NMAAHC Turns 10: 'The Reunion' Is the Celebration Black America Has Been Waiting For

Ten years ago, the National Mall in Washington, D.C. was transformed. Rising from the earth like a crown — its bronze lattice panels catching light in ways that shift and shimmer throughout the day — the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture opened its doors and changed the way America tells its story.

Now, a decade later, the museum is ready to celebrate. And it is doing so in a way that honors not just its own history, but the culture, resilience, and ongoing story of Black America. "The Reunion" — the museum's 10th-anniversary commemoration — is a landmark multi-day celebration that every Black American should know about. And if you can make it to Washington, you absolutely should.

What Is "The Reunion"?

"The Reunion" is the NMAAHC's signature 10th-anniversary event — a series of multi-day celebrations featuring special exhibitions, performances, panel discussions, community gatherings, and cultural experiences that honor everything the museum has been, and everything it will become.

The event brings together scholars, artists, activists, community members, and families from across the country to mark this milestone. It is being described by museum leadership as not just an anniversary, but a homecoming — a moment for Black America to gather, reflect, celebrate, and recommit to the work of cultural preservation and storytelling.

Expect signature museum experiences, new exhibition openings, musical performances spanning genres from gospel to hip-hop to jazz, and conversations featuring some of the most important Black voices in America today. The NMAAHC has always been a place where history breathes — "The Reunion" promises to make that breath feel electric.

A Decade of Telling Black America's Story

When the NMAAHC opened in September 2016, the lines wrapped around the block for weeks. People came from every corner of the country. Grandmothers brought their grandchildren. Veterans brought their medals. Families came with old photographs and personal artifacts, many of which became part of the museum's living collection.

In the decade since, the museum has become the most visited museum on the National Mall. Its 12 galleries hold more than 40,000 artifacts — from Harriet Tubman's hymnal to a segregated railroad car, from Louis Armstrong's trumpet to Muhammad Ali's boxing gloves. It tells the story of slavery and freedom, of the Harlem Renaissance and the Great Migration, of civil rights and Black Power, of hip-hop and Barack Obama's presidency.

For Black Americans, walking through those galleries is not just a history lesson. It is recognition. It is validation. It is the experience of seeing your story — the full, complex, extraordinary story of Black life in America — treated with the reverence it has always deserved.

Why This Milestone Matters More Than Ever

The NMAAHC's 10th anniversary arrives at a moment when Black history and culture are under sustained attack. Across the country, school curricula are being stripped of Black history. University programs that center Black experiences are being phased out. Books by Black authors are being pulled from shelves.

In this context, "The Reunion" is not just a party. It is an act of resistance. It is a declaration that Black history is American history — that it cannot be erased, sanitized, or ignored. The museum's very existence is a counter-narrative to those who would prefer that the full story of this nation remain untold.

"This museum was built for every American who wants to understand the full promise of this nation," NMAAHC leadership has said. "Its story is America's story." Ten years later, that statement feels more urgent — and more necessary — than ever.

How Black Atlanteans Can Participate

Washington, D.C. is just over 600 miles from Atlanta — an easy flight, a short drive, or an Amtrak journey away. If you have not yet visited the NMAAHC, "The Reunion" is the perfect occasion to make that trip. Here is how to make it happen:

• Plan your visit: Book timed entry passes at nmaahc.si.edu — they're free but required. During anniversary events, passes for special programs may require separate registration.
• Make it a family experience: The museum has dedicated programming for children and families. This is one of the most powerful educational experiences you can give a young Black child.
• Follow the museum's social channels: The NMAAHC will be releasing anniversary content, virtual programming, and event announcements throughout the celebration period. Follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube to stay connected even if you can't attend in person.
• Support the museum: Consider becoming a member or making a donation to ensure that this institution continues to thrive and grow for the next decade and beyond.

A Crown on the National Mall

There is something profound about the fact that the NMAAHC stands at the center of the National Mall — steps from the Washington Monument, in sight of the Lincoln Memorial, anchoring the story of this nation's past to its most cherished symbols of freedom and democracy.

It is a statement. It is a reminder. It is, as the late congressman John Lewis might have said, good trouble made permanent in bronze and concrete and glass.

"The Reunion" is a celebration of ten years of that statement. But more than that, it is a gathering of a people who have always known how to celebrate — how to find joy in the midst of struggle, beauty in the midst of pain, and community in the midst of isolation.

The NMAAHC turns 10. Black America is showing up. Are you going to be there?