A new national museum dedicated to the history and culture of African Americans has opened in Washington DC.

The $540 million (£416m) museum, which is the only national museum in the US devoted exclusively to black American life, history, and culture was inaugurated by the country's first black President Barack Obama.

He told the audience of dignitaries, celebrities and the general public that the exhibitions would "tell a story of America that hasn't always taken a front seat" and "help to tell a richer and fuller story of who we are".

The museum's opening comes at a time when there is heightened tension between the black population in the country and the police following a series of high profile shootings of unarmed men.

The bronze-colored building, designed by British architect David Adjaye, sits on Washington's National Mall and features 36,000 items from the slave trade through to Mr Obama's rise to the Oval Office.

Some of the exhibits include a red Cadillac convertible belonging to rock 'n' roll pioneer Chuck Berry, a slave cabin from South Carolina and boxing gloves used by legendary fighter Muhammad Ali.

Black Civil War veterans first proposed an African-American museum in 1915.

Congress approved its creation in 2003, and construction of the 400,000-square-foot building took almost four years.

Three days of opening festivities will include concerts with various artists and bands including Stevie Wonder and Public Enemy.