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The Smithsonian Institute's newly opened museum this month was a collaborative venture on many fronts. The lead designer was David Adjaye, a respected and esteemed architect who was born in Tanzania and trained in England. He has traveled extensively throughout Africa and been to each country within the continent. He won the design competition for the museum and it has been a long venture bringing it to fruition.

The building design which is tiered, is styled from Yoruba art works of west Africa. The combination of African and American history not only brings together many journeys and stories under one roof, but embody what the museum says, "expresses faith, hope and resiliency."