The National Museum of African American History and Culture is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture. It was established by an Act of Congress in 2003, following decades of efforts to promote and highlight the contributions of African Americans. To date, the museum has collected more than 40,000 artifacts, and nearly 300,000 individuals have become members. The museum opened to the public on September 24, 2016, as the 19th museum of the Smithsonian Institution.

Mission

The National Museum of African American History and Culture captures and shares theunvarnished truth of African American history and culture. We connectstories, scholarship, art, and artifacts from the past and present to illuminate the contributions, struggles, and triumphs that haveshaped our nation. We forge new and compelling avenues for audiences to experience thearc of living history.

There are four pillars upon which the NMAAHC stands:

1. It provides an opportunity for those who are interested in African American culture to explore and revel in this history through interactive exhibitions
    
2. It helps all Americans see how their stories, their histories, and their cultures are shaped and informed by global influences
    
3. It explores what it means to be an American and share how American values like resiliency, optimism, and spirituality are reflected in African American history and culture
    
4. It serves as a place of collaboration that reaches beyond Washington, D.C. to engage new audiences and to work with the myriad of museums and educational institutions that have explored and preserved this important history well before this museum was created.

The NMAAHC is a public institution open to all, where anyone is welcome to participate, collaborate, and learn more about African American history and culture. In the words of Lonnie G. Bunch III, founding director of the museum, “there are few things as powerful and as important as a people, as a nation that is steeped in its history.”  

This museum will tell the American story through the lens of African American history and culture. This is America’s Story and this museum is for all Americans. Lonnie G. Bunch, III Founding Director, NMAAHC