The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture (formerly ''Institute of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture'') is a museum in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

dedicated to interpreting the arts and culture of the

Puerto Rican people Puerto Ricans ( es, Puertorriqueños; or boricuas) are the people of Puerto Rico, the inhabitants, and citizens of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and their descendants. Overview The culture held in common by most Puerto Ricans is referred t ...

and of the Puerto Ricans in Chicago. Founded in 2001, it is housed in the historic landmark Humboldt Park stables and receptory, near the

Paseo Boricua ''Paseo Boricua'' (loosely translated as "Boricua (Puerto Rican) Promenade") is a section of Division Street in the Humboldt Park community of the West Side of Chicago, Illinois. It is located on Division Street, which is between Western and C ...

. It hosts visual arts exhibitions, community education, and festivals. Its exhibitions have featured the artwork of Osvaldo Budet,

Elizam Escobar Elizam Escobar (May 24, 1948 – January 15, 2021) was a Puerto Rican art theorist, poet, visual artist and writer. He served a lengthy prison sentence after being convicted while a member of the FALN. Early years Escobar was born in Puerto ...

Antonio Martorell Antonio ("Toño") Martorell Cardona (born 18 April 1939) is a Puerto Rican painter, graphic artist and writer. He regularly exhibits in Puerto Rico and the United States and participates in arts events around the world. He spends his time betw ...

, Ramon Frade Leon, and Lizette Cruz, in addition to local Chicago or Puerto Rican artists. The Institute also sponsors music events including an annual ''Navi-Jazz'' performance, described as a "fusion of Puerto Rican and African American musical elements." The Institute is a non-profit organization that is supported in part by the

Chicago Park District The Chicago Park District is one of the oldest and the largest park districts in the United States. As of 2016, there are over 600 parks included in the Chicago Park District as well as 27 beaches, several boat harbors, two botanic conservatories ...

's museum-in-the-parks program. The museum is a member organization of the Chicago Cultural Alliance.

Institute building

The museum complex and the Park (named for

Alexander von Humboldt Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt (14 September 17696 May 1859) was a German polymath, geographer, naturalist, explorer, and proponent of Romantic philosophy and science. He was the younger brother of the Prussian minister, p ...

) were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.National Register of Historical Places in Cook County, IL
Retrieved May 27, 2013. The building was designated a

Chicago Landmark Chicago Landmark is a designation by the Mayor and the City Council of Chicago for historic sites in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Listed sites are selected after meeting a combination of criteria, including historical, economic, archite ...

in 2008. The stables and receptory were built by architects Fromman & Jebsen in 1895 as part of the development of the park. They are designed in a "visually dramatic" Queen Anne revival style. In the building's early days, noted landscape architect and Danish immigrant,

Jens Jensen Jens Jensen may refer to: * Jens Jensen (footballer) (1890–1957), Danish football (soccer) player who played one game for the Denmark national football team * Jens Jensen (landscape architect) (1860–1951), Danish-born landscape architect in Chi ...

, had his park design offices here. The building suffered a major fire in 1992 but was restored through the efforts of community leaders and the Park District. The Institute led renewal of the interior of the building including galleries, classrooms, and concession facilities.

References

{{Ethnicity in Chicago , state=autocollapse Museums in Chicago Puerto Rican culture in Chicago Hispanic and Latino American organizations Ethnic museums in Illinois Latino museums in the United States National Register of Historic Places in Chicago Cultural centers in Chicago