Washington, DC

The National Museum of African American History and Culture’s grand opening activities will occur September 24 and 25.

In honor of the museum opening, Mayor Bowser will attend the dedication ceremony and grand opening on Saturday, September 24. In addition to several events that will be hosted throughout the District to commemorate the opening, the museum will also host Freedom Sounds: A Community Celebration, a three-day free festival taking place on the Washington Monument grounds. The event will include musical performances, spoken word, oral-history activities, storytelling and interactive workshops. The festival will also include concert performances on Saturday from Living Colour, Public Enemy and The Roots. On Sunday, Experience Unlimited, Meshell Ndegeocello and Angelique Kidjo will deliver concert performances. A full schedule is available on the museum’s website (www.nmaahc.si.edu).

Traffic Control Officers and Safety Technicians will be deployed at key intersections around the museum to support pedestrian and vehicular traffic for the dedication ceremony and opening of the facility. DDOT’s Traffic Management Center will monitor conditions and deploy staff to congested areas as needed. Traffic signals will be adjusted in real time to assist traffic flow. 

Public Transportation
DDOT also urges attendees to consider public transportation this weekend. The DC Circulator will offer a special modified service on its National Mall route between 7 am and 2 pm to accommodate attendees.

Due to road closures on Jefferson Drive NW and Madison Drive NW, the route will be modified to provide more direct service along Independence Avenue, SW. The closest stop to the festivities will be on 12th Street SW and Independence Avenue SW (directly across the Smithsonian Metro exit).

DC Circulator Stops:

Saturday 7 am to 2 pm

• Union Station (on E Street NE at Columbus Circle)
• Independence Avenue at 4th Street SW
• Independence Avenue at 6th Street SW
• Independence Avenue at 12th Street SW

Saturday 2 pm to 8 pm and Sunday 9 am to 8 pm (Museum Loop)

• Union Station (on E Street NE at Columbus Circle)
• Madison Drive at 4th Street NW
• Madison Drive at 7th Street NW
• Madison Drive at 12th Street NW
• Jefferson Drive at 12th Street SW
• Jefferson Drive at 7th Street SW
• 3rd Street NW near Madison Drive NW

The National Mall route will serve only the museum loop after 2 pm Saturday and all day Sunday because of road closures. Service will resume as usual on Monday, September 26, 2016.

Maps of the special modified service are available here.

Capital Bikeshare will offer corral service on Saturday from 8 am to 1 pm at 10th Street and Constitution Avenue.

The following Bikeshare stations will be closed Saturday September 24

• Jefferson Dr. and 14th Street, SW
• Smithsonian/Jefferson Dr. and 12th Street, SW