One of the Best Museums in DC: National Museum of African American History and Culture

There are so many incredible (mostly free) museums in Washinton, DC that it’s impossible to pick “the best” one. From powerful to awe-inspiring to quirky and fun, there are so many options. As I recount my trip experiences, I’ll gladly tell you which ones we saw and loved. In my rundown of the best museums in DC, we have arrived at my afternoon at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

As the newest museum in the Smithsonian collection, the National Museum of African American History and Culture is a triumph. The intricate, copper-colored filigree exterior glitters on the National Mall. The building’s tiered shape is reminiscent of a Yoruban crown (a West African tribe). It opened in 2016 and was so much larger than I expected that the first thing I did when I entered the front door was go to the help desk and ask them where to start.

Comprised of five stories (including the basement, which houses the history galleries) the staff told me it would take three to five days to see everything. Fortunately, the helpful staff member recommended that we begin with the history galleries and work our way up.

One of the Best Museums in DC Addresses the “Paradox of Liberty”

For me, one of the most powerful exhibits in the museum was a cluster of bronze statues in the center of a large gallery. The statues represent major historical figures, such as Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Banneker, Phyllis Wheatley and others. While at first glance, the exhibit and its accompanying explanatory text panels appear to be standard, they are not. First, standard museums often don’t include much information (if any) about Benjamin Banneker when discussing how Washinton became America’s capital. Here, as the city planner/surveyor, he is given his due. He also corresponded regularly with Thomas Jefferson about the topics of slavery and racial equality.

The second thing that makes this museum display different is that next to Banneker’s statue is Thomas Jefferson’s statue. Behind Jefferson is the representation of a stack of bricks. The museum docent told us that there are approximately 160 bricks. When she asked why they would have been included in the sculpture, no one in our group had an answer. Her response: “That’s the approximate number of slaves Mr. Jefferson owned.” Our group stood silent and stunned.

The handling of this display is, in my opinion, what makes this one of the best museums in DC. The information about Jefferson’s accomplishments is respectful and even-handed, but it is also honest. The man was a slave owner and there is no attempt to pretend he was not. Looming large and heavy, two stories tall, over the scene of bronze statues is the “all men are created equal” passage from the Declaration of Independence.

The History Galleries

The history galleries on the lowest levels of the museum address, at great length, the details of the slave trade, of course. One of the items that I found most powerful was a detail of various ships. The slave trade was, after all, big business, so there are many detailed records available to us today. This list shows the names of ships, the dates they sailed, the numbers of enslaved who boarded and the numbers of how many survived. The death statistics are staggering.

The best museums in DC (and everywhere) find a way to discuss difficult subject matter. Much like the Holocaust Memorial Museum found ways to present history that many people wish to shy away from, this museum has found a way to talk about American history without excluding the fact that enslaved people helped build America in the first place. Pretending that tragic historical occurrences didn’t happen doesn’t change history. These things did happen. So, America, when deciding who is created equal, who will you include and who will you exclude?

The Modern Exhibits: African Americans Contribute Everywhere

The upper floors of the museum house the community and culture galleries. These areas present displays depicting the people and accomplishments of African Americans in every aspect of life, including, sports, entertainment, fashion, the military, music, the arts, the culinary world and more.

Did you know that Fashion Week in NYC is an idea that was “borrowed” from a black woman? Ophelia DeVore was a black woman who ran a modeling agency. Her agency hosted fashion shows in Bryant Park in the summer using multicultural models. White marketing professionals liked the idea so much they began doing the same thing. They added tents and invited big name designers. Unfortunately, only a tiny number of non-white models were ever seen in their version of the shows, though.

I stood holding my breath in front of the Richard and Mildred Loving display. Their case in the Supreme Court guaranteed the legality of interracial marriage in America for people just like me. I make sure to wish my husband a “Happy Loving Day” every June 12^th. As I turned around to leave the Lovings’ exhibit, I realized the woman standing behind me was sobbing. I wanted to say to her, “I get it, honey. I get it.”

Throughout history and into the modern era, as one of the best museums in DC, this institution tries to tell the whole story. They even display one of Oprah Winfrey’s suits (and a portion of the couch) from her daytime talk show.  She’s been around so long that sometimes we forget her true impact. She revolutionized the genre of the daytime talk show, a field pioneered by Phil Donahue. Her show ended up dwarfing his in the ratings. At one point, she was the world’s only black billionaire.

Impressively, there is an entire gallery dedicated to the black soldier’s role in every war in American history.

If you’re looking to learn about a wide variety of African Americans who have contributed to our collective history, and can’t travel to DC right now, read about a few cool people here.

The best museums in DC, and everywhere else, attempt to tell the whole story. They are well-rounded and honest. They don’t shy away from difficult subject matter. In fact, the more difficult the subject matter, the more thoroughly they teach us what we need to know to be good citizens of the world.

Finally, America’s political landscape is embattled and tension-filled these days. The future of valuable museums like this one is too. I encourage you to click on the link below to book your DC getaway and visit one of the best museums in DC as soon as possible.