# National Museum of African American History and Culture **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 24, 2016, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-museum-of-african-american-history-and-culture/766734 "2016-09-24T15:19:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2016, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-museum-of-african-american-history-and-culture/766734/1 "2016-09-24T15:19:53Z")
Opening today (in DC). My wife and I didn’t realize we’d need tickets to attend until last week, and they were all “sold” (they’re free) out until November, so we plan to see it then. I’m phenomenally excited about this. And I was reminded today that Jesse Helms [tried to kill it](http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2016/09/museum_of_african-american_his.html). What an asshole. Anyone else planning to go see it? ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2016, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-museum-of-african-american-history-and-culture/766734/2 "2016-09-24T17:56:07Z")
We’ve got tickets…for December. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2016, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-museum-of-african-american-history-and-culture/766734/3 "2016-09-24T20:30:12Z")
I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time, although i probably won’t be in DC until next summer, at the earliest. Once i work out exactly when, i’ll make sure to reserve my tickets well in advance. A friend of mine had a fellowship at the Smithsonian this summer, and she got to go through with the staff last week. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2016, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-museum-of-african-american-history-and-culture/766734/4 "2016-09-24T20:40:21Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time, although i probably won’t be in DC until next summer, at the earliest. Once i work out exactly when, i’ll make sure to reserve my tickets well in advance. > > A friend of mine had a fellowship at the Smithsonian this summer, and she got to go through with the staff last week. What did she say about it? ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2016, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-museum-of-african-american-history-and-culture/766734/5 "2016-09-24T20:46:34Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > What did she say about it? No real details yet. I haven’t spoken to her, as she’s only just arrived back in California, but if her Facebook posting is any indication, she thought it was great. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2016, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-museum-of-african-american-history-and-culture/766734/6 "2016-09-24T23:27:18Z")
I’m stoked. I’m going to try to see it before the end of the year. ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2016, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-museum-of-african-american-history-and-culture/766734/7 "2016-09-25T02:34:07Z")
I am looking forward to visiting next time I am in DC. However, if our experience with the Museum of the American Indian is any guide, it takes a couple of years to really get the museum set up for visitors. When we first went to the American Indian museum, my wife and I were surprised at how empty it was. There were people visiting, but the exhibits and explanations were all very brief and in some cases nonexistent. When we went again this year, it was exhausting there was so much to see and do. The exhibits were literally hard work. I greatly enjoyed the canoes-not only could you get close to each one, but you could sit down and admire the workmanship-and rest for a bit. 🙂 I look forward to the newest museum, but I won’t be surprised if it takes a couple of years to really get going. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2016, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-museum-of-african-american-history-and-culture/766734/8 "2016-09-25T03:54:14Z")
I think this will find its feet quicker than the American Indian did. > [@monstro](#): > > I’m stoked. I’m going to try to see it before the end of the year. There are no more advance passes for 2016. If you’re in DC, you can try for each day’s same-day allotment. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2016, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-museum-of-african-american-history-and-culture/766734/9 "2016-09-25T04:26:23Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > I think this will find its feet quicker than the American Indian did. I agree. Their online digital collection is already [very impressive](https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/collection). Thousands of images, and a whole bunch of other objects and artifacts. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2016, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-museum-of-african-american-history-and-culture/766734/10 "2016-09-25T04:54:52Z")
Michelle Obama and George W. Bush attended the opening, and someone snapped [this picture](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CtI69SVW8AAF_an.jpg). I absolutely love it. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2016, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-museum-of-african-american-history-and-culture/766734/11 "2016-09-25T07:50:24Z")
I just browsed the site for a while, but i can’t find a quick digital tour of the highlights. Can anyone point me? ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2016, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-museum-of-african-american-history-and-culture/766734/12 "2016-09-25T16:49:30Z")
