Anacostia Community Museum

The Anacostia Community Museum is a museum in Washington D.C. that focuses on local communities and urban experience. The building and its collections document social change and how people in this part of the city have lived and worked.

The museum was founded in 1967 and was the first federally funded community museum in the United States. It began in a converted movie theater and aimed from the start to preserve the history of local people.

The museum displays stories and experiences of residents through exhibitions that examine social issues and daily life in the community. Visitors can discover photographs, objects, and recorded accounts that show both the past and present lives of people in the area.

The museum is located near Fort Stanton and is free to visit for everyone. There is a research library on site that focuses on local and historical materials and you can use it while exploring.

Residents from the neighborhood are actively involved in planning exhibitions and help decide what content is shown. This direct partnership makes the place special because the people themselves help shape what visitors see.

Location: Washington, D.C.

Inception: 1967

Official opening: September 15, 1967

Part of: Smithsonian Institution

Address: 1901 Fort Place SE, Washington, DC 20020

Website: http://anacostia.si.edu

GPS coordinates: 38.85690,-76.97690

Latest update: December 8, 2025 20:00