List of museums in Puerto Rico facts for kids

Puerto Rico is home to many amazing museums! These are special places where you can explore cool stuff like art, science, and history. They collect and take care of interesting objects and then show them to everyone. Get ready to discover some of the best museums you can visit on the island!

Museums in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico has a wide variety of museums. You can find everything from ancient artifacts to modern art. There are also museums about famous people, local history, and even how things like coffee or sugar were made long ago.

Art and Culture Museums

• Alfredo Ramírez de Arellano y Rosell Museum in San Germán

* This museum celebrates the art history of San Germán and the southwestern part of Puerto Rico. It's a great place to see local artistic talent.

• Caguas Museum of Art in Caguas

* Located in a beautiful old house, this museum shows off modern art. It often features works by Carlos Osorio and has changing art shows.

• Caguas Museum of Folk Arts in Caguas

* Discover amazing folk art made by talented local artists. You can see crafts from masters like Zoilo Cajigas and Celestino Avilés.

• Caguas Museum of History in Caguas

* Learn about the history of Caguas in this museum, which used to be the city hall. It's also known as the Museum of Caguas.

• Casa Alonso Museum of Art, History and Culture in Vega Baja

* This historic house museum offers a mix of art, local history, and folk art exhibits. It's a great way to see how people lived and created in the past.

• Casa Escuté Museum in Carolina

* Visit this local art museum located in a historic building in Carolina's main plaza.

• El Cemí Museum in Jayuya

* This unique museum is shaped like a cemí, a sacred object of the Taíno people. It's dedicated to the religious art and carvings of the ancient Taíno.

• Humacao Cultural Center and Fine Arts Museum in Humacao

* This municipal art museum and cultural center is housed in a former courthouse. It's a hub for art and events in Humacao.

• La Princesa Prison – ICPR and Puerto Rico Tourism Company Exhibition Hall in San Juan

* This small gallery and exhibition space is located in the historic former La Princesa Prison. It often features temporary art shows.

• Mariana Bracetti Museum in Lares

* Explore local arts and crafts at this small museum.

• Miramar Art & Design Museum in San Juan

* This art museum focuses on design, local architecture, and modern art. It's a cool place to see how art and design connect.

• Mundillo Museum in Moca

* Learn about the famous local mundillo technique, which is a special way of making bobbin lace. It's a beautiful and intricate craft.

• MUSAN: Museum of Santos and National Art in San Juan

* This folk-art museum highlights the creation of santos, which are small religious statues of saints and Biblical figures.

• Museum of Art of Aguadilla in Aguadilla

* A municipal art museum and event space located in a former courthouse.

• Museum of Art of Aguadilla and the Caribbean in Aguadilla

* This art museum is housed in a historic early 20th-century home.

• Museum of Art of Puerto Rico in San Juan

* One of the biggest art museums in Puerto Rico, it features art from Puerto Rico, Latin America, and Puerto Ricans living in the U.S. It also has a sculpture garden!

• Museum of History, Anthropology and Art of the University of Puerto Rico in San Juan

* This is the oldest museum in Puerto Rico! It has permanent exhibits on art, anthropology, and archaeology. You can even see a flag from the 1868 Lares revolt here.

• Museum of the Americas in San Juan

* Located in the historic Ballajá Barracks, this museum explores the history, art, and culture of the Americas, from ancient indigenous times to today.

• Óscar Colón Delgado Art and History Museum in Hatillo

* This museum covers the history, culture, arts, and crafts of Hatillo, with a special focus on the local vejigante traditions (colorful masked characters).

• Ponce Museum of Art in Ponce

* The largest art museum in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean! It has a huge collection of European, Puerto Rican, and Latin American paintings. It's also famous for its Pre-Raphaelite art.

• Puerto Rican Athenaeum in San Juan

* This cultural center includes an art gallery, theater, and library. It's a great place to experience Puerto Rican arts.

• Puerto Rico Museum of Contemporary Art in San Juan

* Housed in a former high school, this museum features modern art with a large permanent collection, temporary exhibits, and workshops.

• Religious Art Museum of Porta Coeli in San Germán

* Located in a beautiful old convent, this museum displays colonial religious art from Puerto Rico and Latin America.

History and Biographical Museums

• Alberto Ávila López Museum of the History of Camuy in Camuy

* A small museum that tells the story of Camuy's local history and keeps its important town records.

