Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture Building

Occupying the last available space on the National Mall, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture will be situated prominently between the National Museum of American History and 15th Street, next to the Washington Monument. When it opens to the public in 2015, the museum will be a centerpiece venue for ceremonies and performances, as well as a primary exhibition space for African American history and culture.

The design features a building 116 feet tall with two distinct design elements—the “Corona,” the three-tiered copper structure forming the top of the building, which serves as the building’s signature space and gallery spaces, and the “Porch,” which serves as the location for the main museum entrance on Madison Drive (the National Mall side). The 380,000-square-foot museum, located at the corner of 15th Street N.W. and Constitution Avenue, will house public spaces, including exhibition halls, an auditorium and a cafe; offices; and an education center.

The museum is designed to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold certification. Sustainable elements will include solar hot water panels on the roof and a geothermal groundwater system.

Design for the museum is being provided by the architectural team Freelon Adjaye Bond/SmithGroup, a collaboration of four design firms: The Freelon Group, Adjaye Associates, Davis Brody Bond and the Smith Group. The construction manager is Clark/Smoot/Russell, a joint venture of Clark Construction, Smoot Construction and HJ Russell and Co.

The design team selected by the Smithsonian consists of four firms that have joined together for this unique project¬—the Freelon Group, Adjaye Associates, Davis Brody Bond and SmithGroup. The Freelon Group will be the architect of record, and Phil Freelon will serve as the design guarantor—making sure that the design reflects the values and priorities of the museum and the Smithsonian. The architectural team’s building design was selected April 14, 2009, by a jury chaired by Lonnie G. Bunch III, director of the museum.

The Clark/Smoot/Russell construction team is made up of three distinguished and diverse companies with experience in building museum projects combined with the strength, stability and resources of nationally recognized construction management professionals.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture was established by an Act of Congress in 2003 making it the 19th museum of the Smithsonian Institution. Scheduled for completion in 2015, it will be built on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on a five-acre tract adjacent to the Washington Monument. Currently, during the pre-building phase, the museum is producing publications, hosting public programs and assembling collections. It is presenting exhibitions at other museums across the country and at its own gallery at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. An array of interactive programs and educational resources is available on the museum’s website nmaahc.si.edu.

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SI-84-2012