Touring African American Museum Philadelphia - Takes a Look at an Important Part of Philadelphia's History

Want to get a glimpse of the African American culture in Philadelphia? Take a trip to the African American Museum. The rich collection of fine art, photographs and the memorabilia, furnishings and costumes, books and periodicals reflect the unique culture and the traditions of the African Americans in Philadelphia, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley.

The African American Museum was founded in 1976 and the land on which it stands today was once a significant part of the legendary black community. It was built with the objective of preserving the African American culture. It traces the history as well as contributions of the African Americans from the kingdoms of the ancient times till the present date.

The exhibits and collections present at the museum depict the story of the African American life, revolving around themes including family life, entertainment, politics, sports and arts. Other themes such as the Civil Rights Movement, law, technology, medicine and architecture are also exhibited through the collection present at the museum. Currently, there are four galleries and an auditorium. Each of the galleries features one of the three most significant themes - the Philadelphia Story, the African Diaspora and the Contemporary Narrative.

The museum also hosts public programs, workshops, demonstrations, films, dance performance, concerts, poetry readings, lectures, seminars and book signings. Story telling sessions are also organized. The collections are also made available for exhibitions, educational programs for other museums and research. There are over 400,000 objects, images and documents ranging from useful, household objects. There is a gift shop inside the museum stacked with a wide range of books and videos and African American jewelry and prints.