Annual Reports & Financials

As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum continues to be a beacon of African American history and culture in Maryland. This milestone year has been marked by record-breaking attendance, groundbreaking exhibitions, and expanded educational programming that has reached thousands of students across the state. Our commitment to preserving and sharing the stories of Black Marylanders remains stronger than ever, as we look toward the next two decades of service to our community.

The focus and efforts of staff members accelerated the momentum of institutional growth at the Lewis Museum. Mission-critical priorities were progressed during this fiscal year that included a new strategic plan, major exhibition launches, and the expansion of our digital collections program. We deepened our partnerships with schools across Maryland, welcomed record numbers of families through our doors, and strengthened our role as a vital community resource for understanding and celebrating Black history.

Since its opening in 2005, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum has been a physical monument to the lives and legacies of African Americans in Maryland. This year marked a turning point in our ability to reach beyond our walls through innovative digital programming and virtual exhibitions. We completed a major technology infrastructure upgrade, launched interactive online resources for educators, and expanded our oral history collection project. The organization experienced tremendous growth marked by our partnerships with major institutions and our deepening engagement with communities across the state.

This fiscal year brought new energy and focus as we emerged from pandemic challenges with renewed determination. We launched major initiatives to expand access to our collections, piloted new family programming that became wildly popular, and began planning for our 20th anniversary celebrations. Our Board of Directors grew stronger with the addition of dynamic new members, and we secured significant grant funding to support educational programs. The Lewis Museum continued to evolve as an essential institution for understanding Maryland's diverse African American heritage.

Through its continued evolution during one of the most challenging periods in recent history, the Lewis Museum demonstrated remarkable resilience and innovation. We pivoted to virtual programming, created engaging online exhibitions, and found new ways to connect with our community when in-person visits were limited. This year saw the launch of our digital oral history project, the expansion of teacher resources available online, and a reimagining of how museums can serve their communities in times of crisis. Our staff's creativity and dedication ensured that the museum's mission continued uninterrupted.

In a year that tested institutions worldwide, the Lewis Museum rose to meet unprecedented challenges with innovation and determination. As the COVID-19 pandemic forced temporary closures, we quickly adapted our programming to reach audiences digitally, launched virtual tours, and created online resources for students and teachers. This period also saw heightened national attention to racial justice, and our museum became an even more vital space for dialogue, education, and understanding. Despite the obstacles, we continued our essential work of preserving and sharing Black history.

The Reginald F. Lewis Museum continued its ambitious trajectory of growth and impact. Through the hard work of our staff and board of directors, we were able to create comprehensive plans for expanding our reach and deepening our engagement with Maryland communities. We launched several successful exhibitions that drew visitors from across the region, expanded our educational programming to serve more students than ever before, and strengthened partnerships with cultural institutions nationwide. The hundreds of programs we offered and the thousands of visitors we welcomed demonstrated the enduring importance of our mission.