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It's been a long time coming and it's finally here. Since 1915, there have been efforts to establish a federally owned museum dedicated to African American history and culture. It wasn't until legislation was tabled in the 1980s, backed by the Smithsonian Institution, that the idea began to be taken seriously. Though that push was also unsuccessful, it propelled the need for a museum into the national spotlight. It eventually led to the creation of a 23-member commission, who resoundingly came out in support of the endeavour, with subsequent authorization of the facility by President George W. Bush in 2003. Marking the culmination of these efforts, the National Museum of African American History & Culture, standing on Washington D.C.'s famed National Mall, was inaugurated by President Barack Obama on September 24, 2016. To celebrate this achievement, EarthCam has released a time-lapse video documenting the construction process from May 2012 to September 2016.
The EarthCam team condensed 52 months of progress into two minutes of action-packed video, all captured by its billion pixel panoramic system, the GigapixelCam. The mounted camera setup ensures smooth transitions between the hypnotic scenes, with the Washington Monument providing the necessary context in the background. The video chronicles the early site preparation that took place on the property, the subsequent excavation, and the dancing interplay of tower cranes that helped build the steel structure.
The 400,000-square-foot structure, designed by the Freelon Group, Adjaye Associates, and Davis Brody Bond, holds a wealth of exhibition space fit for the display of over 3,000 artifacts. The museum's collection of over 37,000 objects transcends boundaries; it hosts a range of items related to community, the arts, civil rights, segregation, and slavery. Its broad collection provokes fluctuating feelings of happiness, hope, and sorrow, and the architectural location of windows serve as eyes looking upon a modern America. These strategically placed elements frame views of national landmarks like the Washington Monument and the White House.
The institution takes the form of an inverted step pyramid enveloped in a bronze architectural scrim that reflects crowns utilized in Yoruba culture. The complex is deceptively large. In actuality, the museum spans ten floors, five of which are hidden underground. Marking another historic feat, the museum is the first Smithsonian institution to open since 2004 brought the National Museum of the American Indian to life.
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