National Museum of the American People facts for kids
The National Museum of the American People is a museum planned for Washington, D.C.. It aims to share the amazing story of how all Americans came to be. This includes tales of people moving here from different parts of the world. The museum plans to tell these stories in a similar way to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
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About the Museum Project
The idea for the National Museum of the American People came from a group called the Coalition for the National Museum of the American People. This group includes over 250 different organizations. These organizations represent many ethnic, nationality, and family history groups.
The museum's goal is to tell the story of every American group. It will show how people came to this land and nation from all over the world. This includes the very first people who lived here, all the way up to today. Many groups that help refugees and immigrants also support the museum.
How the Museum Idea Started
The Coalition for the National Museum of the American People was started by Sam Eskenazi. He used to be in charge of public information for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The idea for this new museum began in the late 1990s.
Eskenazi was walking past the USDA Headquarters Building in Washington, D.C. He wondered what kind of museum it could be if it were one. He realized it could be a place to tell the stories of all the different people who came to America. He immediately thought of the name: the National Museum of the American People. Many people are surprised that a museum like this doesn't already exist.
Efforts to Create the Museum
On September 11, 2008, a Congressman named Maurice Hinchey introduced a bill. This bill asked for a group to study if the museum should be built. After this, Sam Eskenazi started the Coalition in 2009. This group brought together many private organizations to support the museum.
The project was announced in February 2011. Since then, members of Congress like Jim Moran and Brian Schatz have worked to support the idea. They introduced laws that would allow a study on the museum. These studies would not use money from taxpayers. In 2011, the Washington City Paper even called it the "Best Museum That Doesn't Exist Yet."
In May 2011, Congressman Jim Moran agreed to lead the effort for a study group. He worked with Eskenazi's Coalition. On July 7, 2011, Moran introduced a resolution in Congress. This resolution supported creating a special commission to study the museum. He reintroduced a similar resolution in 2013, which had 48 supporters from both major political parties. In 2015, Senator Brian Schatz also introduced a similar resolution in the Senate.
Finding a place for the museum in central Washington, D.C., is a challenge. One possible spot is at the south end of L'Enfant Promenade. This area currently has the Benjamin Banneker Park. It is about half a mile south of the Smithsonian Institution's Castle.
What the Museum Would Show
The people behind the museum project have suggested several parts for the final museum. These include a main exhibit called The Story of the American People. There would also be a special center for studying American history. Over 145 scholars have offered to help with this.
Other parts could include a National Genealogical Center. This center would help people research their family history. There would also be an Education and Resource Center. An archive library would hold records of American migration and immigration.
The main exhibit is planned to tell the story in four big parts:
- Chapter I: The First Peoples Come (from about 20,000 years ago to 1607)
- Chapter II: The Nation Takes Form (1607 to 1820)
- Chapter III: The Great In-Gathering (1820 to 1924)
- Chapter IV: And Still They Come (1924 to today)
