The History of the Carousel on the Mall

The magical horses that live in the National Mall’s carousel will be getting repairs in November as the carousel is temporarily closed for renovations through July 4, 2026. The carousel will be shipped to Ohio for electrical, safety, and aesthetic updates. Expect to see it back in D.C. in time for the nation’s 250th anniversary.

The carousel in front of the Smithsonian’s Arts and Industries Building has provided more than just joy and delight for carousel enthusiasts — it also played a significant role in the Civil Rights Movement.

Built in 1947, the carousel was first located in Gwynn Oak Amusement Park in Baltimore. During the Civil Rights Movement, the amusement park was a site of nonviolent protest for desegregation activists. On Aug. 28, 1963, as the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom took place 40 miles away, the amusement park owners decided to end the park’s white-only policy.

Eleven-month-old Sharon Langley became the first Black child to ride at the park that day. Two white children rode horses on her other side, a symbol of the unity that Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke of during his “I Have a Dream” speech that same day. You can identify the horse that Sharon rode by a brass plate attached to the saddle.

In 1981, the carousel was relocated to its current location on the National Mall. A family owned and operated it until the Smithsonian purchased it in December 2022.