A suspicious item at the National Museum of African American History and Culture was cleared by police.
The item was found on the second floor about 6:45 p.m., U.S. Park Police said.
The entire building was evacuated out of an "abundance of caution," Park Police said.
The museum was closed to visitors at the time, but it was hosting an event that got interrupted -- a conversation with civil rights photographer Steve Schapiro.
"It was extremely orderly when we left, and they told us that there was a threat and we needed to evacuate the building," Monaude Daverne said.
With help from the Metropolitan Police Department, officers determined the item was not a threat almost an hour after it was found.
Park Police said they don't believe the museum is being targeted. They did not describe the item or say whether they thought it was placed intentionally.
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
About two weeks ago, a noose was found on the floor in the museum in front of a display about the KKK inside an exhibit on segregation.
