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), the highest national recognition for museums in the United States.
The accreditation places NMPRAC among a select group of institutions dedicated to preserving, studying, and promoting Hispanic arts, history, and culture. The museum becomes only the fourth Latino, Chicano, or Latin American art museum in the country to earn this distinction, joining 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.
“This accreditation is a powerful affirmation of the museum's commitment to preserving Puerto Rico's rich cultural heritage for future generations,” said Michael D. Nieves, President and CEO of HITN and a member of the NMPRAC Board of Directors. “It reflects decades of dedication, vision, and hard work by the museum's staff and leadership. I also want to recognize my fellow members of the Board of Directors for their unwavering commitment to this extraordinary institution.”
The AAM accreditation program is considered the museum field's highest standard of excellence. Fewer than 1,100 museums nationwide have earned this distinction, which recognizes excellence in governance, collections stewardship, education, financial sustainability, and public service.
“We have worked for this moment since our inception 26 years ago, knowing that everything we did would hopefully lead to this historic milestone,” said Billy Ocasio, President and CEO of NMPRAC. “This accreditation belongs to the generations of community members who believed Puerto Rican stories deserved a permanent national home. 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. This belongs not only to us, but to future generations. We are only beginning.”
Located in the historic Humboldt Park Stables building in Chicago, NMPRAC is the only national museum outside of Puerto Rico dedicated exclusively to interpreting, preserving, and promoting Puerto Rican art and culture. Founded in 2000, it is also the first Puerto Rican museum to be accredited by the AAM.
HITN and NMPRAC share a longstanding commitment to serving Hispanic communities through educational and cultural initiatives that preserve heritage, elevate Latino voices, and expand access to public service programming. The museum's accreditation is a significant milestone for recognizing the contributions of Puerto Ricans and other Hispanic communities to the cultural fabric of the United States.
