NYC Arts: The Complete Guide to Art and Culture

El Museo del Barrio is one of the foremost Latin American cultural institutions in the United States. Its permanent collection—10,000 paintings, sculptures, photographs, works on paper, films, pre-Columbian objects and farm and household implements—illustrates for a visitor the Latin American culture of astounding depth and richness. Regular exhibitions in the museum's first-floor galleries display these holdings in a variety of contemporary and historical contexts.

The museum also offers bilingual screenings of classic and contemporary Latin American films; a variety of live musical, dramatic and dance performances; workshops; lectures; scholarly symposiums; festivals; special educational programs for children; an artist's register and a residency program for artists and writers.

El Museo del Barrio was founded in 1969 in a public school classroom in Spanish Harlem. In 1977 it moved to its present location along the city's celebrated Museum Mile in the city-owned Heckscher Pavilion.

Foreign-language Programs
The museum hosts many events that feature the Spanish language in song and word, including a Spanish-language book club. Most events are appropriate for both Spanish and English speakers. 

• Directions: Subway: 6 to 103rd Street. Walk one block north to 104th Street, then two blocks west to Fifth Avenue. Or, 2 or 3 to 110th Street and Lenox Avenue; walk one block east to Fifth Avenue, then south to 104th Street. Bus: M1, M2, M3, M4 to 104th Street.

• Disability Access: Fully accessible. Wheelchairs available on first-come, first-served basis. Call (212) 660-7110 for more information.
• Disability Assistance: El Teatro is equipped with an assistive listening system (headsets and neck loops), free of charge with identification at the box office.
• Gift Shops: La Tienda
  Tues-Sa 11 am-6 pm, Wed 11 am-9 pm, Sunday 1-5 pm
  Whether it's a one-of-a-kind mask, a pair of earrings, an impossible-to-find CD or the latest journal of contemporary Latino art, discover it all at La Tienda. Gifts, books and eye-catching objects are by artists from Latin America, the Caribbean, and New York City.
• On-Site Food: El Cafe
  Tues-Sat 11 am-5 pm, Wed 11 am-9 pm, Sunday 1-5 pm
  Experience the tastes of Latin America and Caribbean cuisine at EL Museo's El cafe, offering a daily menu of delicious Latino-inspired meals, including empanadas, ceviche, tacos and more.

Get involved with El Museo del Barrio

• Volunteer Opportunities
• Memberships: $75 Familia Membership includes free gallery admission for your immediate family, invitations to all exhibition openings, select member events, and discounts throughout the year. A $300 Family Circle Membership includes all of those benefits plus invitations to four Family Circle events a year, geared toward providing a more intimate experience and closer interactions between children and El Museo educators.