Crusader staff report
The popular National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) will reopen Tuesday, January 29, the museum announced on its website Monday. But the museum’s popular Sweet Home Café will remain closed indefinitely.
The museum and the Smithsonian’s 18 other attractions had been closed since January 2 because of the government shutdown. The longest shutdown in U.S. history ended Friday, January 25 without President Donald Trump’s funding request for a $5.7 billion wall along the Mexican border.
The NMAAHC and Smithsonian’s attractions were closed indefinitely without a federal budget. About 155 federal employees work at the NMAAHC, according to Spokesperson Shrita Hernandez.
The museum’s closure disrupted the travel plans of thousands of Black students and families who wanted to explore their history on Constitution Avenue during the holiday break. The NMAAHC was closed on the federal holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. But the museum is now preparing to reopen its doors after two years of record-breaking crowds.
“We are happy to report that the government shutdown has ended and a continuing resolution is in place until February 15, 2019. The Museum will resume normal operations beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 29, 2019. We are excited to welcome you back!
From now until we reopen, we will be working to ensure that our visitor services, safety, information technology, and security teams are fully staffed to receive our visitors. It will take longer for the Sweet Home Café to serve a full menu. Barring any unforeseen issues, we will open with a limited menu of quick-serve items such as burgers, chicken tenders, and fries.
We will also make sure that all of the Museum’s state-of-the-art technology is functioning properly to provide the best visitor experience. This includes testing the 155 video programs, 50 touch-screen interactive stations, and 14 tablet-based interactive stations throughout the Museum.”
