Almost 200,000 visit IAAM in its first year

MORNING NEWSBREAK | Almost 200,000 people visited the International African American Museum (IAAM) in its first year. Officials say attendance since last June exceeded expectations.

“As we celebrate the museum’s first anniversary, let us remember that our journey is not measured in years but in the lives we touch and the stories we share,” said IAAM CEO Tonya Matthews in June. “We will continue to weave a tapestry of strength, wisdom and hope for future generations.”

After 23 years of planning, the museum opened to the public on June 27, 2023, three days after luminaries and officials lauded it.

“This museum that we open today is a gift to our country and a gift to each of us and our future,” former Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. said last year. A catalyst for the project, Riley spent thousands of hours through the years pushing to help raise $125 million to make the museum a reality.

During its first year, the museum had 187,657 visitors and five rotating exhibits. It also sold more than 7,000 annual memberships.

“This milestone is a testament to the power of unity and the importance of telling our stories authentically,” Matthews said in a news release. “Through our exhibits and education programs, we will continue to build a world where our history is honored, with humanity as our common bond.”

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