Sep

You’re invited!

As a member of the Smithsonian family you and one guest are invited to a special preview of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which opens to the public on Saturday, September 24.

he Washington Monument as seen from the interior of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American history and Culture, April 13, 2016.
Architectural photo by Alan Karchmer

Smithsonian Staff Open House at the National Museum of African American History and Culture
Sunday, September 18, 2016
2:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Reservations are required and space is limited.

One guest per SI staff member. For safety and security reasons, additional passes cannot be granted for this event. RSVP here https://nmaahc.si.edu/SIOpenHouse by Thursday, September 15, 2016.

Please read information carefully on the registration website and follow all instructions. Select the total number of registrants, including yourself, enter NMAAHC in the “Password” field, then click “Register” and follow remaining instructions to complete your registration.You will receive email confirmation with your entry passes upon completion of your registration.

The Smithsonian’s newest museum features 100,000 square feet of exhibition space with 12 inaugural exhibitions featuring over 3,000 objects — including artifacts from the São José, a Portuguese slave ship that sank off of the coast of Cape Town, South Africa; a Bible that belonged to Nat Turner; Muhammad Ali’s boxing headgear; a Jim Crow era 44-seat Southern Railway car and Louis Armstrong’s Selmer trumpet.

The Grand Opening weekend celebration will commence with Freedom Sounds: A Community Celebration beginning Friday, September 23, on the Washington Monument grounds. The festival will feature musical performances, spoken word, oral history activities and evening concerts. The festivities continue on Saturday, September 24, with a Dedication Ceremony with President Barack Obama, Secretary Skorton and Founding Director Lonnie G. Bunch III. (This event is not open to the public.) The museum officially opens to the public immediately following the Dedication Ceremony, Saturday, Sept. 24, from 1 p.m.–8 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 25, 7 a.m.–midnight. Entrance to the museum requires a timed pass. Timed passes for entry Sept. 24 through the end of December are available at nmaahc.si.edu/passes or by calling ETIX Customer Support Center at (800) 514-3849 or (919) 653-0443. For information about timed passes, visit nmaahc.si.edu.

Details about this historic weekend are available here: https://nmaahc.si.edu/visit/opening