Three Smithsonian Museums Present “America Now: Celebration of Music”

Visitors to three Smithsonian museums can go from day to night with the fifth annual “America Now” program, a free one-day festival celebrating the best of art and history in Washington, D.C. Museum visitors can experience local music and culture through art and live musical performances Saturday, June 22. This special day of festivities is a three-museum collaboration between the National Museum of American History, National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum. Events begin at the National Museum of American History with an outdoor dance party and continue at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery with an evening of live music performances.

 “America Now: Celebration of Music” is free to the public and open to general audiences; drinks and food will be available for purchase at each location. Details are outlined below and at AmericaNow.si.edu. This year’s America Now is part of the Smithsonian-wide initiatives Solstice Saturday and Year of Music 2019. Several Smithsonian museums will stay open until the clock strikes midnight June 22. Details are outlined at www.si.edu/SolsticeSaturday.

National Museum of American History

Special programs: 11 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Galleries open until midnight

Constitution Avenue, between 12th and 14th streets N.W.

Daytime festivities begin at the National Museum of American History with a celebration of history and culture of hip-hop through workshops and an outdoor dance party with live DJ performances. Activities are designed for general audiences and are programmed from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to continue to the second part of “America Now” at the partner museums, Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery.

Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery

Special programs:  6 p.m.–midnight

Galleries open until midnight

Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard, Eighth and F streets N.W.

Visitors can spend their night at the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum for an evening of live musical performances with some of their favorite Washington performers, art happenings and more. The evening will open with Master of Ceremony and Washington native Christylez Bacon and continue with performances by the Out of Town Blues Band, Rare Essence and DJ Beauty and the Beatz. A special headline performance from Eric Hilton (of Thievery Corporation) with The Archives will close out the night.

“America Now” is a three-museum collaboration between the National Portrait Gallery, the National Museum of American History and the Smithsonian American Art Museum and is made possible by the support of the Robert and Arlene Kogod Family Foundation. The Washington Post is the media sponsor of “America Now.”

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