National Museum of African American History and Culture

The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, at 1400 Constitution Avenue NW on the National Mall in Washington, DC, in the United States, opened in 2016 and is the only national museum devoted exclusively to documenting African American life, history and culture. The building, designed by a team led by David Adjaye, is clad in a bronze-colored metal lattice whose three-tiered form echoes a Yoruba crown. Inside, the museum is organized from the bottom up: visitors begin in the underground history galleries, which trace slavery, the Civil War, segregation and the civil rights movement, then ascend through community galleries on music, sports, military history and the arts. Notable objects include a segregated railway car, items from Harriet Tubman and Emmett Till's casket, and Chuck Berry's red Cadillac. The Contemplative Court, with a water curtain, offers a quiet place to pause. Admission is free, but timed-entry passes are required and should be booked online at nmaahc.si.edu as far ahead as possible. Hours are typically Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5:30pm, though the current schedule should be confirmed. A visit takes three to four hours, and the history galleries alone take more than two. The best photo angle of the exterior is from the Mall side across the lawn near the Washington Monument. Crowds are heaviest on weekends and in spring; weekday mornings are calmer, and passes released online often run out well in advance. The Sweet Home Cafe on the concourse level serves regional American dishes.