Things to do / Travel Guide
Address:701 Arch St.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Tel:
(215) 574-0380
Opened in 1976, in honor of the country's Bicentennial, the African American Museum in Philadelphia was the first major museum in the country devoted specifically to African American history and traditions. Built on land that once belonged to a historic black community, the museum's five split levels are designed to take you on a journey through time. As you ascend the museum's floors, you will follow a path leading from the continental roots of African-Americans, through a history of Africans living in the U.S., to their acceptance as United States citizens with full equal rights.
The museum boasts over 400,000 objects, in four different galleries. This includes Fine Arts, such as prints, paintings, and the "Captivity and Renaissance" tapestry by a Harlem renaissance artist who reinterpreted ancient myths and rituals in his work in Paris. There is a huge array of offerings here, including clothing, furniture, weapons, tools, musical instruments, photographs, diaries, books, and much more. Original journals, paintings, prints, drawings, sculptures, and mixed-media works are all in the collection. The second level of the gallery documents African American captivity and slavery, while the upper three levels focus on post-emancipation black history and culture. Exciting figures like black cowboys, inventors, athletes, and businesspeople are on display here, as is the history of the civil rights movement, until today. For those interested in cultural events, the museum also hosts poetry readings, dance and gospel music performances, films, and storytelling programs. They also have a fantastic jazz concert series which in the past has presented the works of such great artists as Dizzy Gillespie, Betty Carter, and Sun Ra.
The AAMP is easy to get to and find; located as it is in a modern building that looks like African mud housing. The Museum is located in the Historic District, a block from Independence National Historic Park.
From African American Museum in Philadelphia - Pennsylvania:
Welcome to the African American Museum in Philadelphia, the first institution built by a major United States city to house and interpret the life and work of African Americans. Our doors are open for your enjoyment and enlightenment six days a week. Visit us and experience the richness and vibrancy of African American heritage and culture come alive in four magnificent exhibition galleries filled with exciting history and fascinating art.