National Museum of African American History and Culture coronet design

The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture opened on the National Mall in 2016 and features a distinctive three-tiered bronze-colored corona cladding. The corona's design, led by architect David Adjaye with collaborators, was inspired by Yoruban crowns and traditional ironwork and reflects carved motifs that reference African and African American history. The building's form and materials were selected to create a visually distinct presence among Mall museums.