Music Takes Center Stage This Month at the National Museum of American History | Smithsonian Voices

Here’s what’s happening this month at the museum…

EXHIBITIONS

NOW ON VIEW
Melania Trump’s Inaugural Gown 2025
“The First Ladies” Exhibition
Ongoing
Third Floor, Center

First Lady Melania Trump’s 2025 inaugural ball gown is now on display in the museum’s “The First Ladies” exhibition. The strapless off-white silk crepe gown trimmed with two bands of black silk gazar was designed by Hervé Pierre in collaboration with Mrs. Trump. 
The First Ladies exhibition explores the unofficial but important position of first lady and the ways that different women have shaped the role to make their own contributions to the presidential administrations and the nation. It features more than two dozen gowns, including those worn by Frances Cleveland, Lou Hoover, Jacqueline Kennedy and Laura Bush. Since the museum opened to the public in 1964, every first lady has come in person to present her inaugural attire. 

OPENING

¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa
Saturday, April 18
The Molina Family Latino Gallery; First Floor, East

The National Museum of the American Latino’s latest exhibition, “¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa,” brings the rhythm, movement and sounds of salsa music to the Smithsonian. From the dance halls of Havana to the dance floors of New York and beyond, “¡Puro Ritmo!” explores how salsa music evolved into a defining sound in the United States. This bilingual exhibition traces the genre’s roots and rise through nearly 300 objects. Highlighting artists from Tito Puente and Celia Cruz to local legends and hidden pioneers, “¡Puro Ritmo!” celebrates salsa as one of America’s great musical traditions. The Molina Family Gallery is hosted by the National Museum of American History. Check the National Museum of the American Latino website for more information.

EVENTS

Winemakers’ Dinner:
“The Judgment of Paris: There’s More to the Story…”
Tuesday, April 14, 6:30 p.m. 

The Museum will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the famous 1976 “Judgment of Paris” wine tasting competition and the nation’s 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence with the eighth annual Smithsonian Winemakers’ Dinner April 14. This year’s signature fundraising event, “The Judgment of Paris: There’s more to the story…” will bring together visionary vintners, culinary leaders and supporters of the museum to celebrate the intertwined histories of American wine, food and democracy. The evening will commemorate the history of three Napa Valley wineries that took part in the 1976 tasting and are still producing fine wines that reflect the best of Napa—Freemark Abbey, Clos Du Val, and Mayacamas. The dinner’s culinary experience will be developed in collaboration with Nora Pouillon, chef and owner of Restaurant Nora in Washington, D.C., which was America’s first certified-organic restaurant and a pioneer of the farm-to-table movement.. More information and to purchase tickets, visit the website. Proceeds from the Winemakers’ Dinner support the Smithsonian Food History Project.

National Transportation Week
April 27–May 3; 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Throughout the museum

The museum will host a special series of events to commemorate Transportation Week April 27–May 3. Each day will offer programming focused on a different mode of transportation for visitors to connect people, places, and stories nationwide. Spotlight tours, hands-on docent carts, and “Meet the Experts” conversations will highlight transportation-focused exhibitions such as “America on the Move” and “Corazón y vida: Lowriding Culture” and recognize significant milestones including the 100th anniversary of Route 66. For more information, visit the website.

FILM

History Film Forum presents:
“The Big Parade” (1925)
Fri. April 23 ; 7 p.m.
Warner Bros. Theatre; First Floor Center

The History Film Forum presents King Vidor’s “The Big Parade” with a new live orchestral score, composed and conducted by Andrew Earle Simpson. “The Big Parade” depicts the story of Jim Apperson played by John Gilbert who joins the army to serve in World War I. The film represents the battlefield and veteran experience of The Great War juxtaposed against a romance between Jim and a French farm girl. Presented in restored quality by Warner Bros., The Big Parade is considered one of the greatest war movies of all time and a crucial experience for cinema lovers. 
Find tickets and more information at Eventbrite.com.

