The Arab American National Museum (AANM, ) is a museum in Dearborn, Michigan, highlighting the history, experiences, and contributions of Arab Americans. Established in 2005, it is the first, and largest, museum in the world devoted to Arab American history and culture. It is a division of the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS), and a Smithsonian Affiliate. History The museum's roots lie in an arts and culture division established by parent organization ACCESS in the 1980s. A small museum soon opened in the organization's headquarters, but by the late 1990s, they sought to establish a larger, standalone museum; as such, a fundraising campaign was launched in 2000 to fund the construction of a new museum. Following the September 11 attacks, the community saw a more urgent need to tell their story and dispel myths about Arab Americans. The museum, located on Michigan Avenue in Dearborn's East Downtown, opened to the public on May 5, 2005. Construction cost $15 million, funded largely by donations; major donors included Chrysler, General Motors, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the governments of Saudi Arabia and Qatar. In February 2019, the leader of ACCESS announced Diana Abouali as the new director of the AANM. Exhibits The museum's first floor explores the history and contributions of ancient Arab civilization such as science, medicine, mathematics, architecture, and the decorative arts. The second floor focuses on the Arab experience in America, with galleries dedicated to migration, everyday life and culture, and prominent Arab-Americans such as Ralph Nader and Helen Thomas. Documents and artifacts from Arab Americans related to immigration and the immigration process are displayed, and stories of Arab Americans are portrayed in video or audio recordings. The AANM also includes two large gallery spaces for temporary art exhibits. Permanent art collection Complementing its regular lineup of solo and group exhibitions of art from the Arab world and its American diaspora, the museum holds a permanent collection of paintings, drawings, sculpture, photography, and installation art, displayed throughout the museum. Artists represented in this collection include Emily Jacir, Julienne Jabara Johnson, Mary Tuma, Sama Alshaibi, Hani Zurob, Helen Zughaib, John Halaka, Samia Halaby, Kamal Boullata, Doris Bittar, Sumayyah Samaha, Afaf Zurayk, Leila Kubba Kawash, Athir Shayota, Wafer Shayota, and Adnan Charara. Programs and events MOVE is a first-of-its-kind national gathering that provides a space for artists, activists, scholars, philanthropists, organizations and others from the Arab American community