African American Museum in Philadelphia facts for kids
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(2024)
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| Former name | Afro-American Historical and Cultural Museum |
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| Established | 1976 |
| Location | 701 Arch Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Public transit access |   SEPTA bus: 47, 48 |
The African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) was the first museum of its kind. A city helped pay for and build it. Its goal is to save, explain, and show the history of African Americans.
It opened in 1976 during the United States Bicentennial. This was a big celebration of America's 200th birthday. The museum is in Philadelphia, on Arch Street, near the famous Liberty Bell. It used to be called the Afro-American Historical and Cultural Museum.
Contents
What You Can See at the Museum
The AAMP has four main exhibit areas, called galleries. It also has an auditorium. Each gallery shows exhibits based on important themes. These themes include:
- The African Diaspora (the story of African people around the world)
- The Philadelphia Story (how African Americans shaped Philadelphia)
- The Contemporary Narrative (modern African American experiences)
The museum holds more than 750,000 items. These include objects, pictures, and documents. They are used for research and for special exhibits. The museum also lends items to other museums. Many educational programs use these items too.
You can find many interesting things in the AAMP's collection. There are flyers and items from the Philadelphia Black Panthers. You can see letters and military items from the first Black doctor to lead a U.S. Army Hospital. There are also papers about civil rights issues. The museum has everyday objects, family scrapbooks, and sports items. Church and burial records are also part of the collection.
A Look at History
Philadelphia has always been a key place for African American history. In the 1700s, when the United States was new, Philadelphia was a center for the movement to end slavery. It also had the largest number of free Black people in the country.
Founding Director
Charles H. Wesley was a famous African American historian and teacher. He was also an author. He was one of the first African Americans to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard University. Wesley was a minister and led the African Methodist Episcopal Church for 40 years. In 1976, he became the first director of the museum. At that time, it was called the Afro-American Historical and Cultural Museum.
New Name for the Museum
In 1997, the Afro-American Historical and Cultural Museum changed its name. It became the African American Museum in Philadelphia. Terri S. Rouse was the executive director then.
Reopening with New Exhibits
In 2007, the AAMP received a big grant. The city of Philadelphia gave it $3 million. This money was for fixing up the building. It also helped improve the displays for the museum's large collection.
The museum closed for a short time in 2009. It reopened on June 18, 2009. A new main exhibit was unveiled. It was called "AUDACIOUS FREEDOM." This exhibit showed the early history of African Americans in Philadelphia. It covered the years from 1776 to 1876.
Future Plans for the Museum
On August 11, 2022, the City of Philadelphia made an announcement. The museum will move to the Family Court Building. This move is happening as the United States gets ready for its 250th birthday. This big celebration is called the United States Semiquincentennial.
Museum Connections
The African American Museum in Philadelphia is part of a special group. It is a member of the Smithsonian Institution Affiliations Program. This means it works with the famous Smithsonian museums.
See also
