The Smithsonian has reopened the historic National Carousel on the National Mall, a ride with deep ties to Maryland's desegregation history.
Historic Maryland desegregation carousel reopens on the National Mall
The carousel originally operated at Gwynn Oak Park, a segregated amusement park in Baltimore County. After years of protests, ownership agreed to desegregate the park in 1963.
On Aug. 28 of that year—the same day as Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech—Black and white children rode the carousel together for the first time.
"This was 10 minutes away from my house," Charlene Harven a neighbor says.
"So when I could, I enjoyed that. I love today that it's going to be and that it's been restored after all these decades. I'm 72 now and unfortunately I do remember segregation, but I also now you know I am a part of the integration and I drive by that area even now sometimes and just remember the good times we had there," Harven says.
The Smithsonian unveiled the restored carousel in celebration of America's 250th anniversary. It had been closed for preservation work since 2023.
The carousel is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day. Tickets to ride are $6.
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