National Museum of African American History and Culture
Exterior of the museum | |
| Established | December 16, 2003 (establishment) September 24, 2016 (building dedication on The Mall) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1400 Constitution Ave, NW Washington, DC 20560 |
| Coordinates | 38°53′28″N 77°01′58″W / 38.89111°N 77.03278°W |
| Type | History museum |
| Collections | African-American history, art, music |
| Collection size | 40,000 (approximate) |
| Visitors | 1,092,552 (2022) |
| Director | Kevin Young |
| Curator | Jacquelyn Serwer |
| Architect | Freelon Group/Adjaye Associates/Davis Brody Bond |
| Public transit access | Washington Metro at Smithsonian or Federal Triangle |
| Website | nmaahc.si.edu |
The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) is a Smithsonian Institution museum located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in the United States. It was established in 2003 and opened its permanent home in 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 and the National Memorial Association, although the modern push for such an organization did not begin until the 1970s. After years of little success, a 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. In 2022, it welcomed 1,092,552 visitors, and was the second–most visited Smithsonian Museum and eighth–most visited museum in the United States. 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 (33,000 m2), 10-story building (five above and five below ground) and its exhibits have won critical praise.