National Museum of African American Music
Gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, hip-hop, classical traditions, and electronic production meet in galleries that connect sound to worship, migration, protest, technology, and commerce.
Artwork inspired by Aaron Douglas
Genres are presented as conversations rather than sealed rooms. Rhythms, vocal practices, instruments, and business strategies cross repeatedly between sacred and secular spaces, while interactive studios make production choices audible instead of merely naming them.
Use the orientation film to establish the timeline, then choose two genre galleries for depth. Save time for the mixing and vocal interactives, and keep your RFID wristband active so the music you create can follow you after the visit.
- Roots Theater
- Origins across the diaspora
- Wade in the Water gallery
- Gospel traditions and change
- One Nation Under a Groove
- Dance music across generations
Quick guide
- First move
- At National Museum of African American Music, begin with Roots Theater: Gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, hip-hop, classical traditions, and electronic production meet in galleries that connect sound to worship, migration, protest, technology, and commerce.
- Second look
- Wade in the Water gallery: Genres are presented as conversations rather than sealed rooms.
Build the visit around three specific anchors
- Start with
- Roots Theater: Gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, hip-hop, classical traditions, and electronic production meet in galleries that connect sound to worship, migration, protest, technology, and commerce.
- Look closely at
- Wade in the Water gallery: Genres are presented as conversations rather than sealed rooms.
- Connect the story
- One Nation Under a Groove: A musical family tree built from Black innovation.
- Plan around
- Use the orientation film to establish the timeline, then choose two genre galleries for depth.
Good to know
National Museum of African American Music: save time for the mixing and vocal interactives, and keep your RFID wristband active so the music you create can follow you after the visit.
Notice these
- Roots Theater
- Wade in the Water gallery
- One Nation Under a Groove