School may be out for the summer, but that doesn’t mean the learning has to stop. Across the country, there are great museums dedicated to preserving Black history and culture that will allow you and your family to see, hear and even touch the past.
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As we prepare to celebrate the 160th anniversary of Juneteenth, these are some of the museums and exhibits you need to see this summer. Learn about Black people who broke barriers in sports and politics and how we have used our faith and our music to spread messages of hope and resilience in the face of tremendous struggle.
Negro League Museum (Kansas City, TK)
The Negro League Museum is the only museum in the country dedicated to the amazing impact African Americans have had on the game of baseball. Even if you’re not a sports fan, you’ll enjoy the photos and memorabilia of some of the most beloved Black players in history. You won’t want to miss a special exhibit dedicated to the contributions women like Mami “Peanut” Johnson, Connie Morgan and Toni Stone made to the sport by taking the field with male players.
Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, NY)
While not a museum dedicated solely to Black people, the Metropolitan Museum of Art has a special exhibit that is a must-see. “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” is an over 300-year exploration of Black style, particularly how Black people have used fashion as a form of self-expression and rebellion.
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center (Cincinnati, OH)
Downtown Cincinnati, Ohio is home to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. The museum, which has been around since 2004, allows visitors to explore a slave pen recovered from a Kentucky farm in the 1800s to an exhibit on modern-day slavery and human trafficking. If you visit this summer, you won’t want to miss “Faith & (in)Justice,” a special exhibit that looks at the impact religion – particularly Christianity, Islam and Judaism – have had on social justice movements in our country.
National Civil Rights Museum (Memphis, TN)
What was once the Lorraine Motel, the site of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination in 1968 is now the National Civil Rights Museum, a museum dedicated to educating visitors on the American Civil Rights Movement and the impact it continues to have on the world. Plan on spending up to two hours exploring exhibits including, “The Year They Walked,” an exhibit on the Montgomery Bus Boycott and “Standing Up By Sitting Down,” an exhibit on student sit-ins in the 1960s.
The Whitney Plantation Museum (Wallace, LA)
The Whitney Plantation Museum’s mission is to educate visitors on the history and lasting legacy of slavery in the United States. Located on an indigo and rice plantation which was used from 1752-1975, you can learn about the history of the Transatlantic slave trade and the impact of slavery on the state of Louisiana.
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture (New York, NY)
Located in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is one of the New York Public Library’s research libraries. Named after Arturo Schomburg, who collected books on Black history and culture, the collection includes over 11 million items that tell the story of Blacks across the Diaspora. This year, the center will have special events and exhibits in celebration of its 100th anniversary. While you’re there, be sure to visit the Schomburg Shop, which sells books, clothing and gifts made by artists of color.
Stax Museum of American Soul Music (Memphis, TN)
No trip to Memphis is complete without a trip to the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. It includes a collection of recording equipment, album art, costumes and more that tell the story of the history of the label that represented legendary artists, including The Staple Singers, Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett. Don’t miss getting a peek at the Cadillac Eldorado Stax artist Isaac Hayes bought with the money from his 1972 deal. The 24-carat gold-trimmed ride includes a mini-bar, television and white fur carpet.
Buffalo Soldiers National Museum (Houston, TX)
The Buffalo Soldiers National Museum is dedicated to the all-Black regiments established by Congress in 1866 and the contributions African Americans have made to the military throughout history.
From June 19 – 21, the museum celebrates the 160th anniversary of Juneteenth with the BSNM Juneteenth @ 160 Festival, which will include special panel discussions, exhibits and more.
DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center (Chicago, IL)
Named after Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable, the Haitian-born founder of Chicago, the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center is the country’s oldest independent Black history museum.
The DuSable’s collection includes over 15,000 pieces and amazing exhibits, including, “Fighting Racism in the Trenches,” an exhibit dedicated to Kathryn Magnolia Johnson, one of the few African American women who served during World War I and “The Art of Our Storytellers,” an exhibition of art from the offices of Johnson Publishing Company, the publishers of EBONY and JET magazines and the only Chicago high-rise designed by an African American.
National Museum of African American History and Culture (Washington D.C.)
National Museum of African American History and Culture is the world’s largest museum dedicated to Black history and culture. Plan to spend a day here (at least), exploring exhibits that look at the history of Black music, the formation of Black communities across the country, how the Black community has used religious institutions and the press as a source of strength and more.
APEX Museum (Atlanta, GA)
The APEX Museum is Atlanta’s oldest Black history museum dedicated to preserving the stories of our history that aren’t always told.
National Museum of African American Music (Nashville, TN)
From blues to gospel to R&B and hip-hop, the National Museum of African American Music is preserving the legacy of Black music and telling stories of how Black musicians and singers have influenced every genre.
Muhammad Ali Center (Louisville, KY)
The Muhammad Ali Center is a six-story museum and cultural center that is preserving the legacy of legendary boxer and humanitarian Muhammad Ali. The center is great for families with educational and experiential exhibits, including the “(Float Like a) Butterfly Garden,” a partnership with the Louisville Zoo designed to protect monarch butterflies and “Train With Ali,” an interactive recreation of Ali’s training camp that lets visitors test their own skills in the ring.
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