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Before You Visit: Here's An Inside Look At The National Museum of African American History and Culture 

A century in the making, The National Museum of African American History and Culture will open its doors on Sept. 24 to generations waiting to celebrate, learn and heal by immersing in the Black experience in this nation. With over 40,000 artifacts -- including Chuck Berry's red Cadillac, scrubs worn by neurosurgeon Ben Carson and Harriet Tubman's hymnal -- the museum is a place to reflect on the contributions made by Blacks while remembering our past and our resilience. Here, we take an inside look at the museum to give you a guide on just a fraction of the exhibits you'll see while visiting. 
By Christina Coleman ·
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National Museum of African American History and Culture

Looking southeast from near Constitution Avenue NW in evening sunlight, the National Museum of African American History and Culture

Before You Visit: Here’s An Inside Look At The National Museum of African American History and Culture
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National Museum of African American History and Culture

A Black Feminism exhibit is on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Before You Visit: Here’s An Inside Look At The National Museum of African American History and Culture
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National Museum of African American History and Culture
Visitors try out one of the interactive displays at National Museum of African American History and Culture
Before You Visit: Here’s An Inside Look At The National Museum of African American History and Culture
Bill Clark
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National Museum of African American History and Culture
A visitor walks past a video montage of still and video clips at National Museum of African American History
Before You Visit: Here’s An Inside Look At The National Museum of African American History and Culture
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National Museum of African American History and Culture
Exhibits, including one called “Taking the Stage,” are coming together in the fourth floor Culture Galleries of the National Museum of African American History and Culture,
Before You Visit: Here’s An Inside Look At The National Museum of African American History and Culture
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National Museum of African American History and Culture
A visitor walks past a video montage of still and video clips at National Museum of African American History
Before You Visit: Here’s An Inside Look At The National Museum of African American History and Culture
Bill Clark/Getty images
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National Museum of African American History and Culture
Rock ‘n’ Roll legend Chuck Berry’s candy-apple red 1973 Cadillac Eldorado is on display in the Musical Crossroads section of the fourth floor Culture Galleries
Before You Visit: Here’s An Inside Look At The National Museum of African American History and Culture
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National Museum of African American History and Culture
A statue of the political demonstration conducted by athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos during their medal ceremony at the 1968 Summer Olympics is on display in the Power of Place exhibit on the third floor Community Gal
Before You Visit: Here’s An Inside Look At The National Museum of African American History and Culture
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National Museum of African American History and Culture
Lifesize statues of sisters Venus and Serena Williams are on display in the Sports exhibit on the third floor Community Galleries at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture
Before You Visit: Here’s An Inside Look At The National Museum of African American History and Culture
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National Museum of African American History and Culture
Platinum records, orginal posters and other artifacts are on display in the Musical Crossroads section of the fourth floor Culture Galleries at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture
Before You Visit: Here’s An Inside Look At The National Museum of African American History and Culture
Chip Somodevilla/Getty images
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National Museum of African American History and Culture
Nine of the 10 Olympic medals won by American track and field athlete Carl Lewis are on display in the Power of Place exhibit on the third floor Community Galleries at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American H
Before You Visit: Here’s An Inside Look At The National Museum of African American History and Culture
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National Museum of African American History and Culture
A set of Dr. Ben Carson’s operating scrubs, some of his photographers and other artifacts are on display in the in the third floor Community Galleries at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture
Before You Visit: Here’s An Inside Look At The National Museum of African American History and Culture
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National Museum of African American History and Culture
The Spirit of Tuskegee, a PT-13 Stearman biplane flown by Tuskegee Airmen training to fight in WWII, hangs from the ceiling above the concourse galleries at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture
Before You Visit: Here’s An Inside Look At The National Museum of African American History and Culture
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National Museum of African American History and Culture
A pair of slave shackles are on display in the Slavery and Freedom Gallery in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture
Before You Visit: Here’s An Inside Look At The National Museum of African American History and Culture
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National Museum of African American History and Culture
A technician adjusts the lighting on Harret Tubman’s shawl, given to her by EnglandÕs Queen Victoria, and a personal book of hymns in the Slavery and Freedom Gallery in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American
Before You Visit: Here’s An Inside Look At The National Museum of African American History and Culture
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National Museum of African American History and Culture
Guests sample dishes like Son-of-a-Gun stew, pan-roasted oysters, smoked haddock, corn croquettes with a gribiche sauce, slow cooked collards and other traditional foods at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture
Before You Visit: Here’s An Inside Look At The National Museum of African American History and Culture
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National Museum of African American History and Culture
Visitors to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture are able to add their stories to the museum’s archive in booths on the concourse level of the museum on the National Mall
Before You Visit: Here’s An Inside Look At The National Museum of African American History and Culture
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National Museum of African American History and Culture
A statue depicting USA track and field athletes Tommie Smith, C, and John Carlos, R, as they raised gloved fists during their medal ceremony at the 1968 Summer Olympics is housed in the Sports Galleries at the Smithsonian
Before You Visit: Here’s An Inside Look At The National Museum of African American History and Culture
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National Museum of African American History and Culture
The P Funk Mothership is housed in the Cultures galleries at the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of African American History and Culture
Before You Visit: Here’s An Inside Look At The National Museum of African American History and Culture
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National Museum of African American History and Culture
An art piece by African American abstract sculptor and artist Richard Hunt hangs in the lobby at the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of African American History and Culture
Before You Visit: Here’s An Inside Look At The National Museum of African American History and Culture
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National Museum of African American History and Culture
A combination of video screens, printed information, photographs, posters and other artifacts fill the ‘1968 and Beyond’ History Galleries at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture
Before You Visit: Here’s An Inside Look At The National Museum of African American History and Culture
Chip Somodevilla/Getty images
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National Museum of African American History and Culture
A combination of video screens, printed information, photographs, posters and other artifacts fill the ‘1968 and Beyond’ History Galleries at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture
Before You Visit: Here’s An Inside Look At The National Museum of African American History and Culture
Chip Somodevilla/Getty images