This post is an overview of the Newseum in Washington DC, which closed in 2019 and is now solely online. The museum hopes to reopen at a future date.
- Before Visiting
- Online Exhibits
- Traveling Exhibits
- Past Exhibits
- Other Things to See
- Newseum Reviews
Before Visiting
It's not currently possible to visit the Newseum, as they have closed their previous location and are currently in search of a new home.
As of 2023, this is only a temporary setback, but the process will take time, and it's very likely that the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to the length of time the moving process will take.
Although they aren't currently open for business, you can see some of their exhibits online and they also have traveling exhibits you may want to check out.
For the time being, this post will provide details about some of the best online, pop-up, and traveling exhibits available from the Newseum, as well as information about other things to see.
Whenever the Newseum makes any significant changes or finally moves into a new location, we'll be sure to update you with the most current information about ticket prices and how to get there.
The Newseum is an interactive news and media museum.
It chronicles the history of journalism, explores how new forms of media (such as social media) have changed how the public understands and spreads news.
And it offers a great exhibit on photojournalism, which features a room full of Pulitzer Prize-winning photos.
There are many fun and interactive exhibits for kids of all ages to enjoy. Finally, there are also a number of permanent and temporary exhibits that focus on the news coverage of specific moments in history.
Online Exhibits
This section will detail all of the Newseum exhibits you can currently enjoy online through their website. These offerings may change every few months.
Journalist Memorial
This exhibit was originally placed on a two-story glass structure bearing the names of those in media who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
The list includes reporters, photographers, editors, and broadcasters.
Remembered here are over 2,200 journalists. The names are updated each here to remember those lost.
"Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus"
This exhibit chronicles the story of a young woman who sent a letter to the New York Sun in 1897 asking whether or not Santa Claus was real.
The response, which has since gone down in history, was quickly printed as an editorial on Sept. 21st, 1897, and it has since become the most reprinted editorial in the history of journalism.
You can learn all about this and experience the exhibit online for free!
Traveling Exhibits
This section will cover exhibits that were once at the Newseum but are currently available to enjoy at other museums as traveling exhibits.
Pulitzer Prize Photographs.
Showcasing every Pulitzer Prize-winning entry dating back to 1942, this exhibit is a highlight of the Newseum.
It has a range of human experiences from all over the world, from war and hunger to dancing and celebration.
Some of the most famous images include the flag-raising over Iwo Jima, Babe Ruth bows out, and the Vulture and the Baby.
Also, there is a video of interviews with some of the photojournalists whose work is featured, which truly shows how much our memories and our history is shaped by photographs and journalism.
This exhibit was last on display at the Durham Museum in Omaha, NE until September 20th, 2020. Chances are it will return to a new museum in 2021.
Please note that this exhibit has graphic images and stories and maybe too intense, especially for younger visitors.
Louder Than Words: Rock, Power, and Politics
A special look at the intersection of culture, politics, and the news, this temporary exhibition was created in concert with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Music has often pushed the boundaries of social norms, calling for peace during the Vietnam War, gender equality, Civil Rights.
The exhibit is complete with multimedia experiences, and objects such as Jimi Hendrix’s Woodstock Stratocaster, President Bill Clinton’s saxophone, and Madonna’s “Like A Virgin” jewelry.
This exhibit is currently scheduled to be available for viewing at the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station, TX from March 2nd, 2020 - January 4th, 2021.
Creating Camelot: The Kennedy Photography of Jacques Lowe
This exhibit features some of the most iconic photography of John F. Kennedy and his family.
There are more than 70 different photographs in this exhibit, and many of them are credited with helping to make him such a popular president.
While this attraction was once available at the Newseum, it has been available at the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum since May 15th, 2018.
The exhibit is scheduled to remain at the Hyannis Museum until December 12th, 2021.
Rise Up: Stonewall and the LGBTQ Rights Movement
Learn about the history of the LGBTQ rights movement with this incredible exhibit which will be traveling to a number of different museums in the next few years.
Find out the role that the Stonewall Uprising played in advancing the rights of the LGBTQ community in the United States.
Starting on June 26th, 2021, this exhibit will be available at the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, WA until September 19th.
For more dates and locations, make sure to check the Newseum calendar to find out when and where you can experience this attraction.
40 Chances: Finding Hope in a Hungry World
See the incredible photographs of Howard G. Buffett which chronicle the world hunger crisis in an attempt to raise awareness about the issue.
Buffett traveled to more than 137 countries to capture photos of impoverished areas and reveal what life is like in places that most of us will never get to see.
