Smithsonian Slave Ship

People visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture's Middle Passage exhibit, including a wooden timber, the artifact at left, from the slave ship, the São José-Paquete de Africa, Friday, March 6, 2026, in Washington.

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AP Exclusive: Smithsonian museum will revamp its slavery exhibit after artifact loan runs out

AP Exclusive: Smithsonian museum will revamp its slavery exhibit after artifact loan runs out

The National Museum of African American History and Culture is removing a rare slave ship timber from its “Slavery and Freedom” exhibit and returning it to South Africa. Visitors will have their last chance to see the piece on display in Washington on March 22. The museum says the change follows a loan agreement that ends July 1. The Associated Press examined the agreement. Museum staff members also cite conservation needs because the wood is fragile. The timber comes from the São José, a Portuguese ship that sank off the coast of South Africa in 1794. Researchers recovered the wreck in 2015. The museum plans to replace the timber with a cargo manifest.