The Smithsonian’s Smallest Museum Celebrates Nearly Six Decades of Telling the Stories of the People of Washington, DC

A museum built by its neighbors, the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum, marks 59 years of telling the stories of its community

This September, the Smithsonian's Anacostia Community Museum turns 59. The museum opened its doors in 1967, and it has spent nearly six decades preserving and celebrating the stories of communities across the greater Washington, D.C., region.

When it first opened as the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum, in a former movie theater called the Carver Theater, the whole idea behind the museum was considered groundbreaking.

Founding director John Kinard and the surrounding community built a different kind of museum, one shaped by the people who lived nearby.

In 1987, the museum moved to its current home at 1901 Fort Place SE, and its founding spirit, “powered by the people,” still guides the work today.

That belief is on full view in the museum's current exhibition, “We Make History,” which opened in May and remains on view through January 2028. The exhibition looks at how everyday people record their experiences and help shape the nation's story. At its center is the diary of Adam Francis Plummer, who began writing in 1841 while enslaved in Prince George's County, Maryland, and whose daughter Nellie Arnold Plummer continued it after his death.

It is believed to be the only known multigenerational diary started by an enslaved person in the United States.Visitors can explore additional stories including contralto Marian Anderson's coat, a guitar that belonged to Chuck Brown, the Godfather of Go-Go, and a jersey worn by a member of the Washington Spirit, alongside interactive stations that invite people to record and preserve their own family and community histories. The exhibition is organized into five sections; primary sources, historic places, sports, the arts, and the museum's own history.

To mark the anniversary, the museum invites visitors 21 and over to “A Night at the Museum: Celebrating 59 Years,” on Thursday, September 17, from 7 to 10 p.m. The evening will feature live music by Marcus Mitchell and his band. Guests can explore “We Make History” after hours and stop by the Perfume Bar by Scentelier Lab, which plays on the connection between scent, memory, and community. Light appetizers, beer, wine, and spirit-free mocktails are available while supplies last. The event is free, and registration is recommended.

This year's celebration also sets the stage for something bigger. In 2027 the Anacostia Community Museum will mark 60 years of telling the community's story, and Founders Day is a good moment to look back at how far the museum has come and to celebrate the neighbors who have carried it there. Fifty-nine years in, the museum is still powered by people and the power of their stories from communities across Washington, D.C.

Amy Kehs | Read More

Amy Kehs is a brand strategist and communications expert for museums.