The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture welcomed its 10 millionth in-person visitor on Saturday.
The milestone was achieved nearly one week after the seventh anniversary of the museum’s grand opening on Sept. 24, 2016. The museum contains 12 permanent exhibitions and has hosted more than 20 temporary exhibitions on topics ranging from Reconstruction to Afrofuturism since its opening.
The museum actively collects items related to African American life, history, and culture and currently has a permanent collection of more than 42,000 items, with nearly half of them available for study online.
“I am thrilled to welcome our 10 millionth guest to the museum, and together, honor seven years of safeguarding history, establishing memories, and inspiring minds,” said Kevin Young, the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s Andrew W. Mellon director. “Our 10 millionth visitor is a symbol of our enduring purpose, and a tribute to the efforts of the past seven years, not to mention the century-long struggle for a monument to African American sacrifice and achievement on the National Mall. Honoring the past while providing a platform, on-site and online, for visitors to explore the present and imagine the future for visitors to explore the present and imagine the future is a defining aspect of our work.”
In the first seven years, the museum has welcomed more than 31 million visitors to its website and hosted more than 240 public programs. Since 2016, the museum’s social channels have received almost 800 million impressions and gained more than one million total followers. The Searchable Museum website has received 2.1 million page views since its launch in November 2021.
Additionally, the museum has won more than 80 awards since its opening in 2016.
“At this remarkable moment, it is paramount that we extend gratitude to the countless individuals, from presidents to patrons, volunteers, and staff, who have made this museum possible,” Young said. “We will continue honoring the community whose strength and dedication gave birth to the world’s largest institution dedicated to preserving and exploring African American history and culture by continuing to pursue our mission with fervor and grace.”