CLASSICAL MUSIC

The Smithsonian Chamber Music Society Presents:
The Axelrod String Quartet – Stradivarius and Amati Series
Sat. April 11, 7:30 p.m. 
Sun. April 12, 6:30 p.m. 
Nicholas and Eugenia Taubman Hall of Music; Third Floor, West

The 49th season of the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society showcases musical masterpieces from the early 17th century to the middle of the 20th, played on some of the world’s most highly prized musical instruments. Smithsonian Chamber Music Society audiences have the unparalleled experience of hearing two magnificent quartets of instruments—one made by Antonio Stradivari, the other by his teacher Nicolo Amati. This concert features Quartet in D Major, Op. 33, No. 6 by Joseph Haydn; Quartet No. 2 in A Minor, Sz. 67 by Béla Bartók; and Quartet in C-sharp Minor, Op. 131 by Ludwig van Beethoven.  
To purchase tickets: Members $32; Non-members $36
Sat. April 11: The Axelrod String Quartet: Stradivarius and Amati Saturday Series
Sun. April 12: The Axelrod String Quartet: Stradivarius and Amati Sunday series
 

The Smithsonian Chamber Music Society Presents:
Three Centuries of Masterworks
Sun. Apr. 19, 6:30 p.m.
Nicholas and Eugenia Taubman Hall of Music; Third Floor, West

The 49th season of the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society will showcase musical masterpieces from the early 17th to the middle of the 20th century, played on some of the world’s most highly prized musical instruments. The season’s seventh concert will feature The Smithsonian Chamber Players, presenting the sonatas of German Baroque composer, Johann Sebestian Bach. 
Tickets: Members $32; Non-members $36 
Masterworks of Three Centuries Series – Smithsonian Associates

JAZZ APPRECIATION MONTH

April is Jazz Appreciation Month! JAM is an annual event founded by the museum in 2001, that pays tribute to jazz both as a historic and living American art form. In 2026, the museum will present a rich variety of programs in commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the United States. JAM will explore the diverse tapestry of jazz across the nation, from the hot rhythms of New Orleans and the swinging streets of Chicago and Kansas City to the cool, sophisticated sounds of the West Coast. Visitors, online and in person, can explore how these diverse traditions come together in a dynamic musical conversation—showcasing jazz not just as a genre, but as a living, evolving symbol of American unity and creativity.
JAM is an annual event, founded by the museum in 2001, that pays tribute to jazz both as a historic and living American art form. More information can be found at http://smithsonianjazz.org.  

Blossom and the Shrub-Tones
Saturday, April 4th, 3 p.m.
Warner Bros. Theater, First Floor Center

The social media sensation scat-singing fluffy pink Dearly Blossom and the Shrub-Tones will offer a live performance followed by a Q&A session.

Jazz Afternoons  
Tuesdays April 7, 14, 21, 28; 1 – 3 p.m. 
Culture Wing, Third Floor West 

Every Tuesday afternoon, visitors can engage with museum curators and see a small display of jazz treasures brought out of storage. Musicians from the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra will host pop-up jam sessions, as well as interact with visitors about their instruments and artistry.  
 
University Band JAM 
Friday, April 10; 10:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. 
Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza, First Floor West 

Top collegiate jazz ensembles from across the region, including from Shenandoah Conservatory, UMBC, Temple University, American University and more take the stage for performances all day long. The University Jazz Jam spotlights the energy, artistry, and innovation thriving in our region’s university jazz programs. 
 
History Film Forum presents:  
“Early Jazz on Film”
Friday, April 11; 7 – 9:30 p.m.   
Warner Bros. Theater, First Floor Center 
 
This program of several early jazz shorts highlights rarely seen treasures from the Cohen Film Collection, beautifully restored in digital 2k resolution from the best existing 35mm elements. Curators will introduce the films, and early jazz objects will be on temporary display. 
For more information and to reserve tickets, visit the website. 
 
Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra Presents:
“Jazz Across America”
Friday, April 17, 7 p.m.
1 Center, Warner Bros. Theater 

The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, the big band in residence at the museum, will explore jazz as more than just music but rather as it reflects American society. Sharing this story in sound and jazz in all its forms—contrasting styles, expressive interplays and musicians who hail from every corner of the country and every occupation. Selections include Jelly Roll Morton’s “Black Bottom Stomp,” Sun Ra’s “Kingdom of Not,” and Leonard Bernstein’s “Meditation #1.” 
 
Tickets: Members: $30; Non-members: $40 
Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra – Jazz Across America 

Ella Fitzgerald Day
Friday, April 24; 10 a.m. – 5:30 pm  
Throughout the day, the museum will host several programs in celebration of the iconic singer-songwriter and composer, including a curator panel conversation, Objects Out of Storage, a music workshop and a performance by the Howard University student vocal Jazz group.

Shout and Feel It! Swing Dance with DC Lindy Exchange
Saturday, April 25, Noon – 5 p.m.
Flag Hall, Second Floor, Center

Join more than 600 swing dancers with the DC Lindy Exchange for an afternoon of lindy hopping, swinging, stomping, and shouting to live music performed by Josh Lee and the Extended Family, a Philadelphia-based ensemble led by Grammy winner Josh Lee. A beginner-friendly swing dance lessons led by New Columbia Swing at noon kicks off a program that blends history and rhythm to bring the swing era to life.

Oscar Peterson Donation Ceremony
Thursday, April 30, 7 p.m.
1 Center, Warner Bros. Theater 

The Museums will acquire several objects representing jazz pianist and composer Oscar Peterson (1925–2007) and his career. With his technical virtuosity, Peterson redefined the possibilities of the jazz piano. Anointed “the Maharaja of the Keyboard” by Duke Ellington himself, Peterson not only expanded the instrument’s expressive range, but also recalibrated the very language of contemporary jazz. An eight-time grammy award winner, Peterson’s contributions to the jazz world are immense. 
The musical excellence that Peterson brought to every performance will be honored with a tribute performance by the Oscar Peterson Centennial Quartet, which toured internationally in 2025 to celebrate Peterson. The performance will feature works from Peterson’s near seven-decade career, with musicians Ulf Wakenius on guitar, Mark McLean on drums, Brandi Disterheft on bass, and Robert “Robi” Botos on piano. For more information and to reserve seats, please visit the website.
 
VISITING
What to know:
The museum is open seven days a week, except Dec. 25, between 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Admission is free, and passes are not required. For more information, go to https://americanhistory.si.edu/visit.

Food:
The Eat at America’s Table Cafe is open for complete food and beverage service. This April, Executive Chef, Mollie Kauffmann, features a special Cherry Blossom menu, including Cherry-Soy Glazed Icelandic Salmon, Cherry Blossom Power Bowl, Chicken Katsu, Spring Cabbage Salad with Green Onion Sesame Dressing and Yuzu Cheesecake.

The Leroy Neiman Jazz Café will continue to offer Starbucks Coffee hot and cold beverages, seasonal cafe favorites, and a selection of desserts. 

Starting April 20, the Cafes will expand their offerings in commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence with special menus, including themed hot dogs and sandwiches. For more information, visit the website.

Bottled water is allowed in the museum. Refillable water bottles for fountains are recommended.
Stores: Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

ABOUT THE MUSEUM

Through incomparable collections, rigorous research and dynamic public outreach, the National Museum of American History seeks to empower people to create a more just and compassionate future by examining, preserving and sharing the complexity of our past. The museum, located on Constitution Avenue N.W., between 12th and 14th streets, is open daily except Dec. 25 and in 2025, Jan. 20, between 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Admission is free. The doors of the museum are always open online and the virtual museum continues to expand its offerings, including online exhibitions, K–12 educational materials and programs. The public can follow the museum on social media via Instagram and Facebook. For more information, go to https://americanhistory.si.edu. For Smithsonian information, the public may call (202) 633-1000.

Editor’s Note:
All listings are subject to change. All programs are located at the National Museum of American History, free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted. For a complete schedule of activities check the website.  

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