International African American Museum sets new opening date after delay

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The long-awaited International African American Museum in downtown Charleston has set an opening date after pushing back its initial January date.

The idea for the museum has been in the works for almost a quarter century, and museum officials say work is nearly finished.

Museum officials said the museum will open June 27, just in time to commemorate Juneteenth, and honor their mission of telling untold stories of the African American journey. There will be a number of opening festivities for the community in the days leading up.

The museum is located at former slave trading port Gadsden’s Wharf in Charleston and will feature artifacts, art, media experiences, digital activations, and information that aims to broaden people’s knowledge.

The museum was set to open this past January, but couldn’t due to some humidity and temperature issues at the new building.

Those issues are now resolved, but Chief Learning and Engagement Officer Malika Pryor-Martin says the delay forced them to reprioritize and complete things they thought they’d maybe have to reintroduce later down the line and gave them the opportunity to commission new work.

“The African American journey is the American journey. It doesn’t sit at the margins,” Pryor-Martin said. “It’s interwoven into the thread of what made us who and what we are as a nation, and Charleston was such and remains such an important city in that history.”

Pryor-Martin says while it’s really exciting to be able to announce the date, it’s not lost on them just how incredibly important it is to do this work well.

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