The Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum (ACM) aspires to illuminate and share the untold, and often overlooked stories of people furthest from opportunity in the Greater Washington D.C. region. Our mission is to tell stories of everyday people making impactful changes, who use their collective power to tackle complex issues and advance a more equitable future for all. While local in nature, these stories are relevant to people and communities across our nation.

Visitors to the museum can expect to leave more informed and inspired to effect change in their own communities. At ACM, we seek to learn, examine, and interrogate the social, economic, and environmental issues confronting the D.C. region; to share all aspects of a vibrant local history; and to celebrate local creativity. We do this with and alongside others and through immersive and thought-provoking experiences, inclusive of multiple perspectives. We inspire people to see that change is possible in the face of adverse circumstances, by telling the stories of those who have lived and achieved it. By connecting the past to the present, our work seeks to engage more of us to act and influence the world around us.

At ACM, we celebrate stories of resiliency, joy, and strength. Our hope is to affirm, uplift, and inspire those who visit us to translate their ideas into action. We invite you to join us in our collective work to build a more equitable future for all.