Puerto Rico Museum of Contemporary Art facts for kids
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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 where you can see contemporary art. Contemporary art means art made in our time, from the mid-1900s until now. It's like a big art gallery that shows new and exciting artworks.
Contents
The Museum's Story
The MAC museum was started by artists and people who supported the arts. It officially became a non-profit organization on October 8, 1984. At first, the museum didn't have its own building. It showed art in public places like Plaza Las Américas.
Finding a Home
In 1988, the University of the Sacred Heart let the museum use a building for free. This was a temporary home for 15 years. Later, the museum asked the government for the historic Labra Building in Santurce. On October 20, 2002, the museum and Governor Sila Calderón signed an agreement. This gave the museum the right to use the Labra Building as its permanent home.
The Museum 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 construct public schools in cities. Architect Adrian C. Finlayson designed the building.
A Historic School
The building belonged to the Department of Public Education of Puerto Rico for many years. In 1987, it was listed as the Rafael M. Labra High School. It became part of the National Register of Historic Places for the United States government. This means it's a very important historical site.
Building Style and Location
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 restored the building. The restoration work took place from 1995 to 2002. The museum is about a ten-minute walk from La Placita de Santurce.
Art Collection
Today, the museum has a large collection of art. It includes artworks from the mid-20th century to the present day. The art comes from talented artists in Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Some famous artists in the collection include Myrna Báez, Daniel Lind-Ramos, and Noemí Ruiz.
See also
In Spanish: Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico para niños
