He said that cultural institutions have a greater role to play in the current historical moment, helping people find beauty and understanding. But what they have really got to do is help people find hope, which is what the African American Museum does, because the story it tells is the notion that America can be made better, Mr. Bunch said in an interview.
The story the National Museum of African American History and Culture tells is the notion that America can be made better, Mr. Bunch said.Credit…Andrew Harnik/Associated Press
To eventually be able to tell the story of the last several months, the Smithsonians curators have begun collecting the art, signs, photographs and other artifacts that multiplied during the protests, including items from protesters at Lafayette Square near the White House.
Those objects will not be not ready for display when the museum reopens, but it is offering some online initiatives that deal with recent events, including a website, Voices of Resistance and Hope, that encourages people to share their responses to the rising of the Black Lives Matter movement and their experiences coping with the coronavirus pandemic.
All four museums the others are the the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Portrait Gallery and the Renwick Gallery of the American Art Museum will be reopening with health and safety measures, including reduced days or hours of operation, mandatory face coverings for visitors over 6 years old and timed-entry ticketing. The African American Museum said it would initially limit the number of passes to 250 per day but that the number would increase to 1,100 per day in the third week of reopening.
There will be one-way paths and directional guidance for social distancing in the museums, as well as hand-sanitizing stations. Museum cafes and retail shops will not be open.read more
National Museum of African American History and Culture Is Reopening
