Light Up the World

The Legacy of Lewis H. Latimer

Now Open

Each room of the Latimer historic home –redesigned in 2024 - transports visitors through time as they learn how Lewis Latimer’s life, legacy, and family continue to impact modern society. 

Visit us on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and during special events.

A young girl with braided hair decorated with purple flowers, wearing a light blue polo shirt, stands in front of a locker, holding a handle and looking at it with a focused expression inside a school or museum setting.
Visit

Explore the Permanent Galleries

  • Museum exhibit with blue and white walls, showcasing an illuminated sign that reads 'Light Up the World,' featuring information about Lewis H. Latimer, with photographs, drawings, and a pair of sneakers on display.

    Light Up the World

    The first gallery highlights how Latimer’s work continues to resonate in our daily lives and the broader cultural landscape, showcasing his influence on technology and culture.

  • A person sitting on a blue bench in a museum, looking at a wall with exhibits about inventors, patents, and technology, with books on blue shelves to the right.

    The Latimer Lab

    The second gallery provides an open space for young visitors to delve into science, technology engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) education and creativity.

  • Exhibit in a museum showcasing historical documents, photographs, and artifacts related to electric lighting and inventors, with display cases, panels, and artwork on the walls.

    A Definite Purpose

    The third gallery places Latimer’s career in its historical context, highlighting his efforts to overcome racial discrimination of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

  • An exhibit room featuring a vintage upright piano in the center, surrounded by framed photographs and documents on blue display tables and on the walls. The room has white walls, large windows with pastel-colored shades, hardwood floors, and overhead spotlights.

    A Legacy of Imagination

    The fourth gallery takes inspiration from his family’s story, honoring his parent’s efforts to free themselves from slavery and his children’s impact on the civil rights movement.

  • Woman viewing a museum display with historical photographs, a suit in a glass case, and informational text titled 'Community at the Center' on a pastel-colored wall.

    Community at the Center

    The fifth gallery reflects Latimer’s ambitions as an activist and community organizer, showcasing his role in the Harlem Renaissance and service in the Union Navy.

Plan Your Visit

Follow Latimer

Welcoming Everyone

We strive to be a gathering place for people of all backgrounds to explore, learn, and be inspired. 

As a museum inspired by one of history's great innovators, we are deeply committed to offering collaborative community spaces, including study spaces, office hours, and workshops.

Colorful vintage house with a porch, red and beige exterior, and multiple windows, situated in a garden with a pathway, under a clear blue sky.
A smiling young boy with glasses and a blue T-shirt standing indoors, holding a fidget spinner near a table, with a museum exhibit and another person in the background.
Group of people performing music and dance outdoors. One woman is dancing mid-air, four others are playing drums and percussion instruments, in front of a yellow house with red window shutters.
A group of people in an art museum, including a woman in a white top and red skirt holding a smartphone, and a young girl wearing a teal cap interacting with an exhibit at a blue display table. Other visitors are in the background viewing displays on the wall.