National Museum of American Diplomacy facts for kids
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| Established | 2000 |
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| Location | Harry S Truman Building Washington, D.C. |
| Public transit access |  Lua error: expandTemplate: template "inline:box color" does not exist. Foggy Bottom |
| National Museum of American Diplomacy | |
The National Museum of American Diplomacy (NMAD) is a special museum in the United States. It's the first one to share the exciting stories of how America uses diplomacy. Diplomacy is how countries talk and work together peacefully. The museum wants to show how American diplomacy helps our country stay safe and successful.
This museum is still being built. It gets help from a special team called the Diplomacy Center Foundation. This team works with the U.S. Department of State. The museum is located in Washington, D.C., at the Harry S Truman Building. This building is also where the U.S. Department of State has its main office. The museum used to be called the United States Diplomacy Center. It changed its name in November 2019.
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How the Museum Started
In 1999, two important people, Ambassador Stephen Low and Senator Charles Mathias, had an idea. They wanted to build the first museum about American diplomacy. They started a group called the Foreign Affairs Museum Council (FAMC) to help.
In 2000, Madeleine Albright, who was the U.S. Secretary of State, agreed to have the museum at the Department of State. A space of 20,000 square feet was set aside for it. In 2013, the FAMC changed its name to the Diplomacy Center Foundation. This foundation works with the U.S. Department of State to create and run the museum.
The museum's design was approved in 2011. Construction officially began in late 2014. Many important leaders attended the groundbreaking ceremony on September 3, 2014. This included John Kerry, who was the Secretary of State at the time. Five former Secretaries of State were also there. They were Henry Kissinger, James Baker, Madeleine Albright, Colin Powell, and Hillary Clinton.
The Museum's Pavilion
The museum has a special entrance building called the pavilion. It was designed by architect Hany Hassan. This building is 20,000 square feet and was finished in 2017. Its design fits well with the original 1941 building of the Harry S Truman Building.
The main hall of the museum will have fun, interactive exhibits. These exhibits will help visitors learn about American diplomacy today. You can discover what U.S. diplomats do and where they work around the world. You'll also learn how diplomacy connects to your everyday life.
In November 2019, a special preview exhibit opened. It's called Diplomacy Is Our Mission. This exhibit was created with help from the Smithsonian Institution. It shows how U.S. diplomats work with other countries. They help make the world a safer place for everyone.
Learning About Diplomacy
The National Museum of American Diplomacy wants to help students and teachers learn. They offer special education programs and lessons. A main part of their learning program is the diplomacy simulation.
In these simulations, you get to act like a diplomat. You work in small teams to solve a big global problem. Each team represents a different group, like a foreign government or a non-profit organization. You have to negotiate and find a solution to an international crisis. You'll use information given to you to defend your group's ideas.
The museum also teaches educators how to run these simulations. They offer free materials online, including guides and videos. This way, teachers can help thousands of students learn about diplomacy.
Museum Displays
The "Diplomacy Is Our Mission" exhibit opened in November 2019. It was designed with the Smithsonian Institution Exhibits. The museum will also show off some cool collections.
You can see Madeleine Albright's famous pin collection. You'll also learn about Shirley Temple Black. She was a famous child actress who later became an ambassador. She was the first woman to be the U.S. chief of protocol. The museum will even have items from the TV show Madam Secretary.
Working with Others
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The National Museum of American Diplomacy celebrates important moments in American diplomacy. They do this through discussions, movie showings, and ceremonies. These events feature experts, historians, and diplomats.
The museum hosts talks for the public about diplomacy. They also work with other parts of the State Department and other organizations. Sometimes, they host outside events, like testing new exhibits. They even had a special event called a "hackathon" focused on diplomacy.
Images for kids
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Six Secretaries of State at the National Museum of American Diplomacy's groundbreaking ceremony in September 2014.
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The stamp from the U.S. Embassy in Taipei before the embassy closed down.
