The Oprah Winfrey Theater
Freelon Adjaye Bond SmithGroup · 2016
Just below the entrance hall, behind bronze coloured walls and a name in illuminated letters, is a theatre of about three hundred and fifty seats. It is named for Oprah Winfrey, the broadcaster and producer who gave more than twenty million dollars to the museum, the largest gift from an individual. The theatre hosts film screenings, concerts, talks and performances, and it is the place where the museum's public programme comes alive in the evenings and at weekends.
The design continues the language of the building: dark, warm surfaces, bronze tones and the patterned lattice motif from the exterior, which appears on the walls and ceiling as a reminder of the ironwork that inspired the corona. Look at the way the entrance ramp curves down from the concourse, guiding you past the theatre and the Sweet Home Cafe towards the lift that leads to the History Galleries. Even if there is no event on, the foyer is worth a look for its architecture and for the changing displays that often stand outside.
Winfrey's own connection to the museum is on display upstairs in the Culture galleries, where a costume she wore as Sofia in the nineteen eighty five film The Color Purple is part of the collection. The theatre reflects a broader idea behind the museum: that African American culture is not only preserved here but performed, debated and made new. Check the programme on the museum website before you visit; many events are free with a timed pass.
Did You Know? Oprah Winfrey's gift of more than twenty million dollars remains the largest single private donation to the museum, and her costume from The Color Purple is in the collection upstairs.
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