Now see I dont see what is so special about this museum since [according to Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_museums_focused_on_African_Americans), there are about 78 museums in this country (and I doubt that is all of them) already about some aspect of African American history. Included on that list is Kansas City museum of the [Negro baseball leagues](http://www.nlbm.com/). So is it really so unique? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2016, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-museum-of-african-american-history-and-culture/766734/13 "2016-09-25T16:57:59Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > So is it really so unique? Yes. It’s part of the Smithsonian, which is effectively the national museum. From all accounts, the breadth and depth of the museum is far greater than museums which only cover one aspect. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2016, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-museum-of-african-american-history-and-culture/766734/14 "2016-09-25T18:20:41Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Now see I dont see what is so special about this museum since [according to Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_museums_focused_on_African_Americans), there are about 78 museums in this country (and I doubt that is all of them) already about some aspect of African American history. Included on that list is Kansas City museum of the [Negro baseball leagues](http://www.nlbm.com/). > > So is it really so unique? I haven’t been yet, but from what I’ve read and heard from those who have been, this museum is massive compared to these others, and likely has as much or more material than all of them combined (since there’s a lot of overlap). I’ve read that it’s much too big to see in a single day. Further, this is the first _national_ public (and free!) museum for African American history. So yes, it’s unique, special, and a really big deal. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2016, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-museum-of-african-american-history-and-culture/766734/15 "2016-09-25T18:59:03Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Now see I dont see what is so special about this museum since [according to Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_museums_focused_on_African_Americans), there are about 78 museums in this country (and I doubt that is all of them) already about some aspect of African American history. Included on that list is Kansas City museum of the [Negro baseball leagues](http://www.nlbm.com/). > > So is it really so unique? I’m with you pal. What’s the deal? Why can’t those blacks be happy with what they’ve got. Why do they need to be recognized on a national level, in the capital city no less, by the nation’s most respected historical and cultural institution? After all, it’s not like people make special trips to Washington, DC, for the museums and heritage sites and monuments or anything like that. I know that if i wanted to discover something about the incredible range of African American history in the United States, i’d probably be satisfied with a trip to Kansas City. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2016, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-museum-of-african-american-history-and-culture/766734/16 "2016-09-25T19:06:01Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Now see I dont see what is so special about this museum since [according to Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_museums_focused_on_African_Americans), there are about 78 museums in this country (and I doubt that is all of them) already about some aspect of African American history. Included on that list is Kansas City museum of the [Negro baseball leagues](http://www.nlbm.com/). > > So is it really so unique? > [@mhendo](#): > > I’m with you pal. What’s the deal? Why can’t those blacks be happy with what they’ve got. Why do they need to be recognized on a national level, in the capital city no less, by the nation’s most respected historical and cultural institution? After all, it’s not like people make special trips to Washington, DC, for the museums and heritage sites and monuments or anything like that. I know that if i wanted to discover something about the incredible range of African American history in the United States, i’d probably be satisfied with a trip to Kansas City. Hell, everything I’ve ever needed to know about the black experience in America I learned from the Negro Baseball League Museum. They sure can run fast, can’t they? ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2016, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-museum-of-african-american-history-and-culture/766734/17 "2016-09-25T19:12:02Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Hell, everything I’ve ever needed to know about the black experience in America I learned from the Negro Baseball League Museum. > > They sure can run fast, can’t they? I heard it’s because they have a extra muscle in their legs. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2016, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-museum-of-african-american-history-and-culture/766734/18 "2016-09-25T19:45:29Z")
We’ll go eventually, after the initial hubbub dies down. We’re maybe an hour anna half away, between driving to the nearest Metro station and taking the train in, so there’s no need to plan a vacation around it. The opening has been covered extensively on the local news, including describing the building itself. It looks like an [interesting structure,](https://www.google.com/search?q=smithsonian+museums&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjtoOr9oqvPAhWCcD4KHUjKD0QQ_AUICSgC&biw=1318&bih=890#tbm=isch&q=smithsonian+museums+african+american&imgrc=_) but honestly, the first thing I thought is “How will they keep it clean?” I see the ornate ironwork getting clogged with leaves and other debris, not to mention the inevitable bird droppings. Yeah, I know, my brain goes weird places sometimes… Anyway, my husband and I hope to spend some off-season afternoons wandering around all of the Smithsonian museums in the not-too-distant future, especially this new one. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2016, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-museum-of-african-american-history-and-culture/766734/19 "2016-09-25T21:42:37Z")
I’ve only seen news reports about the museum, but offhand am not a fan of the exterior architecture. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2016, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-museum-of-african-american-history-and-culture/766734/20 "2016-09-25T23:36:52Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > I heard it’s because they have a extra muscle in their legs. Don’t be ridiculous. It’s their longer heel-bones.