Northwest African American Museum, African American history museum in Central District, Seattle, United States.
The Northwest African American Museum is a history and culture museum in Seattle's Central District, housed in a former school building from the early 20th century. It presents exhibitions on the lives and experiences of Black communities across the Pacific Northwest region.
The building was constructed in 1909 as an elementary school and served that purpose for many decades. After it was abandoned, community activists occupied it starting in 1985 and fought for eight years until it was turned into a space dedicated to Black history and culture.
The museum sits in the Central District, a neighborhood that has long been the heart of Seattle's Black community. Walking through the galleries, visitors encounter stories and works from people whose families have been rooted in the Pacific Northwest for generations.
The museum is open on select weekdays and weekends, so checking the schedule before your visit is a good idea. Exhibitions rotate regularly, meaning the content you see may differ from what is listed online.
The building received its official landmark status in 2009, exactly 100 years after it was first built. That recognition was granted not for its years as a school, but for the community effort that saved and transformed it.
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