El Museo del Barrio is an art museum founded by New York Puerto Ricans in “El Barrio” East Harlem, that now represents all Latins of the Americas. The El Museo Three Kings Day Parade is one of the highlights of New York’s holiday season.
International Puerto Rican Heritage Film Festival is a Deep Dive into Boricua Identity and Filmmaking
“EL BARRIO,” EAST HARLEM, Manhattan
El Museo del Barrio
Silberman School of Social Work
LOWER EAST SIDE, Manhattan
Regal Essex Crossing
Museum Mile Festival is a Fifth Avenue Museum Open House Block Party
Metropolitan Museum of Art, Neue Galerie, Guggenheim Museum, Cooper Hewitt Design Museum, Jewish Museum, Museum of the City of New York, El Museo del Barrio, Africa Center
UPPER EAST SIDE, Manhattan
Caña Dulce y Caña Brava Plays Mexican Son Jarocho for Carnegie Hall Citywide at El Museo del Barrio
CARNEGIE HALL CITYWIDE, EL MUSEO DEL BARRIO, “El Barrio” East Harlem, Manhattan 🇲🇽 🇲🇽 🇲🇽
Three Kings Day Parade 2025 Marches Through El Barrio with a Breakfast, Parade, and After Party
EL MUSEO DEL BARRIO & PARK AVENUE, “El Barrio” East Harlem, Manhattan 🇵🇷
El Museo News
MARCH
Indigenous Puerto Rican Taíno Art
“Ocama Aracoel” or “calling the ancestors” in Taíno, is an exhibition of Indigenous Taíno art from the Museum’s permanent collection; at El Museo del Barrio in “El Barrio” East Harlem, from March 11 – August 11, 2024. $9 or Pay-What-You-Wish. elmuseo.org 🇵🇷
The Spaniards and Americans say we died out, but We are Still Here. The tribe was absorbed, but lives on in the way Puerto Ricans live today.
MAY
Mexican American Art
Amalia Mesa-Bains: Archaeology of Memory is a retrospective of over 40 works by the renowned Chicana artist; at El Museo del Barrio in “El Barrio” East Harlem, from May 2 – August 11, 2024. $9 or Pay-What-You-Wish. elmuseo.org 🇲🇽
Mesa-Bains references her Mexican heritage with Guadalupe, Frida Kahlo, Aztec deities, and Day of the Dead ofrendas. In fact, a lot of her work has the spiritual feeling of an ofrenda (altar). She will have an exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American art in Fall 2024.
Cuban Art
Cuerpo: Carlos Martiel documents the New York Cuban artist’s performance practice; at El Museo del Barrio in “El Barrio” East Harlem, from May 2 – August 11, 2024. $9 or Pay-What-You-Wish. elmuseo.org 🇨🇺
He’s a student of Tania Bruguera, one of the most famous Cuban performance artists. Much of the Latin world is money poor, but family and spiritually rich. If all you have is your body and soul, you use them. Martiel uses his body in his artistic practice.
Women’s Mexican Son Jarocho
Caña Dulce y Caña Brava sings women’s son jarocho and dances zapateado from Veracruz, Mexico; for Carnegie Hall Citywide at El Museo del Barrio in “El Barrio” East Harlem; on Saturday, May 18, 2024 at 4pm. FREE. carnegiehall.org 🇲🇽
About El Museo
El Museo del Barrio was founded in 1969 by New York City’s Puerto Rican community. It has a strong permanent collection of Indigenous Taíno and Puerto Rican art, and produces some world-class exhibitions.
The Puerto Rican community worries that the museum is no longer led by Puerto Ricans and has gone beyond Puerto Rican culture. Yet the island itself is a mix of many cultures. Let’s be proud of what we have accomplished and that we are leading the way for other Latin communities in New York and across the United States.
Past Programs
Museum Mile Festival is the second Tuesday in June.
Three Kings Day Parade is on or around January 6.
El Museo del Barrio Tickets
El Museo del Barrio
1230 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10029
(at 104th St)
East Harlem, Manhattan
Subway
(6) to 103rd St (5 blocks)