New in May at Smithsonian, Visitors Can Come Outside and Play as “FUTURES Field Day” Takes Over the National Mall Memorial Day Weekend

May at “FUTURES” at the Smithsonian’s Arts and Industries Building (AIB) embraces the spirit of play and joy—across sports, fashion and even hip-hop. 

For the first time, AIB will take over the National Mall Memorial Day weekend for “FUTURES Field Day,” Saturday, May 28, 9 a.m.–10 p.m., an invitation for all play enthusiasts that asks: what if the future of sports could be an equal playing field? What would a sports world look like where everyone has the opportunity to join in? 

In partnership with the NFL and the NFL Players Association, the day’s fun activities will get all body types moving while exploring an inclusive, uplifting and intentional future of sports, where wellness and community matter as much as physical conditioning, and gender is not a pre-determining factor in what sports anyone can play or their level of success. The weekend will bring interactive panels with experts changing the game; a FUTURES Sports Camp with coaches and players; mini-career workshops on refereeing, announcing and commentating from leaders in the business; craft zones; a wacky obstacle course; fun and friendly field games; a nighttime sports movie screening on the National Mall, and more.

Audiences can pregame with “Fridays @ Futures: Future of Sports” Friday, May 27, 5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m., a dynamic warmup to the main event the evening before, with late-night hours and drop-in tour of “FUTURES” that will glimpse everything from virtual games and exo-suits to augmented athletes.

For “Into the Future of Fashion” Thursday, May 12, 6 p.m.–10 p.m., fashion fans are invited to get their futuristic OOTD (outfit of the day) ready for an evening trip into a sustainable, equitable and inclusive future of fashion. AIB is convening some of fashion’s most innovative designers, thought leaders and brands through a magical melding of runway, performances and interactive talks emceed by Dashaun Wesley, host/MC of HBO Max’s culture-defining ballroom competition show Legendary. 

The evening begins with a special presentation of AIB's signature FUTURES Cypher panel discussion exploring the future of fashion, featuring Marni Senofonte, celebrity stylist (Beyoncé, Gigi Hadid, Kendall Jenner) and judge/co-signer of HBO Max’s The Hype streetwear competition; Michelle Tsau of Avant Gardist and menswear designer Andrew Nowell. Then, guests will enjoy special DJ performances and creative cocktails before the night culminates with a jaw-dropping runway show of emerging and major designers celebrating the future of streetwear, sustainable fashion, avant-garde, ballroom culture couture and more, co-hosted by ballroom icon and co-executive producer of HBO Max’s Legendary, Jack Mizrahi and curated by Studio|Couture. Designers include Phenotypsetter, Vincent Li, YASUYUKI ISHII, Grace Yeboah Ofori, Natalie Abrams, Frank Huynh and Joey Jett, all selected for their bold, playful views that are helping to shape the global fashion worlds. 

Starting May 1, AIB’s new monthly Futurist-in-Residence Hila the Killa—eco-rapper, environmental educator and entertainer—will envision a sustainable future with laughter and a beat. Curious about how to reduce single-use plastics, or composting? Sing and learn along at @SmithsonianAIB with hilarious sketches and raps as she covers everything from lowering the carbon footprint, to supporting pollinators, loving vegetables, respecting our planet, and more. Combining hip-hop, stand-up comedy, acrobatics, and elaborate costumes, Hila is the latest innovator to join AIB’s online residency to think creatively about our shared future by creating new content for digital audiences. 

Other programs in May include: 

• “Fridays @ FUTURES” (in person); Friday, May 6, 13, and 20, 5:30–7 p.m. ET: Friday night in “FUTURES,” visitors can start the weekend off right with a generous helping of new ideas and surprising brain snacks. They can explore the entire exhibition until 7 p.m. and keep coming back each week for a new and interesting take on the future through special tours, pop-up experiences, guest speakers and more. Free and open to drop-ins, no advance registration is required.   

For more details, the public can visit aib.si.edu/happenings. 

“FUTURES Field Day” is made possible by the National Football League and the National Football League Players Association. Livestreaming for programs is supported by Comcast NBCUniversal. 

About “FUTURES”

“FUTURES” is the Smithsonian’s first major building-wide exploration of the future and temporarily reopens its oldest museum for the first time in nearly two decades. The part-exhibition, part-festival, designed by award-winning architecture firm Rockwell Group, celebrates the Smithsonian’s 175th anniversary with more than 150 awe-inspiring objects, ideas, prototypes and installations that fuse art, technology, design and history to help visitors imagine many possible futures on the horizon.

On view through July 6, “FUTURES” is open every day except Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with extended hours until 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Admission is free, and no timed tickets are currently required. For more information and to plan a visit, the public can go to aib.si.edu.

“FUTURES” is made possible by a select group of sponsors and supporters: Amazon Web Services, Autodesk, Bell Textron Inc., Jacqueline B. Mars, John and Adrienne Mars, the Embassy of the State of Qatar, David M. Rubenstein, and SoftBank Group. Major support is also provided by the Annenberg Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Kevin S. Bright and Claudia W. Bright, and Robert Kogod. Additional funding is provided by Accenture, John Brock III, Events DC, First Solar, Ford Motor Company, Wendy Dayton, Charlie and Nancy Hogan, the Suzanne Nora Johnson and David Johnson Foundation, Lyda Hill Philanthropies, MedWand Solutions and Oracle.  

About the Arts and Industries Building

The Arts and Industries Building (AIB) is a home for the future-curious. The Smithsonian’s second-oldest building opened in 1881 as America’s first National Museum, an architectural icon in the heart of the National Mall. Its soaring halls introduced millions to wonders about to change the world—Edison’s lightbulb, the first telephone, Apollo rockets. Dubbed “Palace of Wonders” and “Mother of Museums,” AIB incubated new Smithsonian museums for over 120 years before finally closing to the public in 2004. “FUTURES” is a milestone first step in the long-term plan to renovate and permanently reopen this landmark space. For more information, visit aib.si.edu. Follow the museum on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 

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