African American History Museums and Sites

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Art

The Chesapeake region is home to a remarkable concentration of museums, landmarks, and cultural sites that illuminate the richness and resilience of African American history. This area has long served as a crossroads of Black political, artistic, and social movements, reflecting both the struggles and triumphs that have shaped the nation’s story. The region offers a living archive of the Black experience across centuries. Visitors can trace powerful connections between the past and present while walking the same grounds where enslaved people sought freedom, civil rights leaders rallied for justice, and artists redefined American culture through creativity and courage.

Explore the DMV’s network of African American museums and heritage sites that honor the generations whose legacies continue to define what it means to seek freedom, belonging, and truth in the heart of the nation’s capital.

The Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum in Annapolis is the state’s official museum of African American history and culture. Established in 1984, this museum’s building is located in what was once the Mount Moriah African Methodist Episcopal Church, built in 1874. Named for African American Maryland icons Benjamin Banneker, Frederick Douglass, and Harriet Tubman, this spot serves to better understand and appreciate America’s rich cultural variety for everyone by documenting, interpreting, and promoting African American history and culture through exhibitions, activities, and projects. Black History 365 is an ongoing collection of artwork and events that showcase the history, legacy, and contributions of Black Marylanders. Here, a cooperative effort including county and state-wide groups celebrates culture and excellence all year long. Learn more at bdmuseum.maryland.gov.

Staying in Annapolis, the Wiley H. Bates Legacy Center is part of a $27 million dollar complex renovation of Wiley H. Bates High School. For more than thirty years (1933–1966), Wiley H. Bates High School served as the sole African American high school in Annapolis and Anne Arundel County. Today, the legacy center provides insights and perspectives of the roles education, economic opportunity, and service played in the school community. This nonprofit organization acts as a benchmark for community understanding and revitalization. This spot is highlighted by its event space, which hosts meetings for groups such as the Caucus of African American Leaders and Annapolis Alumnae Chapter Delta Sigma Theta. Different memberships are available, from the basic Alumni Membership ($25) and Regular Membership ($50) to the Institutional Membership ($100) and Charter Life Membership ($500). All contributions are tax deductible, as it is a nonprofit. Learn more at whbateslegacycenter.org.

Venture out a bit further and you will find the Kennard African American Cultural Heritage Center (KAACHC), located in Centreville. With the establishment and opening of (KAACHC), a small group of people were able to launch a grassroots initiative to revitalize and restore the original Kennard High School and create a community center. In addition to its African American History Museum within, this facility has developed into the center for events and programs related to African American history. In the 1960s, Kennard High was the lone secondary school for African American students in Queen Anne’s County. Home to the African American History Museum, KAACHC focuses on the years that Kennard High was in operation and documents African American life in Queen Anne’s County. Pictures and artifacts showcasing African American culture in education, employment, the military, business, and civic life during that era can be found in the museum’s exhibits alongside recorded histories of KHS students, instructors, and locals. Learn more at kennardheritage.com.

Paying homage to one of the most renowned people in African American history, the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park in Church Creek (south of Cambridge) preserves Tubman’s legacy with historical landmarks, a museum, film, and exhibits. Harriet Tubman was a profoundly spiritual woman who devoted her life to freedom. She frequently put her life in danger, notably following the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, to lead over seventy enslaved people north to new lives of freedom, becoming the most well-known conductor on the Underground Railroad. Entrance is free and does not require any entry pass or reservation. Learn more at nps.gov/hatu/index.htm.

The Reginald F. Lewis Museum, named after Reginald F. Lewis, who has been widely praised for being the first African American to start and run a billion-dollar business, is situated in the heart of downtown Baltimore. The permanent collection of artifacts at the Lewis Museum spans more than 400 years, with continual pop-up displays, special events, and rotating exhibits. Running during the entirety of 2026, iWITNESS: Media & The Movement boasts an intriguing show that explores the ways in which media, including radio, television, photography, and the press, influenced the contemporary American Civil Rights Movement. February 21st will see a three-hour panel discussion, Beyond the Scoreboard: The Baltimore Black Sox and the Negro Leagues’ Civil Rights Legacy, honoring the history of the Baltimore Black Sox, one of the city’s first Negro League baseball teams, and their influence on the Civil Rights Movement. Learn more at lewismuseum.org.  

One of the most recent additions to the Smithsonian portfolio (opening in 2016), the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) in Washington, D.C., is the only national museum dedicated solely to recording African American life, history, and culture. With 40,000 objects that have been acquired by the museum to date, the NMAAHC depicts and disseminates the unadulterated reality of African American culture and history. At the Vanguard, opening mid-January 2026, will run until mid-July 2026 and use collections from Tuskegee University, Florida A&M University, Jackson State University, Texas Southern University, and Clark Atlanta University to tell tales of creativity, resourcefulness, and resistance. Learn more at nmaahc.si.edu. 

One of the few museums in the U.S. dedicated solely to African American artwork, the African American Art Museum of Maryland (AAMM) in Columbia was founded in 1980. The museum showcases priceless artifacts around the world, including from traditional communities in Senegal, Somalia, Morocco, and South Africa, while also providing a variety of experiences, such as video presentations during outreach and in-museum events. The African Experience Tour (AET) is a hands-on art experience that includes videos and demonstrations, including an “Art Hunt.” The museum also highlights a new artifact every month as part of its Short Talks series, which includes an audio narrative by Mrs. Doris Ligon, a co-founder of the museum. Learn more at africanartmuseum.org.

The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum, located in East Baltimore, serves to inspire and stimulate interest in African American history through immersive exhibits, creative storytelling, and interactive experiences. Significant stories of accomplishment are acknowledged and honored through immersive displays and educational initiatives, depicted in the museum’s wax figures. The exhibits demonstrate crucial roles in history and span the Western frontier, polar exploration, and even the space race. Learn more at greatblacksinwax.org.

The Chesapeake’s African American museums and heritage sites remind visitors that history is not distant or abstract, but present in the streets, classrooms, and spaces of everyday life. These institutions preserve hard truths, celebrate extraordinary achievements, and create welcoming spaces where dialogue, learning, and connection can flourish year-round. As you plan your next outing, consider adding one of these museums or cultural centers to your itinerary.