The Anacostia Museum and Center for African American History and Culture, originally called the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum, opened in 1967. First located on Martin Luther King Avenue, SE, this Smithsonian Institution museum began as the first federally funded, community-based museum. Today, the newly renovated institution is located in the Fort Stanton area of the community. The first exhibition included a space suit, zoo, and general store. In a very short while it was decided that because there was such a great interest in the Frederick Douglass exhibition, the museum’s focus would be on African American history and culture.

Photo by Steven Cummings

Since that time, there have been exhibitions on the history of early Anacostia, the black West, the black church, African American scientists and inventors, and the colonial period. There have also been exhibitions that featured the works of aspiring and well-known artists.

Programs that explain the black heritage are an important part of the museum’s services. The museum offers exhibition tours, publications, and workshops for teachers and the general public. The growing collections include photographs, personal papers, art works, musical instruments, and clothing that tell interesting stories about the African American experience in the United States and the African Diaspora.

The Anacostia Museum and Center for African American History and Culture is located at 1901 Fort Place, SE. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week.
For more information, you can call (202) 287-3306.

View Activity Page in HTML View Activity Page in PDF