Celebrate Black History Month with Kids in the DMV (2026)

Here are temporary exhibits and pop-ups in honor of Black History Month:

• Through 2/28 | A Century of Black History Commemorations at Library of Congress
  • This small display celebrates one hundred years of Black history commemorations. Historian Carter G. Woodson initiated the annual observance of “Negro History Week” in February 1926.
• 11/2 – 4/5 | Amy Sherald: American Sublime at the Baltimore Museum of Art ($) ♥
  • Free to visit Thursday evenings & all day on Thursday (2/19) – The exhibition tells the story of Sherald’s vision and practice through 38 paintings created from 2007 to the present—from her early, rarely seen works to her iconic, larger-than-life portraits of Black Americans in everyday moments, many of which were painted in Baltimore and feature Baltimore-based models.
• 1/16 – 2/13 | It Happened Here: Remembering Three Lynchings presented by Montgomery County Lynching Memorial Project at Potomac Library
  • Originally focused on the two lynchings that took place in Rockville, the exhibit has recently expanded to include Mr. Peck’s lynching in Poolesville.
• 1/16 – 3/15 | Freedom & Resistance: An Exhibition Inspired by the 1619 Project at MLK Memorial Library in NW DC ♥
  • The exhibition features three sections, created in collaboration with the editors of The New York Times Magazine and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones and educators from The Pulitzer Center. Throughout, visitors can explore connections between the experiences of Black Americans and the ideals of American freedom.
• 1/16 – 7/19 | At the Vanguard – Making and Saving History at HBCUs at the National Museum of African American History & Culture ♥
  • Weaves together stories of ingenuity, artistry and resistance — through collections from Clark Atlanta University, Florida A&M University, Jackson State University, Texas Southern University and Tuskegee University.
• 1/26 – 3/7 | Black History Month Exhibition at Harmony Hall Arts Center in Fort Washington, MD 
• 2/1 – 2/28 at 8:00 am daily | “The Creative Mind” Exhibit at the Activity Center at Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg, MD
  • Take the journey from past to present spotlighting Black contributions and achievements in American history. “The Creative Mind” is a traveling exhibit from the National Academy of Sciences that celebrates the contributions of African Americans to medicine, mathematics, engineering, and all branches of science. 
• 2/8 – 3/28 | A Different Look from a Different View Artist Exhibit at Arlington Historical Museum in VA ♥
  • Experience the vibrant, story-filled work of artist Zane Killgo, an Arlington County visual artist whose bold use of color and mixed media explores community, identity, and the changing urban landscape.
• February & March | Art Exhibition: On the Black Hand Side at Joe’s Movement Emporium in Mount Rainier, MD
  • On the Black Hand Side pays tribute to the gestural representations of love, spirituality, creativity, respect, dignity, and recognition within Black American cultural traditions.