The Apollo Theater in New York has won a reputation as one of America's most famous music halls. The mere mention conjures up images of the countless musicians who have graced its stage: Ella Fitzergald, James Brown and the Jackson 5.

Originally opened as a burlesque hall in the 1900s, the club's extraordinary story is now on display at the National Museum of African American History in Washington, DC.

In this first person account, the museum's curator, Lonnie Bunch, talks about what makes the Apollo so special.