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Located on the National Mall in Washington, DC, NMAAHC charts American history through the lens of the African American experience from the era of slavery through the civil rights movement and into the present day.

America’s story is also reflected in the family history of our founder and CEO, Deryl McKissack, whose great-great grandfather, Moses McKissack, learned the trade of brick-making while enslaved and brought it into freedom.

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Our firm proudly continues his legacy.

For the past 35 years, it’s been our privilege to create legacy spaces across the country that are welcome to all, shaping the way that people live, work, play, remember, and build their identities for years to come.

After our work as architect of record and construction manager for the MLK Memorial, McKissack & McKissack was brought onboard to lead the design and construction of the NMAAHC.

Our firm provided program and construction management services for the NMAAHC, guiding it from pre-design through construction, from risk assessments and procurement strategy, budget to the master schedule and through to opening day.

The building is LEED Gold certified and spans 10 stories and 350,000 square feet. It holds a collection of about 48,000 objects and garnered acclaim for its architectural design and exhibits highlighting African American life, art, history, and culture.

In the decade since its doors opened in 2016, NMAAHC has been one of the most visited Smithsonian museums in DC, with 14 million in-person visits and counting.

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