Mission: 

The mission of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem is to preserve, promote, and present jazz by inspiring knowledge, appreciation and celebration of jazz locally, nationally, and internationally. The National Jazz Museum in Harlem is committed to keeping jazz relevant and exciting in the lives of a diverse range of audiences: young and old, novice and scholar, artist and patron, enthusiast and curious listener. We engage our audiences through live performances, exhibitions, educational workshops, and our news-worthy archival collection of jazz artifacts.

The Museum was founded in 1997 by Leonard Garment, counsel to two U.S. Presidents and accomplished jazz saxophonist, with the help of a $1M Congressional Appropriation.   In 2002, a prestigious Chairman’s Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, supported a  jazz planning summit convening major jazz educators, programmers, musicians and scholars. Shortly thereafter, the Museum launched an acclaimed series of programs and opened a Visitors Center in the heart of Harlem. The museum is a proud affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.