At that time, it was thought that too many American museums were Eurocentric, without giving much attention to other cultures. El Museo del Barrio moved around a bit, first from a single classroom, to several locations from 1969 to 1976, finally ending up in the beautiful Heckscher Building in 1977. This is the only museum in the United States dedicated to Puerto Rican and Latin American art - one more reason to visit. Call ahead for information on lectures, special exhibits and programs. New York City is a melting pot of many ethnic groups and cultures and it seems only fitting to learn about some of these at the museum.
Art ranges from pre-Columbian artifacts to work from contemporary Latin American artists.