• Ashford House Museum in San Juan

* This was once the home of Bailey Ashford, who started the School of Tropical Medicine in Puerto Rico. Now it's a museum about his life and work.

• Casa Armstrong-Poventud Museum in Ponce

* Step back in time at this historic house museum. It shows what life was like in Ponce during the 1800s.

• Casa Cautiño Museum in Guayama

* This historic home features handmade furniture and art by local artists. It's a glimpse into a past era.

• Casa de la Familia Puertorriqueña del Siglo XIX in San Juan

* This traditional Old San Juan house shows what local life was like in the 19th century.

• Casa de los Contrafuertes - Museum of Our African Roots in San Juan

* Originally a pharmacy museum, this historic house now focuses on Afro-Puerto Rican heritage and visual arts.

• Casa del Rey Museum in Dorado

* This local history museum is in an old Spanish government building. It was even home to famous writer Manuel Alonso y Pacheco for a time.

• Casa Dra. Concha Melendez Ramirez Museum in San Juan

* This museum and library honors writer and educator Concha Meléndez, the first woman in the Puerto Rican Academy of Languages.

• Casa Grande Museum in Mayagüez

* This beautiful 1820s house is considered one of Mayagüez's most important buildings.

• Casa Jesús T. Piñero Museum in Canóvanas

* Explore the 1930s home of governor Jesús T. Piñero at this museum.

• Casa Luis Muñoz Rivera Museum in Barranquitas

* This museum is the home of important politician Luis Muñoz Rivera.

• Casa Paoli Museum in Ponce

* This was the home of famous Puerto Rican singer Antonio Paoli. Now it's a museum dedicated to his life and music.

• Casa Portela Museum in Vega Baja

* This museum is dedicated to the local culture and history of Vega Baja.

• Castillo San Felipe del Morro in San Juan

* This huge 18th-century fortress was built to protect the entrance to San Juan Bay. It's part of the San Juan National Historic Site.

• Castillo Serrallés Museum (Sugar Cane and Rum Museum) in Ponce

* Learn about Puerto Rico's sugar cane and rum industries in this beautiful mansion. It was once the home of the Serrallés family, who founded the famous Don Q rum.

• Centro Cultural de Barceloneta Museum in Barceloneta

* A small museum at the Barceloneta cultural center, focusing on local history.

• Coamo Historic Museum in Coamo

* This museum, located in an old industrialist's home, tells the story of Coamo's history and industries.

• Culebra Historical Museum in Culebra

* This museum, once a powder and warehouse, shares the history of Culebra from ancient times through Spanish and French settlement to today.

• Doña Bisa House Museum in San Sebastián

* A historic house museum dedicated to the life of a celebrated local figure, Doña Bisa.

• Federico Degetau House and Museum in Aibonito

* This was the home of politician and author Federico Degetau.

• Felisa Rincón de Gautier House Museum in San Juan

* Learn about the life of Felisa Rincón de Gautier, a women's rights activist and the first female mayor of San Juan. It's also known as Museo de Doña Fela.

• Fort San Cristóbal in San Juan

* This huge 17th-century fortress was built to protect San Juan from attacks. It's the largest European fortification ever built in the Americas!

• Fortín de San Gerónimo Museum in San Juan

* This historic 18th-century fort was important for defending San Juan. It now has a small museum about the military history of the Spanish Empire in Puerto Rico.

• Francisco "Pancho" Coimbre Museum in Ponce

* This museum celebrates the history of sports in Puerto Rico, especially baseball, and the lives of famous Puerto Rican baseball players.

• Fuerte de Vieques Museum in Vieques

* Located in a historic 19th-century Spanish fortress, this museum covers local history, art, and indigenous culture of Vieques. It's also known as Museum Fort Count Mirasol.

• Hacienda Enriqueta Museum in Moca

* This museum shows a well-preserved former German-Puerto Rican hacienda (plantation house).

• House and Museum of the Three Kings of Juana Díaz in Juana Díaz

* This museum is dedicated to the local tradition of the Biblical Magi, known as the Santos Reyes de Juana Díaz.

• Joaquin de Rojas House Museum in Barranquitas

* A small history museum located in Barranquitas's cultural and tourism office.

• José Celso Barbosa House Museum in Bayamón

* This museum is the birthplace and home of politician José Celso Barbosa, known as the "Father of the Puerto Rico Statehood movement".

• José Rafael Gilot Museum of the History of Juana Díaz in Juana Díaz

* A small museum dedicated to the local history of Juana Díaz.

