A look inside the International African American Museum ahead of its opening

CHARLESTON, S.C (WCBD) – A history-making moment for Charleston is just days away as the International African American Museum gets ready to open its doors on Tuesday.

“The journey of the International African American Museum has been 23 years strong. Though our timeline and the museum will tell you it has been several centuries in the making,” said IAAM President and CEO, Dr. Tonya Matthews.

On Friday morning, News 2 embarked on a tour of the IAAM guided by Chief Learning and Engagement Officer Malika Pryor.

Every part of the museum holds a deep meaning, even down to the ground it is built on. The IAAM is located at the former site of Gadsden’s Wharf, a Transatlantic slave trading port where Dr. Matthews said nearly 50% of enslaved people who came to the United States entered.

“The power and the gift of truly understanding the African American journey is understanding our ability to simultaneously hold the sensations of trauma and joy,” Dr. Matthews explained.

The history recounted inside the building goes all the way back to 300 B.C.E, which the CEO explained is the earliest known record of human rice cultivation in Africa.

Exhibitions, galleries, and artifacts display the African journey from that point to modern day. Visitors can even explore their own ancestry through the Center for Family History.

Meanwhile, Charleston officials are anticipating the museum will have a major impact on the city.

“We don’t have specific numbers, but we do know that it’s going to be transformative. Right as people not just in the United States, but around the world come to look at the storytelling that the museum is doing,” said Doug Warner, the Executive Vice President of Explore Charleston.

According to employees, the IAAM will be open every Tuesday-Sunday. Timed tickets are available online and can be purchased in advance. General admission tickets for adults are $19.95 and $9.95 for kids and seniors. Discounts are available for South Carolina residents and other eligible groups.

Staff said about 980 tickets will be sold per day. Opening week is already booked. As for parking, employees suggest finding street parking or using the Aquarium parking garage. A drop off location is available for those who need it.