Carnival Corp. contributes $2 million to NMAAHC

The Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) is getting some additional help through a generous donation made by the Carnival Corp.

In September, Carnival Corp., which heads the Carnival Cruise Line, announced its donation of $2 million through the company’s Carnival Foundation.

“The National Museum of African American History and Culture is a celebration of the many contributions African-Americans have made to the history, culture and community of the United States,” said Carnival Foundation executive director Linda Coll. “The organizations that Carnival Corp. supports through Carnival Foundation reflect the great value the company places on diversity and inclusion in the communities that we touch, and we are honored to be a part of this new museum.”

Carnival Corp. is one of more than 100 founding donors. Media mogul Oprah Winfrey, billionaire investor Robert Smith and Lilly Endowment Inc. top the list of NMAAHC founding donors with their donations of $20 million or more.

The museum was established by an act of Congress in 2003, and has been in the making for the past 11 years. On Sept. 24, the 390,000-square-foot building that sits on five acres of land finally celebrated its grand opening with a two-hour dedication ceremony that included appearances from President Barack Obama, U.S. Rep. John Lewis and singers Patti LaBelle and Stevie Wonder before opening its doors to the public.

NMAAHC, the 19th museum to be opened under the Smithsonian Institution, is composed of more than 37,000 artifacts. More than 3,500 of them are currently on display.