As New York City’s premier Latino cultural institution, El Museo del Barrio invites visitors from all backgrounds to explore the artistic traditions of Latino, Caribbean, and Latin American cultures. The museum’s diverse collections and exhibitions showcase a wide range of artistic practices, from pre-Columbian objects to modern and contemporary works. Complementing the permanent collection of more than 8,000 objects, El Museo also offers film screenings, literary events, visual and performing arts programs, cultural celebrations, and educational initiatives that reflect the depth and variety of the communities it represents.
© Courtesy of El Museo del Barrio
Current and upcoming exhibitions highlight contemporary perspectives and historical contributions across the Americas. Cuban-born, Houston-based artist Reynier Levya Novo presents “Methuselah,” a digital commission by El Museo supported by VIA Art Fund. “Methuselah” maps the 6,000-mile transnational migratory route of a single monarch butterfly, tracing its movement from southern Canada, through the United States, to Mexico. By following the monarch’s journey, the work engages with themes of migration, climate change, and the importance of transnational cooperation, offering a poetic lens on urgent environmental and social issues. At El Museo, “Methuselah” is presented as an in-person mixed-reality installation in Room 110; reservations are available on a first-come, first-served basis and must be made at the museum on the day of your visit. The installation is on view through March 26, 2023.
© Courtesy of El Museo del Barrio
El Museo also presents Por América, an exhibition dedicated to the work of Juan Francisco Elso Padilla. Organized by El Museo del Barrio and guest curator Olga Viso in collaboration with El Museo curator Susanna V. Temkin, Por América surveys the brief but influential career of Elso Padilla (1956–1988). A Havana-based artist and a member of the first generation educated after the Cuban Revolution, Elso Padilla gained international recognition in the early 1980s. The exhibition offers insight into his artistic contributions and the cultural context of his time. Por América remains on view through March 26, 2023, and requires reserved, timed entry.
© Courtesy of El Museo del Barrio
DOMESTICANX, curated by Susanna V. Temkin, showcases seven intergenerational artists whose work examines the private sphere through themes of healing, spirituality, decoration, and the home. Inspired by the concept of domesticana, first articulated by artist and scholar Amalia Mesa-Bains in the 1990s, the exhibition features paintings, textiles, ceramics, and installations. It brings together established figures such as Mesa-Bains, Nitza Tufiño, and Maria Brito with museum presentations by emerging artists Amarise Carreras, Cielo Félix-Hernández, Joel Gaitan, and Misla. DOMESTICANX is on view through March 26, 2023, with reserved timed tickets required for entry.
El Museo del Barrio is located at Fifth Avenue and 104th Street, a short walk from the Museum of the City of New York and directly across from the Conservatory Garden in Central Park. The museum offers a “pay as you wish” admission model: suggested contributions range from $0–9 for adults and $0–5 for students and seniors, ensuring accessibility for a broad audience.