Tourists interviewed on the National Mall about the ongoing construction of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, set to open in 2016, were unaware of the museum but enthusiastic about its opening.
The majority of those interviewed knew very little about the museum or its construction, and had only learned about it after seeing the construction and signs surrounding the museum.
Given the recent racial tensions in the U.S., many agreed that the building of the museum was timely and vital to understanding African American culture, both in the past and present. Some believed that the museum is significant regardless of the racial tensions today.
“If it was approved to be built almost 10 years ago, it shouldn’t need current events to be important,” said Liv Willis, 17.
Brian McCauley, 37, a future tour guide at the museum, explained how it will be organized and how it will highlight heroes in African American history and their untold stories.
The plans to build the museum were drawn up in 2006, making the construction and opening of the museum a 10 year project. The museum is part of the Smithsonian Institution, and is being built on the National Mall, located between the National Museum of American History and the Washington Monument at the corner of 14th Street and Constitution Avenue.
The museum itself will have eight levels with five above ground and three below.
The facade on the outside of the museum, called the Corona, is described as “a representation of traditional African architecture using modern materials,” as stated on the project website. The museum’s website describes the museum as “a centerpiece venue for ceremonies and performances, as well as a primary exhibition space for African American history and culture.”
The new exhibition, “Through the African American Lens,” is the first exhibit at the museum, and shows “the personal and intimate narratives of various families, organizations and individuals spanning the Revolutionary era to the present,” according to the museum’s website.
For the residents and tourists, the museum will be an important fixture in a prominent location.
McCauley emphasized the importance of the museum by adding, “DC is an African American city.”