The Northwest African American Museum

The Northwest African American Museum (NAAM) is a regionally-prestigious institution that deeply matters to people as a reliable, remarkable, and relevant space where we open minds and change lives through African American history, art, and culture. Since opening in 2008, hundreds of thousands of visitors have come to the museum to view our permanent and rotating exhibitions, participate in dynamic public programs, or take part in private events.

As the only museum in the region that provides regular opportunities for visitors to learn about local and regional African American history, art, and culture, NAAM fills a void in the regional cultural scene by offering a space where community members come to reflect, to gain perspective, to learn, listen, and heal. Every year, thousands of children, teens and families count on NAAM to be a welcoming space where we celebrate our shared heritage, explore our roots, and take on challenging topics, together. We use black history, art, and culture as a starting point that inspires, empowers, and informs all visitors about ourselves and our shared past.

At NAAM, visitors make new discoveries, are inspired to dream big, and enhance their sense of self. A key part of our mission is to foster engagement with our community and to give people, especially young people, the opportunity to learn through meaningful engagements. NAAM is a necessary organization that makes measurable impact and deserves to win the National Medal for Museum and Library Service award.

NAAM’s mission is to spread knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of the histories, arts and cultures of people of African descent for the enrichment of all. We envision a Pacific Northwest region where the important histories, arts, and cultures of people of African descent are embraced as an essential part of our shared history and culture.

NAAM is a leading voice and space for educational empowerment, social justice, racial equity, and black culture, art, and heritage in the Pacific Northwest. The work NAAM does fills gaps in Pacific Northwest history by sharing stories about the contributions of African Americans that are often overlooked. NAAM serves as a vital community gathering space in a city that is experiencing rapid gentrification. NAAM inspires and motivates, educates and informs. We advance social justice and equity. We are a point of pride and one of the most significant voices for the black experience in the Northwest. NAAM is becoming a world-class museum that enriches diversity, fosters unity, and improves the quality of life for all through our robust exhibitions, programs, partnerships, and initiatives. We have important exhibits and programs that feature visual arts, music, literature and history of African Americans in the Northwest. We are more than a museum. We are about solution. We are about bringing people together. We are an important cultural heritage site for critical social justice-related exploration.