• Juan Antonio Corretjer Museum in Ciales

* This museum, library, and event center is dedicated to the life and work of poet Juan Antonio Corretjer.

• La Casa Blanca in San Juan

* This fortified residence was once the home of Juan Ponce de León and his family. It's a very old and important historical site.

• Lares Museum of Historical Resources in Lares

* This museum and archive preserves the local history of Lares.

• Machín–Ramos Residence Museum in San Lorenzo

* This museum and cultural center is located in one of the oldest homes in the San Lorenzo region.

• Museum of Guánica in Guánica

* This museum covers the history, culture, arts, and crafts of Guánica.

• Museum of Ponce Architecture in Ponce

* Located in the famous Wiechers-Villaronga House, this museum shows the history of architecture in Ponce, especially the beautiful Ponce Creole style.

• Museum of Puerto Rican Autonomism in Ponce

* This small museum explores the history of Puerto Rican self-governance and the autonomist movement.

• Museum of San Juan in San Juan

* Housed in the historic former marketplace of Old San Juan, this museum tells the story of San Juan from its early settlement in 1508 to 1898.

• Museum of the History of Ponce in Ponce

* Learn all about Ponce's history, from its founding to modern times, including its people, economy, and architecture. It's located in the historic Salazar-Candal House.

• Museum of the Ponce Massacre in Ponce

* This museum is located at the site of the Ponce massacre that happened on March 21, 1937. It has artifacts and memories from that important event.

• Museum of the Próceres in Cabo Rojo

* This museum honors the lives and work of important figures from Cabo Rojo's history.

• Nemesio Canales Museum in Jayuya

* This museum celebrates the family of writer and activist Nemesio Canales and their contributions to Puerto Rico's history.

• Pablo Casals Museum in San Juan

* Dedicated to the life and work of famous cellist and composer Pablo Casals, this museum also has a media and music library.

• Palacete Los Moreau Museum in Moca

* This historic manor house was part of the Hacienda Iruena sugar cane plantation. It's famous for being the inspiration for the book La Llamarada.

• Parque de Bombas Museum in Ponce

* This iconic red and black building, originally built for a trade fair, later became a fire station. Now it's a museum about the history of firefighting in Ponce.

• Photojournalism Museum of the Jewish Community Center of Puerto Rico in San Juan

* This small museum focuses on photojournalism and also shares information about the local Jewish community. It's located in a historic house.

• Quebradillas Historical Museum in Quebradillas

* This museum showcases the local history of Quebradillas through old artifacts, memorabilia, and art.

• San Juan Waterworks in San Juan

* Learn about the historic aqueduct and waterworks that helped develop Río Piedras. It also highlights the importance of the Piedras River ecosystem.

Science and Nature Museums

• Arecibo Lighthouse Museum and Historical Park in Arecibo

* This historic lighthouse museum tells the story of the last lighthouse built by the Spanish in Puerto Rico. It also has a fun history-themed park with interactive activities for kids!

• Arecibo Observatory Angel Ramos Foundation Visitor Center in Arecibo

* This science museum is the visitor center for the famous Arecibo Observatory. You can learn all about astronomy, atmospheric sciences, and how radio telescopes work.

• Dr. Modesto Iriarte BONUS Technological Museum in Rincón

* This museum is a decommissioned nuclear power plant! It now teaches about nuclear energy production and use.

• EcoExploratorio in San Juan

* A small museum dedicated to science and technology, located in Plaza de Las Américas.

• El Portal Rainforest Center in Río Grande

* This visitor center and natural history museum showcases the amazing plants and animals of El Yunque National Forest.

• Guaynabo Telegraph Museum in Guaynabo

* Located in an old telephone and telegraph station, this small science museum tells the story of the telegraph in Puerto Rico.

• Las Cabezas de San Juan Lighthouse Museum in Fajardo

* This small natural history and ecology museum is inside the historic Cape San Juan Lighthouse, within a beautiful nature reserve.

• Museum of Optometry of the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico in Bayamón

* A small museum dedicated to optometry and the history of eye medicine in Puerto Rico.

• Museum of Pharmacy and Medicinal Plants of the University of Puerto Rico in San Juan

* This small museum explores the history of pharmacy in Puerto Rico, from ancient indigenous practices to modern times.

• Parque de las Ciencias in Bayamón

* This educational theme park has several museums about automobiles, medicine, technology, rockets, ecology, and more!

