiered corona clad in filigree panels drawn from ironwork made by enslaved craftsmen in Charleston and New Orleans, angled to match the capstone of the Washington Monument opposite.
The visit is designed to be taken from the bottom up. Visitors descend by lift to the lowest level, below ground, where the history begins in the fifteenth century with the transatlantic trade, and then walk upward through slavery, emancipation, segregation, the civil rights movement and into the present — the physical ascent doing deliberate work. Emmett Till's casket is displayed in a space set apart for contemplation. Harriet Tubman's shawl, Nat Turner's Bible and a segregated railway carriage are among 45,000 objects.
The upper floors turn to culture: music, sport, theatre, visual art, and the achievements that ran alongside the oppression.
Admission is free but timed-entry passes are required and demand remains high. Allow at least four hours; most visitors underestimate it.
Bookable options include walking tours with museum entry and multilingual family formats. Current availability is listed below.
Before you book
Where is National Museum of African American History and Culture?
National Museum of African American History and Culture is in Washington, United States. The map on this page marks its exact location.
How long should I allow for National Museum of African American History and Culture?
Allow at least four hours. That is the time the collection itself takes at an unhurried pace, before any queue.
Do I need to book National Museum of African American History and Culture in advance?
Guided tours run to a fixed schedule and small group sizes, so they are usually booked ahead.
