International African American Museum set to open Tuesday morning

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The long-anticipated opening day for Charleston’s new International African American Museum has arrived.

The facility is set to open its doors to the public Tuesday morning. It is a grand opening that is almost a quarter-century in the making. The facility is located on the historic Gadsden’s Wharf, the spot where tens of thousands of Africans arrived in the United States from their native homeland.

READ MORE: How to make the most of your visit to the International African American Museum

The first visitors to the museum will experience a special exhibition called “Men of Change: Power. Triumph. Truth.”

The exhibit is designed to showcase Black men from the past and present who have altered the history and culture of the country through politics, sports, science, entertainment, business and religion. Curators say it will serve as a metaphor for the thousands of significant African American men who are rendered invisible by a society that does not understand how to see them.

The exhibit includes quotations, poetry, original works of art and photographs. It will be on display through Aug. 6.

The Museum will be open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The last entry time is at 4 p.m. Museum staffers recommend visitors plan to spend approximately one to two hours experiencing the interior of the Museum. The African Ancestors Memorial Garden also contains monuments, features, and opportunities for reflection, which they say may extend your visit by about 30 to 60 minutes.

General admission to the museum for adults is $19.95. Children ages 6 to 16, seniors and military members with ID can get in for $9.95, and children under 6 are admitted free.

All tickets must be reserved in advance at the museum’s website. Tickets for the opening day are already sold out.

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