On view June 18 - October 5, 2026

hometown DC

Washington is more than a capital—it is a collection of vibrant neighborhoods shaped by the people who call them home. As the nation marks its 250th anniversary, hometown DC puts local stories at the heart of the District’s commemoration.

These are our stories.
hometown DC is series of installations—designed as interactive cubes—being showcased at a DC Public Library in every ward and includes free events focusing on experiences and reflections from the people who call the District home.

Click through the images below to view a selection of hometown DC narrator portraits, quotes, historic images, and artworks.

Ward 1 panel featuring Nancy Shia, a hometown DC narrator interviewed by Claude L. Elliott.

Ward 1 panel featuring Nancy Shia, a hometown DC narrator interviewed by Claude L. Elliott.

Ward 2 panel featuring a painting by Michelle René Cobb titled "Spring Day in Georgetown," from the Art Bank Collection, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. The panel includes an excerpt from an oral history from of Henry Rollins, interviewed b

Ward 2 panel featuring a painting by Michelle René Cobb titled "Spring Day in Georgetown," from the Art Bank Collection, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. The panel includes an excerpt from an oral history from of Henry Rollins, interviewed by Ray Barker (2018).

Ward 3 panel featuring a photograph by Joshua Cogan titled "Pride," from the Art Bank Collection, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

Ward 3 panel featuring a photograph by Joshua Cogan titled "Pride," from the Art Bank Collection, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

Ward 4 panel featuring hometown DC narrators, Greg Wright and his wife Desiree Wright, interviewed by Paul Grant.

Ward 4 panel featuring hometown DC narrators, Greg Wright and his wife Desiree Wright, interviewed by Paul Grant.

Ward 5 panel featuring a painting by Patricia Tobacco Forrester titled "Sunflowers and Happy Sycamores, Arboretum," from the Art Bank Collection, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

Ward 5 panel featuring a painting by Patricia Tobacco Forrester titled "Sunflowers and Happy Sycamores, Arboretum," from the Art Bank Collection, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

Ward 6 panel featuring archived oral history clip from Isaac Cosby Hunt III, interviewed by Max Peterson (2020). The panel features a historic image of the Seafood Stand Near Municipal Fish Market, 11th St. & Maine Ave., SW (1959) from the Kiplinger

Ward 6 panel featuring archived oral history clip from Isaac Cosby Hunt III, interviewed by Max Peterson (2020). The panel features a historic image of the Seafood Stand Near Municipal Fish Market, 11th St. & Maine Ave., SW (1959) from the Kiplinger Washington Collection Barrett collection, DC History Center.

Ward 7 panel featuring Dahlia Aguilar, a hometown DC narrator interviewed by Rhonda Henderson.

Ward 7 panel featuring Dahlia Aguilar, a hometown DC narrator interviewed by Rhonda Henderson.

Ward 8 panel featuring a painting by Jermaine jET Carter titled "Barry Farms" from the Art Bank Collection, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

Ward 8 panel featuring a painting by Jermaine jET Carter titled "Barry Farms" from the Art Bank Collection, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

hometown DC is a joint project of:

HumanitiesDC
DC History Center
DC Public Library
DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities

And part of the following initiatives:


By the People: Conversations Beyond 250 is a series of community-driven programs created by humanities councils across the United States, its territories, and the District of Columbia in collaboration with local partners. Together, these programs explore 250 years of the nation's cultural life and imagine its shared future. The initiative was developed by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage as a complement to the 2026 Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Learn more here.