If You Go: African-American History Museum Grand Opening in DC

WASHINGTON, DC — The grand opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture this weekend is the hottest event in town, with President Obama on hand for the momentous occasion. There's a few things you should be aware of if you go, however.

OPENING CEREMONY: The dedication ceremony starts at 9 a.m. Saturday with a Gathering and Musical Prelude, then the official ceremony begins at 10 a.m. In the afternoon, the museum officially opens to the public.

HOURS: Saturday, September 24, 1 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Sunday, September 25, 7 a.m. – Midnight

The museum will keep its doors open for extended hours Monday through Friday, September 26 – 30, 10 a.m.– 7:30 p.m, Saturday, October 1, 10 a.m.– midnight, and Sunday, October 2, 10 a.m.– 10 p.m.

WEBSITE: Find more on hours, what you can bring into the museum, food offerings and more on the museum website.

LOCATION: The museum is located at 1400 Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C, just a few hundred feet away from the Washington Monument. The distinctive structure is impossible to miss. The two entrances to the museum can be found on Madison Avenue and on Constitution Avenue.

TRANSPORTATION: It is highly advisable that you take the Metro to the event. With tens of thousands of people expected and lots of road closures, traffic will be an absolute nightmare and parking will be even worse. Instead, take a ride on Metro's Blue or Orange lines to either the Federal Triangle or Smithsonian stops, both of which are only about a block away from the museum. It's probably a good idea to get their early.

WEATHER: The event will be held rain or shine, but fortunately, things are looking good for Saturday. Temperatures will top out at 80 degrees and the skies will be mostly sunny with only a 10 percent chance of rain.

TOUR LENGTH: There's no set tour length, as you move at your own pace, but keep in mind this will not be a normal museum visit: you'll be packed in with thousands of other visitors. There is 85,000 square feet of exhibition space on five floors, nearly 3000 objects, 12 exhibitions, 13 different interactives with 17 stations, and 183 videos.

FOOD: You cannot bring your own food or beverages into the museum, and coolers are not allowed, period. The museum has a 400-seat restaurant called Sweet Home Cafe -- however, you may experience long wait times due to the crowds. It might be better to eat before or after you go.

BANNED ITEMS: You can find a full list of banned items on the museum's website, but generally use common sense: don't bring weapons, animals, alcohol, bicycles, drones, fireworks, mace, portable chairs or anything else you'd expect not to be able to bring into a museum. However, be sure to review the full list, because there may be a few things that aren't allowed that may surprise you, such as tripods, selfie sticks or thermal containers.

PHOTOS AND VIDEOS: Still photos and videos for noncommercial use is permitted in Smithsonian museums unless otherwise posted. You may not take photos of fine art, however.

— Story by Dan Taylor
Image via Wikimedia user Fuzheado