The National Museum of African-American History and Culture in Washington D.C. opened its doors to the public this weekend, and the celebration was glorious. Presidents Obama along with President George W. Bush (who signed the bill authorizing funds to build the museum thirteen years ago) spoke eloquently about the importance of this museum and its place in American history. Linda Johnson Rice, Chairman of Johnson Publishing Company, and Kenneth Chenault, CEO and Chairman of American Express, both members of the NMAAHC Museum Council, noted that while our ancestors are surely smiling down on this museum, all Americans can and should be proud of this achievement. You can check out the Chenault/Rice speeches here. This week’s Thoughtful Thursday will feature poetry recited in connection with this opening so stay tuned.
The museum promises to be quite crowded in the weeks and months to come, but you should start planning now to bring the family to visit. It will take some time to see it all, so plan accordingly. Admission is free, but until further notice, the museum is issuing timed passes for entry to control the crowd flow. As of today passes to visit through December 2016 are no longer available on-line, but limited numbers of timed passes will be available at the museum starting tomorrow (9/26) Check the museum’s website here for more details.
