SEATTLE — On Monday, the Northwest African American Museum hosted a grand reopening and commemorated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The museum’s physical space was closed for nearly three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The reopening featured food trucks, music and a slate of events and exhibits, including a screening of a civil rights film and moderated conversation with actor Jesse Williams.
Several speakers, including Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and the museum’s CEO, took to the podium to celebrate and welcome visitors back.
“Through our programs, our exhibitions, our partnerships, our community service — all that we do, we strive to align with Dr. King’s legacy of building a more loving community,” said LaNesha DeBardelaben, president and CEO of NAAM. “That’s what I see gathered here today. I see the seeds of a more beloved community right here, in King County, Washington”.
The museum is housed in the historic Colman School in Seattle’s Central District and will be open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.