This exhibit will be at the Stauth Memorial Museum in Montezuma, KS from December 15th, 2020 - March 6th, 2021.
In the next two years, it is also scheduled to appear at Louisiana's Old State Capitol, Discovery Park of America and The Durham Museum.
Past Exhibits
This section includes all of the exhibits that are no longer available at the Newseum, but they may return at some point, especially if and when they finally move to a new location.
Front Pages
Each morning, before many of us are awake, more or less outside the museum, the newspapers along Pennsylvania Ave NW are updated.
A front-page from a local newspaper in each state and some major international papers shows you what is important enough to be front-page news around the world.
Sometimes when the story is important enough, you can see over 60 takes on the same story, and others you can see what is big news in Alaska is not covered in Vermont at all.
I-Witness: A 4-D Time Travel Adventure.
An excellent way to begin your visit to the Newseum, the 4-D Time Travel Adventure film chronicles the progress of journalism in 15 minutes.
It tells many of the smaller, sometimes forgotten stories along the way.
In addition, you can expect the room to fill with bubbles, your chair to shake, and perhaps to even feel as if something’s reached out for your leg!
This is particularly fun for kids and a great way for them to get context before exploring the rest of the museum.
It can be found on the bottom floor of the museum, and usually runs every 30 minutes.
The Berlin Wall Gallery.
The Newseum is home to the largest section of the Berlin Wall anywhere outside of Germany. There are 8 sections of the Wall, each 12 feet high.
With colorful graffiti on the western side, and whitewashed on the eastern side, it is a stark reminder of a city, and a world divided between the east and west.
As well as the wall, there is a guard tower which used to stand near Checkpoint Charlie, where guards had the orders to shoot to kill.
Especially important in today’s world, are these physical reminders of limitations on free speech.
Inside Today’s FBI.
This is one of the Newseum’s most popular exhibitions, exploring the FBI.
It looks at some of the most shocking cases in recent history, and how their techniques have evolved as technology and crime changed.
Furthermore, there are objects seized by the FBI like machine guns and bomb parts and discusses terrorist plots like the Boston Marathon Bombing and the Unabomber.
A really interesting look at how the FBI fights crime and the role the media plays in portraying these events.
New Media Gallery
Part of the fun of the Newseum, especially for kids, are the interactive exhibits.
The New Media Gallery features videos and interactive galleries where you can discover about the evolution of media around the world.
Here you can create your own front page, including your name or photo in the byline to be seen on other platforms across the museum.
You can scroll through updates on breaking news and see how social media has played a role in some of the biggest stories of the past decade.
9/11 Gallery.
This moving exhibit shows the events of September 11, 2001, that shook and forever changed this country.
It includes eye-witness accounts, moving films, stories from journalists, and objects from Ground Zero.
One of the most visceral pieces in the entire museum is the twisted metal remains of a 360-foot antenna, which used to sit atop the World Trade Center’s North Tower.
Many guests noted that this is the best part of the museum, and worth the visit alone.
The exhibit will bring the events of that day back for those who remember and bring home the importance of it for those who don’t.
Please note that this exhibit has graphic images and stories and maybe too intense, especially for younger visitors.
Historic Front Pages Collection
The News Corporation News History Gallery is the largest exhibit on the Newseum.
It displays over 300 historic front pages covering wars, assassinations, elections, and other major world events.
The center of the room features these front pages in drawers that you can pull out to read and the outer edges of the exhibit display artifacts from war reporting, women in the media, and more.
The room is dark to preserve the historic newspapers but the staff is on hand if you need any help.
“PICTURES OF THE YEAR: 75 YEARS OF THE WORLD’S BEST PHOTOGRAPHY”
On display through January 2019
Celebrating the renowned photojournalism competition, Picture of the Year International, in its 75th year, this newest exhibit opening in April 2018 displays some of the best of the best.
Ranging from WWII to the present day, you'll see images tracing the evolution of photojournalism worldwide.
Anchorman.
One of the most popular exhibits ever in the Newseum, based around the hit 2004 film Anchorman a comedy about a news team in the 1970s.
It included props, behind-the-scenes looks, and an interactive news desk.
While many exhibits in the Newseum can be on the heavy side, this one provided comic relief.
1966: Civil Rights at 50.
This exhibit chronicles the tumultuous events of the Civil Rights movement in 1966.
From the origins of the Black Power movement to more drives for voter registration to riots in major cities, it was a pivotal year.
In addition, this exhibit looks at how the media shaped the movement and people’s perception of it.
