The National Jazz Museum in Harlem (NJMH) is on a mission to preserve, promote and present jazz by inspiring knowledge, appreciation and the celebration of jazz locally, nationally and internationally.
We bring this mission to life through four main programs: Education, Public Programming, Exhibits, and Partnerships. Our offerings are all about showcasing the diverse voices of jazz, welcoming artists and audiences from every background, and creating a space where all perspectives can be celebrated.
Whether you’re visiting us in person or tuning in online, NJMH invites you to experience the magic of jazz right where it all started – Harlem! Led by our world-renowned, multi-GRAMMY®-winning Artistic Directors, Jon Batiste and Christian McBride, we shape our exhibits and programs with their creative vision, offering a fresh and exciting way to engage with jazz.
Our goal is simple: We want everyone, everywhere, to feel the joy and energy of jazz. We’re not just a museum – we’re a vibrant, ever-evolving cultural hub where people gather to enjoy music, history, and community.
Education is at the heart of everything we do. From school programs to community collaborations, we’re dedicated to making jazz accessible to all, no matter your age or location.
With the generous support of our donors, we present over 120 free and low-cost workshops, performances, and events every year, reaching more than 200,000 people in Harlem, New York City, and around the world.
Our space, our virtual platforms, and our collaborations create unforgettable jazz experiences for everyone – and we’re always ready to welcome new artists to the family.
Jon Batiste is an internationally acclaimed musician, bandleader and composer. He has earned 5 GRAMMY® Awards. As an educator and television personality, he spreads his unbridled optimism coupled with a profound understanding of the arts. Born into a long lineage of New Orleans musicians, Batiste is a graduate of The Juilliard School with a Master’s degree. After graduating, he toured globally with his band Stay Human and is the former bandleader and musical director on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Jon is a Forbes 30 under 30 honoree, Musical Director for The Atlantic and Creative Director of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem. He balances a demanding performance schedule with speaking engagements, curating events, occasional acting and producing opportunities, all while relentlessly composing new music. His album “Social Music,” spent over a month atop the Billboard and iTunes jazz charts as the #1 jazz album in the world. Jon is also a coveted brand ambassador – featured in campaigns for Chase, Apple, Lincoln and numerous fashion brands including Ralph Lauren, Barney’s, Nordstrom and H&M.
Christian McBride has earned 8 GRAMMY® Awards. Heralded as a teen prodigy at 17, Christian moved to New York in 1989 to pursue classical studies at the Juilliard School. There he was promptly recruited to the road by saxophonist Bobby Watson. These days, world-renowned bassist and bandleader McBride is an eight-time GRAMMY® winning jazz bassist powered by a relentless energy and a boundless love of swing, McBride’s career blazes into its third decade as the Philadelphia native has become one of the most requested, most recorded and most respected figures in the music world today. He hosts and produces “The Lowdown: Conversations with Christian” on SiriusXM satellite radio and National Public Radio’s “Jazz Night in America,” a weekly radio show and multimedia collaboration between WBGO, NPR and Jazz at Lincoln Center. McBride is also a respected educator and advocate, first noted in 1997 when he spoke on former President Bill Clinton’s town hall meeting “Racism in the Performing Arts.” He has since been named Artistic Director of the Newport Jazz Festival®, New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), TD James Moody Jazz Festival and National Jazz Museum in Harlem. He is a National Arts Club Medal of Honor winner. McBride’s alter ego DJ Brother Mister spins classic R&B, soul and funk on original analog vinyl from what he considers the “sweet spot” of dance music, from 1966 to 1986.
Richard S. Taffet, Chair · Lolita K. Jackson, Vice Chair · Albert De Leon, Secretary · Mark A. Willis, Treasurer
Zaire Baptiste · Jai K. Jacob · Kenneth McIntyre · Wynton Marsalis · Robert Nelson, Jr. · Samuel A. Turvey · Lloyd Williams
Trustees Emeriti
Ken Burns · Timothy L. Porter · Jonathan Scheuer · Abraham D. Sofaer, Founding Chair
In Memoriam
Leonard Garment, Founder · Daryl Libow, Secretary · Dr. Billy Taylor
Susheel Kurien, Interim Executive Director
Elijah Maduro, Production Specialist
Ryan Maloney, Education & Program Director
Nathan Mesler, Volunteer & Intern Coordinator
Loren Schoenberg, Senior Scholar
The National Jazz Museum in Harlem embraces the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion in the expression of our values, our programming, and our cultural and organizational practices. These principles are essential to our core programming and to our presence in the world.
We have also adopted the We Have Voice Collective Code of Conduct to Promote Safe(r) Workplaces in the Performing Arts.
We are your go-to venue for off-site meetings, receptions, film screenings, workshops, networking events, socials and more. Located in the heart of Central Harlem’s thriving culinary and entertainment district, The National Jazz Museum in Harlem is the perfect place to hold your next gathering.