Hispanic Society of America facts for kids
Hispanic Society museum building on Audubon Terrace
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| Established | May 18, 1904 |
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| Location | New York City |
| Type | Art museum Research library |
| Collection size | 6,800 paintings 1,000 sculptures 175,000 photographs 250,000 books |
| Visitors | 20,000 |
| Public transit access | Subway:  at 157th StreetBus: Bx6, Bx6 SBS, M4, M5, M100 |
The Hispanic Society of America is a special place in New York City. It has a museum and a large library. This institution helps people learn about the art and cultures of Spain and Portugal. It also covers their former colonies in places like Latin America and the Spanish East Indies.
A kind person named Archer M. Huntington started the society in 1904. It is still in its original building, which was built in 1908. This building is in the Washington Heights area of Manhattan. A second building was added in 1930. The buildings are known for their beautiful sculptures. In 2012, the Hispanic Society was named a National Historic Landmark. This means it is a very important historical place. In 2021, the museum grew even bigger. It took over a nearby building that used to be another museum.
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Amazing Collections
The museum has over 18,000 art pieces. These items come from ancient times all the way to the 1900s. You can see important paintings by famous artists like Diego Velázquez and Francisco de Goya. There are also sculptures, furniture, metalwork, and textiles.
The Sorolla Room
One special part of the museum is the Sorolla Room. It holds 14 huge paintings called Vision of Spain. Archer Huntington asked the artist Joaquín Sorolla to create these in 1911. Sorolla worked on them from 1913 to 1919. These paintings are very long, stretching over 200 feet (61 meters). They show different scenes from the regions of Spain.
The Library's Treasures
The library is also very impressive. It has more than 250,000 books and 200,000 documents. There are also 175,000 photographs and 15,000 prints. The rare books section has 15,000 books printed before the year 1700. This includes a very first edition of Don Quijote, a famous Spanish novel. The library also has a rare Black Book of Hours from around 1458. Another amazing item is the huge Map of the World from 1526 by Juan Vespucio.
Some people have found the museum's name a bit confusing. This is because it focuses on the history and culture of Spain and Portugal. It does not focus on modern Hispanic American culture. This is true even though it is in a neighborhood with many Hispanic families.
How the Museum Started
In the late 1800s, America's feelings towards Spain were not very good. This was because Spain had tried to control much of North and South America centuries before. But by the early 1900s, people started to see the importance of learning about Hispanic culture. They realized it was a big part of American history.
Archer Huntington saw how important this kind of museum would be. He worked hard to collect a huge amount of Hispanic art and historical items. He also gathered about 40,000 books. These books created a giant library for scholars. Scholars are people who study Hispanic history, literature, art, and culture. Huntington wanted the institution to be a place for deep research and study, not just for showing art.
Huntington also played a big role in designing the museum building. The main building was based on ideas from his cousin, Charles P. Huntington. Archer Huntington wanted the area, called Audubon Terrace, to be a group of cultural buildings. The museum's design was chosen to make it a respected institution.
Art Projects at the Museum
Between 2007 and 2011, a group called the Dia Art Foundation brought special art projects to the Hispanic Society. These projects included works by artists like Francis Alÿs. They also held weekly events called "Tuesdays on the Terrace." These events offered public outdoor programs with dance, music, and poetry.
New Look and Changes
In 2015, the society announced big plans to make the museum much larger. They wanted to fix up a vacant building next to the original museum. This building used to be the Museum of the American Indian.
Starting in 2017, the museum closed for major renovations. The project cost $15 million. It included replacing the roof and updating the lighting. The new East Building Gallery opened in 2021 for special art shows. The main museum reopened in June 2023.
While the museum was closed, many of its artworks traveled. About 200 important pieces were shown at the Museo del Prado in Madrid. They also went to museums in Mexico City, Albuquerque, Cincinnati, and Houston.
Admission to the museum has always been free. This was Archer Huntington's wish. In 2016, the society asked to charge a fee for temporary exhibitions. This was to help with money problems. But the main hall would stay free. As of 2022, admission to the new galleries is also free. In 2020, Guillaume Kientz became the museum's new director.
Workers' Union and Strike
In May 2021, workers at the museum decided to form a union. They joined a local union called 2110. They then started talking with the museum about a contract. In February 2023, the staff wrote a letter to the museum's leaders. They shared their concerns about pay and benefits.
On March 27, the workers voted to go on strike. This was because their new contract would remove health insurance benefits. The union said that proposed pay raises would not cover these lost benefits. They also said the museum was short on staff, which put the art collection at risk. The union asked for better pay, future wage increases, and health care coverage. On May 19, the workers ended their strike. They agreed to a new contract. This contract included higher salaries, retirement plans, and kept their health benefits. It also added severance pay and funds for professional training.
Important People
Many notable people have worked at the Hispanic Society. They helped build its collections and research. Some of them include:
- Georgiana Goddard King (1871–1939), who studied Spain and the Middle Ages.
- Mildred Stapley Byne (1875–1941), an early expert on architecture and crafts.
- Clara Louisa Penney (1888-1970), an early expert on rare books.
- Florence Lewis May (1899-1988), an early expert on textiles.
- Elizabeth du Gué Trapier (1893-1974), an early expert on paintings and drawings.
- Alice Wilson Frothingham (1902-1976), an early expert on ceramics.
- Beatrice Gilman Proske (1899-2002), an early expert on sculptures.
- Eleanor Sherman Font (1896-1982), an early expert on prints.
- Ruth Matilda Anderson (1893-1983), an early expert on photographs and costumes.
See also
In Spanish: Sociedad Hispánica de América para niños
- Hispanism
- Hispanist
- List of National Historic Landmarks in New York City
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Manhattan above 110th Street
- Beatrice Gilman Proske
