The official music of D.C. will soon have a museum.
Organizers of Don’t Mute DC, members of the go-go community and elected D.C. leaders unveiled plans for the museum at a ceremony on Wednesday.
A ribbon cutting celebrated the opening of the mobile museum and a groundbreaking announced the construction of a physical museum at Martin Luther King Jr. Ave SE in the historic Anacostia neighborhood, according to a release.
The museum’s purpose is twofold. First, to preserve the history and culture of go-go music in the District, the release said. Second, to serve as a safe space for the city’s youth who need a positive outlet, Ronald Moten, co-founder of Don't Mute DC said.
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Photos: Go-Go Museum
“One of the reasons why we have all this violence is our young people don't have the platforms that we used to have, to get attention the right way,” Moten said. “So, they're doing all this negative stuff to get attention. We used to have hundreds of go-go bands. Every community had a band. So, we can use those bands to put out positive messages and things. That’s what we used to do.”
The mobile “Go-Go Museum & Café” is a 28-passenger bus with a hydraulic performance stage on the rooftop. Inside it has a pop-out DJ booth, exhibits and the hologram of Anwan “Big G” Glover, the release said. It plans to bring the music to communities and schools in all eight wards.
A mural of go-go musicians is painted on the side of the mobile museum. It includes Big Tony, Anwan “Big G” Glover, Frank Sirius, Sweet Cherrie and Lil’ Boggie and J’Ta Freeman and Lil’ Chris.
The physical museum will showcase the history of the music and house its archives. It will include a restaurant, performance space and recording studio, "to help future generations embrace and produce D.C.’s official music," the release said.
The Go-Go Museum is slated to open in spring 2024.
