OUR MISSION
We aim to empower people to do what they love — dare to be different — and have fun.
We inspire creativity and imagination through the fusion of the arts, science, and sports.
“Seeing the joy on people’s faces when they make a connection makes everything worth it.”
~ Ted Spero, President, O Museum in The Mansion
We are committed to sustaining our programs.
As a 501(c)(3) non-profit we are asking for your support to achieve these goals.
OUR PROGRAMS
We weave storytelling, the arts, music, sports, science, and history into each program. We provide tools for children to better themselves, for individuals to find understanding, and for companies to add depth, context, and solutions to all levels of their organization.
1
Education & Empowerment
(Total funding needed $360,000/year)
Mrs. Parks believed deeply in civic responsibility. Her work included active participation in the community, with a focus on the common good. Our multi-tiered education and empowerment programs (for youth of all ages) uphold values that include justice, freedom, equality, diversity beyond color, human rights, tolerance, and self-respect.
3
Healing Through Music & Storytelling
(Total funding needed $575,000/year)
These programs promote understanding and unity through the arts. From gender and politics to religion and race — the world is more divided today than it has ever been. We believe music has the power to unite us — it can teach, it can heal, and it can change hearts.
Did You Know?
O Museum was designated as a 20th Century Civil Rights site on The African American Heritage Trail.
RIGHT: Washington, DC mayor Muriel Bowser at the dedication ceremony for O Museum in The Mansion's inclusion
5
51 Steps To Freedom Trail
(Total funding needed $85,000/year)
51 Steps To Freedom® is the 1st trail of it’s kind uniting DC — from Anacostia to Georgetown — and back again. It combines history, storytelling, digital and traditional art, music — and cutting edge technology — to inspire, educate, and tell the stories of the hidden figures and places in DC that continue to shape America’s journey for freedom and equality.
2
Artist-In-Residence & Heroes Program
(Total funding needed $250,000/year)
The O Museum provides a haven for the heart and soul (at no cost) for soldiers, service people, first responders and all those who are giving of themselves to serve others. Mrs. Rosa Parks stayed with us on and off from 1994 to 2003 as part of our Heroes Program.
Every year for the past 45 years we have provided (on average) over 1,000 free room nights a year When you stay at The Mansion you are supporting these important programs.
Did You Know?
"The mother of the civil rights movement" Mrs. Rosa Parks, her staff, and friends stayed with us on and off from 1994 to 2003 as part of our heroes program.
Since 1980, over $4M has
gone to support this program.
4
Art & Literature Programs
(Total funding needed $85,000/year)
Art and literature are critical components to building empathy and driving change. These programs help bridge the divide using art and literature to promote conversation about our shared experiences and important social, political, historical, and environmental topics.
RIGHT: Mrs. Rosa Parks on the steps of O Museum in The Mansion greeting well wishers
Did You Know?
51 Steps To Freedom originated as a program at O Museum in The Mansion
and is now powered by it.
We are also the organization that filed to make BLM Plaza a historic site on the African American Heritage Trail
Duke Ellington from Washington, DC
6
Serving The Community
We are honored to work with the DC community and visitors from around the world to inspire empathy, unity, and personal growth. By offering over 15,000 free and low-cost tickets a year we ensure everyone can experience our unique exhibits — and the valuable lessons they teach — regardless of financial means.
