The Hispanic Information and Telecommunications Network (HITN), the nation's leading Spanish-language public media network, has congratulated the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture (NMPRAC) on receiving accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). This distinction is the highest national recognition awarded to museums in the United States, placing NMPRAC among a select group of institutions committed to preserving and promoting Hispanic arts and culture.
According to the announcement, NMPRAC is now only the fourth museum dedicated to Latino, Chicano, or Latin American art in the country to earn AAM accreditation. It joins the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago, the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach, California, and the Museo de las Américas in Denver. Fewer than 1,100 museums nationwide have earned this accreditation, which recognizes excellence in governance, collections stewardship, education, financial sustainability, and public service.
Michael D. Nieves, President and CEO of HITN and a member of the NMPRAC Board of Directors, stated: "This accreditation is a powerful affirmation of the museum's commitment to preserving Puerto Rico's rich cultural heritage for future generations. It reflects decades of dedication, vision, and hard work by the museum's staff and leadership." He also acknowledged his fellow board members for their unwavering commitment.
Billy Ocasio, President and CEO of NMPRAC, expressed that the accreditation is the culmination of 26 years of effort since the museum's founding. "What began as a community's determination to hold space and tell its own story has grown into a national institution where our art, our culture, and our history are preserved, celebrated, and passed on," Ocasio said. "This belongs not only to us, but to future generations. We are only beginning."
HITN and NMPRAC share a longstanding commitment to serving Hispanic communities through educational and cultural initiatives that preserve heritage and elevate Latino voices. The museum's accreditation marks a significant milestone for recognizing the contributions of Puerto Ricans and other Hispanic communities to the cultural fabric of the United States.
The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture is located in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood and is the only national museum outside of Puerto Rico dedicated to interpreting Puerto Rican arts and culture. For more information about the museum, visit https://nmprac.org/.
