The Smithsonian broke ground for its 19th museum, the National Museum of African American History and Culture on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012 in an invitation-only ceremony on the National Mall.

President Barack Obama spoke at the ceremony. Other honored guests included First Lady Michelle Obama, former First Lady Laura Bush, Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) and Gov. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.). The ceremony took place on the museum’s five-acre site adjacent to the Washington Monument at 14th Street and Constitution Avenue N.W.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture was established Dec. 19, 2003, when President George W. Bush signed into law legislation establishing the museum as part of the Smithsonian Institution.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture will be a place where all Americans can learn about the richness and diversity of the African American experience, what it means to their lives and how it helped us shape this nation. A place that transcends the boundaries of race and culture that divide us, and becomes a lens into a story that unites us all.

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