10 Museums Where You Can Celebrate Black History Month

Many people who don’t normally visit museums tend to dismiss them as boring and often wonder what the appeal is. People visit museums for a variety of reasons, some personal, some societal. The ten cultural museums discussed in this blog have meaningful stories to tell.

Black History Month is celebrated every February in the U.S. and draws attention to the talents and significant contributions of generations of African Americans.

The legacy of these African Americans is a complicated part of history and their stories showcase Black excellence and remind us that Black resilience should be acknowledged and celebrated year-round.

Museums and cultural institutions throughout the U.S. offer travelers’ opportunities to experience and learn about Black history and culture. Visiting these places year-round is an easy, fun, and enlightening way to celebrate Black history.   

Listed below are ten (10) museums that celebrate the history and culture of African Americans. 

1.        National Museum of African American History and Culture - Washington, D.C.

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 36,000 artifacts and nearly 100,000 individuals have become members.

It is housed in a dramatic, David Adjaye-designed bronze building with a facade that’s meant to resemble an African crown. The exhibits and galleries powerfully illustrate the trials and triumphs of African Americans – from slavery and segregation to social activism and the power of the Black press.

2.        International African American Museum - Charleston, South Carolina

More than 20 years in the making, Charleston’s International African American Museum is set to open its doors in early 2022. Built over the site of a former major transatlantic slave-trade port, the museum will be home to the African Ancestors Memorial Garden, a space with botanic gardens and an infinity fountain.  

Enslaved people who survived the voyage from West Africa were separated from their families and stripped of their identities. To reconnect patrons with their roots, the museum plans to run a genealogy program and will share stories of African Americans from the region, the nation, and the African diaspora at large. 

3.        National Great Blacks in Wax Museum - Baltimore, Maryland

Culture and history come together with the help of more than 150 life-sized, life-like wax figures at the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum. As one of the only wax museums in the nation dedicated to the preservation of African American history, the Great Blacks in Wax Museum offers one of the most enlightening and educational experiences around.

When you enter you will descend a flight of stairs into a room with a 24-by-30-foot replica slave ship that depicts the inhumane treatment enslaved Africans endured on their captive journey to America. Throughout the museum, you will see 150 lifelike wax statues which honor some of the country’s most prominent leaders such as Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, and President Barack Obama. 

4.        DuSable Museum of African American History - Chicago

Celebrating over 50 years of sharing history, the DuSable Museum of African American History is the nation’s first independent museum dedicated to the collection, preservation and study of the history and culture of Africans and Americans of African descent.

Jean Baptiste Point DuSable, a Black man of Haitian, French, and African descent became the first resident of Chicago in 1779. He settled along the northern bank of the Chicago River and set up a popular trading post. DuSable lived in the historic Hyde Park neighborhood (where the Obamas used to live).

The DuSable Museum of African American History houses more than 15,000 pieces of Black artwork, rare archives, and historic memorabilia, including a standout permanent exhibit that features a can’t-miss animatronic statue of Chicago’s beloved first Black mayor, Harold Washington.

5.        California African American Museum - Los Angeles

Located in L.A.’s Exposition Park, CAAM showcases progressive and provocative contemporary art by African American artists from the West Coast, Brazil, and the Caribbean. Mixed media and photography exhibits illuminate the Black experience, including a current exhibition profiling Muhammad Ali, James Baldwin, Kendrick Lamar, and other revolutionary Black men via inspiring quotes, original art, and embellished photographs. 

Pre-pandemic, CAAM was known for its lively dance parties to celebrate their exhibitions’ opening nights. 

6.        Schomburg Center for Research and Black Culture - New York City

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem is one of The New York Public Library’s renowned research libraries. It was founded in 1925 and is a world-leading cultural institution devoted to the research, preservation, and exhibition of materials focused on African American, African Diaspora, and African experiences.

It’s part research library (with more than 300,000 volumes and rare archives), and part museum, featuring murals by Harlem Renaissance artist Aaron Douglas, and artworks by Elizabeth Catlett, Jacob Lawrence, and others.

The Schomburg serves as a community gathering space for film screenings and other performing arts programs.

7.        The African American Museum - Philadelphia

The African American Museum in Philadelphia is the first institution built by a major United States city to house and interpret the life and work of African Americans. You will experience the richness and vibrancy of African American heritage and watch culture come alive in four magnificent exhibition galleries filled with exciting history and fascinating art.

Notable Black Philadelphians and artists of color are celebrated at this institution which is located down the street from the Liberty Bell.

Audacious Freedom: African Americans in Philadelphia 1776 - 1876, is a permanent exhibition which shares stories from people of color in Philadelphia during the country’s early years, while other photography and mixed media exhibits explore notable themes of Black masculinity, spirituality, and ancestral connection.

8.        Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture - Baltimore

The Lewis Museum has over 400 years of history in its permanent collection. During your tour you will take a journey through Maryland African American history in the areas of industry, politics, leisure activities, sports, media, the arts, education, the military and more.

This museum was named after a prominent African American businessman and philanthropist and is located near Baltimore’s bustling Inner Harbor.

The museum also dedicates space to spotlighting regional African Americans who made strides in politics, media, education, and other industries.

The current exhibit, Make Good Trouble: Marching for Change, is a collection of protest signs, photos, murals, and buttons from Maryland activists and artists who took to the streets to protest racial injustice in the wake of George Floyd’s murder.

9.        Le Musee de f.p.c. - New Orleans

This historic house museum is one of the country's few attractions dedicated exclusively to preserving the material culture of and telling the story of free people of color.

Set on the parlor floor of a grand mansion on historic Esplanade Avenue, the unique Musee de f.p.c. honors the legacy of NOLA’s mixed race and French-speaking people of African ancestry who were educated, owned property, and lived outside of slavery before the Civil War.

Founded by newspaper publisher Beverly Stanton McKenna and her husband, Dwight McKenna, the museum showcases stories and exhibits shared by descendants that reminds visitors of their ancestors’ legacy.

10.      National Civil Rights Museum - Memphis, Tennessee

As one of the nation's premier heritage and cultural museums, the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee’s mission is to share the culture and lessons from the American Civil Rights Movement and explore how this significant era continues to shape equality and freedom globally.

Established in 1991, the National Civil Rights Museum is located at the former Lorraine Motel, where civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968. The motel’s original fa?ade is intact so visitors can view Room 306, where Dr. King spent his final hours.

The wreath on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel’s facade marks the spot where Martin Luther King, Jr. stood before he was assassinated.

Through interactive exhibits, historic collections, dynamic speakers and special events, the museum offers visitors a chance to walk through history and learn more about a tumultuous and inspiring period of change.

Final Thoughts

Museums are an ideal way to learn about human history and culture. Museums preserve the legacy of humanity, chronicling both the good and the bad, and serve to enrich the lives of countless visitors making the world a more enlightened place for present and future generations.

Contact Colesville Travel at 301-989-1654 or send us an email at [email protected] if you would like to visit any of these museums. 

Stay inspired,

Cindy