When a Museum Does More than the Facts
The National Museum of African American History and Culture guarantees an experience for its visitors. The 19th Smithsonian institute located in Washington D.C is a highly interactive museum that allows visitors to have the American experience in the perspective of African Americans throughout various periods in history. The museum has a plethora of artifacts, replicas, and multimedia for the public to interact with. Here is a small overview of what the museum offers and what visitors can do with their time.
The national museum was opened in September of 2016 and each floor gives knowledge on African Americans historical imprint on America. The institution has many founding donors that supported the museum before its grand opening and they’re classified by their donation amount. Donors who may be recognizable to you are The Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation, Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos, American Express, Michael Jordan and Family, Target, Walmart, Walt Disney Company, BET Networks/Viacom and Tyler Perry. You can view the full list of the founding donors here.
Classifications
Pinnacle Donors- a donation of $20 million and above
Capstone Donors- a donation of $10 million and above
Cornerstone Donors- $5 million and above
Keystone Donors- $2 million and above
Milestone Donors- $1 million and above
When people say that the best things in life are free many would say that this museum would be one of those “things”. Admission is free for the public to feed their minds and contemplate history with the exhibits but it’s hard to get in. If you want to go you’d have to make reservations months in advance and plan accordingly. Although the experience is worth a round trip to Washington D.C.
“Overall the museum was a great experience, it was huge and contains a ton of exhibits which you can gain extensive knowledge from…it’s hard to choose one exhibit there were multiple that connected with me… but there was an Emmett Till memorial that moved me. It displayed information that I didn’t learn in school. That would have to be my favorite. I would definitely recommend everyone to visit this museum. It’s a wonderful eye-opening experience. Whether you’re African American or not, you should go learn about our history. African American history is American history.” said by Felicity Ford, a visitor.
The Journey Toward Freedom
In the David M. Rubenstein History Galleries, some exhibits showcase the hardships of African Americans throughout the centuries in what’s called “The Journey Towards Freedom”. Here guests can witness the ever-changing status and lifestyle of an African American through three stages: “Slavery and Freedom”, “The Era of Segregation”, and “A changing America”. As the official guidebook to the museum states, “…In which three exhibitions, layered one atop the other…you will then proceed upward in time.” There are many features of this complex exhibit to experience:
Slavery and Freedom: In memoriam statues of former slaves, abolitionists, and intellectuals. Video on the history of slavery. Recordings of voice actors that are giving “first accounts” of being a slave.
The Era of Segregation: The Southern Railway is a locomotive you can enter that has segregated cars with plaques stating “Whites Only Section” and “Colored Only Section”. An original lunch counter seat from the Greensboro Sit-Ins. A digital interactive lunch counter. The dolls from Brown V. Ed “Doll Test”: a psychological test and demonstration that segregation was having a negative psychological and social effect on African American children.
A Changing America: an exhibit dedicated to the progression of African Americans. Exhibit includes a dress worn by Oprah. A section dedicated to United States President Barack H. Obama and the First Family. A section dedicated to the endearment of black beauty as depicted above.
Explore More!
Above from the Concourse where you can experience the history galleries, the second floor is an adventurous part of the museum. Visitors going to Explore More! are their own teachers extending their knowledge, quoted from their guidebook, “Explore More! offers learning opportunities for visitors of all ages through digital interactives, exhibits, hands-on activities, research centers, and classroom programs.”
The Target Learning Center contains classrooms that allow for exploration of the museum’s extensive collection digitally. Opportunity to investigate the Sao Jose shipwreck often called the “Slave Wrecks Project”. “The Green Book” where the visitors can sit at a car and “drive-through Jim-Crow America” with The Green Book, which was an actual travel guide written by Victor H. Greene aiding African Americans on their journeys to safe and welcoming places.
Robert Frederick Smith Explore Your Family History Center has digital archives and genealogical databases giving guidance to visitors on how to conduct their genetic research and shows visitors how to preserve their family history.
Earl W. and Amanda Stafford Center for African American Media Arts showcases the evolution of African American culture through various forms of media. In the space, there is an exhibit that will change habitually due to the changing trends of African American culture in media. For now, there is an exhibit on the era of hip-hop showcasing legendary rappers such as Tupac, Biggie Smalls, Jay-Z, Nas, Mc Lite, and Roxanne Shante.
This floor also features museums archives and library having a reading room, access to computers, with an abundance of books and archives that are made available to researchers.
This is just a small overview of what the museum was founded on and what it does for reaffirming the place of African Americans in history. It allows people to experience tolerance and empathy. Visitors can place themselves in these historical periods with the technological advancements that allow them in a way to experience the facts of history as best as possible. The museum allows visitors to be excavators, teachers, and students to what African Americans endured and prevailed through and allows visitors to acknowledge what people are still fighting for; freedom and equality.
