NBM News

Teens Investigate D.C.’s Cultural Contributions

August 2, 2017

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Award-winning Investigating Where We Live exhibition opens August 5

Investigating Where We Live photo by staff

Photo by Museum staff.

WHAT
Thirty local teens, in collaboration with Museum professionals, photographers, artists, and other cultural producers, used photography, writing, artwork, and interviews to examine how arts and culture impact the city.

Participants in the Investigating Where We Live program visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, National Museum of American Indian, the Carter G. Woodson Home, as well as the galleries of the National Building Museum. They also met with copyist David Ilbata from the National Gallery of Art, singer Pinky Killacorn at the Lincoln Theater, as well as restauranteur Justin Logan, to learn more about ways that culture can be shared within a community.

As the culmination, the participants planned, designed, and fabricated an exhibition to communicate their experiences and viewpoints. The exhibition is expected to be seen by tens of thousands of visitors to the National Building Museum during its run.

WHERE
National Building Museum
401 F Street NW
Washington, DC 2001

Metro: Red Line, Judiciary Square

WHEN
Exhibition opens on Saturday, August 5 and runs through January 15, 2018. A reception with participants will be held from 1–3 pm.

ABOUT
Created in 1996, the National Building Museum’s Investigating Where We Live is a five-week summer program in which students interpret Washington, D.C. neighborhoods through photography, creative writing, and original artwork. Each summer, approximately 30 students spend their Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays exploring neighborhoods and developing an exhibition to be on view at the Museum. In 2013 Investigating Where We Live was a recipient of the National Arts & Humanities Youth Program Award, given by First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House.

The National Building Museum is America’s leading cultural institution dedicated to advancing the quality of the built environment by educating people about its impact on their lives. Through its exhibitions, educational programs, online content, and publications, the Museum has become a vital forum for the exchange of ideas and information about the world we build for ourselves. Public inquiries: 202.272.2448 or visit www.nbm.org. Follow us on Twitter: @BuildingMuseum and Facebook: www.facebook.com/NationalBuildingMuseum.

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