Moses Asch founded Folkways Records in 1948 to document "people's music," spoken word, instruction, and sounds from around the world. The Smithsonian acquired Folkways from the Asch estate in 1987, and Smithsonian Folkways Recordings has continued the Folkways commitment to cultural diversity, education, increased understanding, and lively engagement with the world of sound.
The current featured exhibit at the Rock Hall is "Louder than Words: Rock, Power, and Politics." In January 2017 the exhibit will move to the Newseum in Washington, DC.