The National Center for Civil and Human Rights (NCCHR) will reopen to the public on Nov. 8, following a $57.9 million renovation that expands the museum with new galleries, classrooms, and community spaces designed to connect history to today’s civil rights and human rights advocacy.
“With these new galleries and spaces, we can offer not just stories of the past, but pathways for people to reflect, engage, and shape the future,” Jill Savitt, the president and CEO of the NCCHR, said in a statement.
The reopening introduces six new galleries, as well as updates to the Center’s exhibit on the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, which will include additional lunch counter seats, new material on Black Power, and a reflection area. Other new and updated galleries include a reimagined Martin Luther King, Jr. gallery with rotating artifacts curated by guest curators, beginning with Dr. Bernice King; a new exhibit highlighting global stories of human rights defenders and including an immersive storytelling experience; and a hands-on space where visitors can design personal civil engagement plans.
Forthcoming exhibits include a children’s gallery, opening in April 2026, featuring interactive activities to build civil skills and curiosity about justice, and a gallery exploring Reconstruction through art, opening in December 2025.
A Special Exhibitions Gallery will also open for temporary and traveling exhibits, starting with “Reclaiming History: Selections from the Arnett Family Collection.”
The expansion also includes 5,000 more square feet of event space, two new wings named after contributing philanthropists Shirley Clarke Franklin and Arthur M. Blank, and a new rooftop terrace.
The National Center for Civil and Human Rights celebrates its reopening on Nov. 8 with a live DJ, face painting, balloons, and more. Tickets and memberships to the Center are available at civilandhumanrights.org.
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