Frequently asked Questions

When did the Northwest African American Museum (NAAM) break ground? Spring 2006.

When will NAAM open its doors to the public? March 8, 2008

When will the Museum memberships be available? October 2007. Click here to go to our membership page.

What is the Capital Campaign target? The Capital Campaign target is approximately $22.6 million.

Where do I send contributions to NAAM? Northwest African American Museum, POB 22889, Seattle WA 98122

How should checks be addressed in support of NAAM?
Northwest African American Museum

What are current volunteer opportunities? The Museum is currently seeking volunteers to work as:
• Docents, leading tours through the Museum's galleries.
• Visitor Services Volunteers, greeting visitors, answering questions, collecting admission fees, etc.
• Clerical Support Volunteers, assisting with day-to-day operations such as copying, collating, filing, mailings, etc.
• Collections Volunteers, helping with the movement, handling and documentation of objects in the Museum's care.

Why isn’t the entire Colman School Building being utilized for the Museum? The two floors of affordable housing rental units are designed to address an Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle goal of offering high quality, affordable housing for artists, historians, teachers, and others who would be attracted by the activities of the Museum. At 19,000 sq. ft., the Museum will be one of the largest community museums in the Puget Sound area.

Why did the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle decide to renovate the Colman School Building rather than tear it down and build a new structure? The City of Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board nominated the Colman School for designation as a city landmark at a public hearing in July 2005 and as such supports the position of the Landmarks Board. In January 2006, Colman School was placed on the Washington State Heritage Register of Historic Places as well.

What is the target family income for potential renters of the housing units within the Colman School? The target family income is between $24,000/yr and $42,000/yr, with target rents between $620/mo for studios and $940/mo for two bedroom apartments.

Will there be an association for renters to set/maintain standards? Probably not. Standards will be maintained and enforced by the property management firm selected by the Urban League.

Why are rental units being constructed rather than condominiums? Projected sales price of condominiums would not cover the cost of developing the units.

How will profits from rental income be used? No significant profits from the rental housing are projected. The modest cash flow will be used to pay off the tax exempt bonds issued to help cover the cost of constructing the housing.

What is the total number of parking spaces for the site? There are 82 total parking spaces on the property to be dedicated to Museum visitors and housing residents. In addition, there will be 35 spaces on Seattle Park Department property to the east of the building that will serve as general public use parking.

What plans provide for wheelchair accessibility to both the Museum and housing? Plans surpass American with Disability Act (ADA) requirements.

What types of retail services will be available in the Museum? Museum Bookstore/Gift Shop and Café.

What is planned specific to area school children? The Museum is currently developing a full schedule of programming for school children in the region. This programming will include a youth oral history project, guided group tours, traveling history displays to local schools, and a youth curator/docent program.

How does one contribute artifacts to the Museum? The Board of Directors, Director and staff have decided that due to limited storage space, the Museum will not initially be a collecting institution. In lieu of that, and understanding there is a wealth of historic items in our community, NAAM is formalizing relationships with a number of organizations in the area that have expressed a willingness to accept and care for artifacts that community members would ideally donate to NAAM. NAAM will have a memorandum of understanding with each of these groups which would allow NAAM to access artifacts for its exhibitions and programming.

What will be the policy for rental of the Museum related to special events? The Museum's rental policy and rates are in place and available upon request.

What are NAAM’s plans for ensuring financial stability for the project once construction of the building is completed? NAAM has Business and Strategic Plans which are updated regularly outlining financial goals & objectives that will guide the Museum in creating a stable base for its operations.

What is the minority group participation in the design/construction of the Museum? Minority group participation in the project includes the DKA architectural firm which is African American owned, Barrientos Inc. developers which is Hispanic owned, and General Contractor Leajak Construction Inc., which is African American owned. Target minority participation for construction of the project is 40%.

What community outreach involvement has taken place since the inception of the project? NAAM has documented community outreach involvement beginning with the June 2001 Seattle City Council approval of a $400,000 feasibility study, to current volunteer-led discussion groups on Museum programs and exhibition content that will include groups such as The Black Heritage Society, the James Washington Jr. Foundation, Central District Forum, the Museum of History and Industry, and others.

What are NAAM’s plans for community outreach involvement in the future?
• A Community Awareness/Marketing Action Plan to correctly identify key community target groups and their specific needs related to the Museum is under development. The plan will address the benefits NAAM will offer to meet these needs and the best marketing/media strategies for reaching each group.
• The continued involvement of the NAAM Program Committee consisting of key community contacts serves as one of the principal outreach vehicles for getting the community involved in Museum programs. Additionally, NAAM has enlisted community volunteers to provide ongoing updates on Museum programs and to elicit input on specific exhibition ideas.