• Punta Tuna Lighthouse Museum in Maunabo

* This historic lighthouse museum shares stories about the maritime history connected to this important site.

• University of Puerto Rico Museum of Zoology in San Juan

* A small campus museum dedicated to zoology and natural history.

Archaeology and Indigenous Culture Museums

• Caguana Ceremonial Ball Courts Site Museum in Utuado

* Located at the Caguana Indigenous Ceremonial Center, this museum houses one of the largest collections of archaeological finds in Puerto Rico.

• La Cueva del Indio Ceremonial Center Museum in Las Piedras

* This small museum helps you understand the ancient ball courts (bateyes) and indigenous rock carvings (petroglyphs) found at the site.

• Museum of Archaeology, History and Epigraphy of Guayanilla in Guayanilla

* This museum covers the history, culture, arts, and crafts of Guayanilla, including archaeological discoveries.

• Museum of the Conquest and Colonization of Puerto Rico in Guaynabo

* This archaeological center helps explain the Caparra archaeological site and how Europeans first settled Puerto Rico.

• Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center Museum in Ponce

* This important archaeological site has a museum with many artifacts found both at the site and across Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.

Industry and Transportation Museums

• Ciales Coffee Museum in Ciales

* Learn about the history of coffee growing and production in the Ciales area. You can even try locally made coffees here!

• Casa del Trovador in Caguas

* This former home of musician Luis Miranda is now a museum about Caguas's music history and the trobador musical tradition of Puerto Rico.

• Centro Musical Criollo José Ignacio Quintón in Caguas

* A music museum, library, and arts center located in a former church.

• Hacienda Buena Vista Museum in Ponce

* Visit a historic coffee plantation, farm, and manor house. It shows how coffee was produced long ago.

• Hacienda La Esperanza Museum in Manatí

* This historic sugar cane plantation and manor house shows how the sugar cane industry developed in Puerto Rico.

• Hacienda La Fe Museum in San Sebastián

* Once a plantation and farm, this is now a municipal museum about agriculture and local farming history.

• Hacienda Lealtad Museum in Lares

* Another historic coffee plantation and farm where you can learn about the past.

• Héctor Flores Osuna House Museum in Caguas

* This museum, the former home of composer Héctor Flores Osuna, also has exhibits on Puerto Rican music and dance.

• Herminio Torres Grillo Tobacco Museum in Caguas

* Located in an old tobacco processing center, this museum is all about the tobacco industry and the art of hand-rolling cigars. It's also known as the Caguas Tobacco Museum.

• Historic House of Music in Cayey in Cayey

* A music museum and community arts center located in a historic house.

• Museum of the Hammock in San Sebastián

* This museum, located in a former marketplace, is dedicated to the art of making hammocks.

• Museum of the Sea in San Juan

* A small private museum that explores the maritime history of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.

• Museum of the Train in Isabela

* This transportation museum focuses on the history of railways in Puerto Rico and how important they were for the sugar cane industry.

• Museum of Transportation of Puerto Rico in Guaynabo

* See automobiles, bicycles, motorcycles, horse-drawn carriages, and more, all telling the story of how people and goods moved around the island.

Other Interesting Museums

• Casa Pueblo Museum in Adjuntas

* This museum covers local culture, art, crafts, nature, and the environment. It's part of a non-profit environmental organization.

• Casa Roig Museum in Humacao

* A historic house museum designed in the unique Prairie School style. It was once the home of a sugar cane magnate.

• Dr. Pio Lopez Martinez Art Museum in Cayey

* Operated by the University of Puerto Rico at Cayey, this museum features art by Ramon Frade and a collection of posters showing Puerto Rican popular culture.

• José PH. Hernández Poster Museum in Río Grande

* A small museum dedicated to the art of making posters and banners.

• Puerto Rico Museum of Sports in Salinas

* Located at the Olympic Village, this museum tells the history of sports in Puerto Rico and the island's role in the Olympics.

• Puerto Rico National Guard Museum in San Juan

* A small military history museum located at the former headquarters of the Puerto Rico National Guard.

Former Museums

• Casa Rosa, a historic house in San Juan, was once a museum for Puerto Rican crafts.
• Wildlife Museum of San Juan, a municipal natural history museum.

See also

• Botanical gardens in Puerto Rico
• Houses in Puerto Rico
• Forts in Puerto Rico
• Nature Centers in Puerto Rico
• Observatories in Puerto Rico
• Registered Historic Places in Puerto Rico