African American Civil War Museum

Every museum has a mission; this one makes the point that for some, the Civil War was about secession versus union, but for others, it was a matter of breaking human bondage. The permanent exhibit includes photographs, documents and some audiovisual programs following African American history from the Civil War through the Civil Rights movement. The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Project allows visitors to search for ancestors in databases of black troops, regiments and battles. The museum will gradually begin moving into the nearby Grimke building (corner Vermont Ave and U St), just next to the memorial, which will allow for an expansion of its exhibits.