Jazz Afternoon

A hidden collection of jazz history comes alive through music and conversation at Jazz Afternoon at the National Museum of American History. The program offers a rare look at objects drawn from the museum’s jazz holdings, bringing instruments, artifacts, and stories out of storage while musicians from the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra create a live soundtrack through pop-up jam sessions. More than a concert, the afternoon connects the physical history of jazz with the artists who continue to shape its sound, giving visitors a closer view of the genre’s evolution and cultural impact. With treasures tied to legendary figures such as Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, and John Coltrane represented in the museum’s collections, the event turns a museum visit into an intimate exploration of America’s musical heritage.