The Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum (ACM) aspires to illuminate and share the untold, and often overlooked stories of people furthest from opportunity in the Greater Washington D.C. region. Our mission is to tell stories of everyday people making impactful changes, who use their collective power to tackle complex issues and advance a more equitable future for all. ACM is a place for seekers, of action, and of pride. We’ve been powered by the people since 1967, telling the stories of a community and place still being written — and we would love for you to join us this November.
Open daily (except Dec. 25), we have a jam-packed calendar of free, family-friendly public programs. Programs occur every Saturday at the museum, with this month’s programs featuring two quilting workshops, a foil sculpture workshop and more. A full list of this month and future programs is available on our website: anacostia.si.edu/events.
Other highlights this November include:
- Growing Community: Harvest Celebration (Saturday, Nov. 16, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.): Experience a taste of Fall with a cooking demonstration from Dr. Madea Allen of Organic Soul Chef, Garden presentations from fellow Smithsonian Gardens, basket making activities, and more!
- Coffee, Donuts, and Change! (Friday, Nov. 29, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.): Spend Black Friday with neighbors at the Anacostia Community Museum! Join us for free coffee and donuts, and a look at our newest exhibition, “A Bold and Beautiful Vision: A Century of Black Arts Education in Washington, DC, 1900-2000”. Enjoy a cup of coffee and a donut* with neighbors and trace the story of the teachers and students who made Washington, D.C. a truly unparalleled center for Black arts education. (*Donuts available while supplies last).
- The CulutralDC Mobile Art Gallery (Wednesday-Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.): Murjoni Merriweather’s installation in the Mobile Art Gallery will be an immersive experience exploring the artist’s personal experiences with growth, patience, and self-care. Connecting with the spiritual and symbolic nature of our planet, Murjoni will cover the gallery floor in soil. Her clay sculptures will be lifted, appearing to grow from mounds of earth.
- The Freshfarm ACM Farm Stand (Saturdays 10 a.m.-2 p.m. through Nov. 23): The farm stand offers FreshMatch, FRESHFARM’s incentive program, which provides a dollar-to-dollar match on all federal benefits (WIC and Senior and WIC FMNP) spent at the stand, helping shoppers take home more fresh and nutritious produce and local foods. The farm stand also accepts Produce Plus, a benefit program unique to Washington, DC, which provides locally grown, fresh produce to District residents with limited access to fresh, healthy food.
Our current exhibition, A Bold and Beautiful Vision: A Century of Black Arts Education in Washington, DC, 1900-2000, is open display until March 2, 2025. This exhibition traces the story of the teachers and students who made Washington, DC a truly unparalleled center for Black arts education. Some of the country’s most gifted artists taught and were taught in Washington’s educational institutions, from small community centers to university classrooms. They included such visionaries whose names are today both well-known and not-so-well-known: Elizabeth Catlett, Alma Thomas, James A. Porter, Loïs Mailou Jones, David Driskell, Hilda Wilkinson Brown, Thomas Hunster, and Georgette Seabrooke Powell, to name only a few. Come see the artwork and hear the voices of the African American artist-educators who enriched the lives of many generations of Washington’s young people and who — along with their students — produced work admired by audiences across the globe.
At ACM, we celebrate stories of resiliency, joy, and strength. Our hope is to affirm, uplift, and inspire those who visit us to translate their ideas into action. We invite you to join us in our collective work to build a more equitable future for all.
The Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum is located at 1901 Fort Pl SE Washington, DC 20020.It is open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (except December 25) free of charge. More information about the museum’s current exhibition and public programs can be found on the museum’s website at anacostia.si.edu.