Puerto Rico Museum of Contemporary Art facts for kids
| Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico | |
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| Established | 1984 (current location since 2002) |
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| Location | Juan Ponce de León Ave. at Roberto H. Todd Ave., Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico |
The Puerto Rico Museum of Contemporary Art, often called MAC, is a special place in Santurce, Puerto Rico. It is a contemporary art museum that shows modern art.
The Museum's Journey
The museum was started by artists and people who wanted to support art. It officially became a non-profit group on October 8, 1984. At first, the museum showed its art in public places. These included Plaza Las Américas and offices of people who helped the museum.
In 1988, the University of the Sacred Heart gave the museum a temporary home. This was in the Magdalena Sofía Barat building, and they did not have to pay rent. After 15 years, the museum asked the government for a permanent home. They wanted the historic Labra Building in Santurce. On October 20, 2002, the museum and Governor Sila Calderón signed a deal. This agreement gave the museum the right to use the building.
The Historic Building
The museum is located in a building called the Rafael M. Labra Building. It was built in 1916. This building was part of a plan to build public schools in cities. The architect who designed it was Adrian C. Finlayson.
The building belonged to the Department of Public Education of Puerto Rico for many years. In 1987, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It was listed as the Rafael M. Labra High School. In 2000, it was also added to the Puerto Rico Register of Historic Sites and Zones.
The building's design is in the Georgian style. This style was popular in England during the 1700s. A Puerto Rican architect named Otto Reyes Casanova led its restoration. This work took place from 1995 until 2002. The museum building is about a ten-minute walk from La Placita de Santurce.
Art Collection
Today, the museum has a large collection of art. It includes works from the mid-20th century to the present day. The art comes from artists in Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Some famous artists whose work is displayed include Myrna Báez, Daniel Lind-Ramos, and Noemí Ruiz.
See also
In Spanish: Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico para niños
