National Museum of Mexican Art

Established in 1987, the National Museum of Mexican Art’s mission is to stimulate knowledge and appreciation of Mexican art and culture from both sides of the border through a significant permanent collection of Mexican art, visual, and performing arts programs; arts education programs and resources; and professional development of Mexican artists and arts administrators. The National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA) was the first Latino museum to be accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. It remains the only accredited museum dedicated to Mexican art in the United States. Annually, NMMA hosts 150,000 visitors to its facility in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood. This award provides general operating support to the NMMA as part of the Foundation’s Culture, Equity, and the Arts program.

The National Museum of Mexican Art is the most prominent Latino arts organization in the United States. The Museum has four goals: to stimulate and preserve knowledge and appreciation of Mexican culture, develop a significant permanent collection of Mexican art, encourage the development of Mexican artists, and provide arts education in the community. It annually hosts 165,000 visitors to its facility in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, where it remains the only major museum in Chicago that is free to the public every day. This award recommends renewed general operating support to the National Museum of Mexican Art.

The National Museum of Mexican Art is the largest Latino cultural organization in the United States. Since its inception in 1982, the Museum has curated more than 100 exhibitions and acquired 7,500 works of art for its permanent collection. Currently it is the only Latino museum in the country that is accredited by the American Association of Museums. The National Museum of Mexican Art is the only major museum in Chicago that is free to the public.

The Museum participates in an artist residency exchange between Chicago and Havana, Cuba. Artists from each city take part in a two-week, reciprocal residential exchange, highlighting the similarities and differences of Latino artists within the two cultures. This is the National Museum of Mexican Art’s first International Connections Fund award.

The National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA) presents, preserves, and cultivates Mexican arts and culture. The Museum is a member of an inaugural collaborative of 14 cultural arts organizations and three foundations to launch Enrich Chicago, a cross-cultural sector initiative that promotes greater racial and cultural equity in the arts in Chicago. With a primary focus on creating new pathways for African, Latino, Asian, Arab and Native American (ALAANA) peoples, Enrich has three main objectives: 1) to expand anti-racism organizing and awareness; 2) to increase leadership opportunities for non-white arts administrators; and 3) to increase funding opportunities for ALAANA cultural arts organizations. This award supports anti-racism training provided to the arts community in Chicago, an arts administration pathways program for Chicago high school students, and initial research on the local funding landscape for ALAANA organizations. 

The National Museum of Mexican Art (until 2006 the Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum) is the largest Latino cultural organization in the United States. It is the only Latino museum in the country that is accredited by the American Association of Museums. The Museum works to stimulate and preserve knowledge and appreciation of Mexican culture, develop a significant permanent collection of Mexican art, encourage the development of Mexican artists, and provide arts education in the community. Last year it hosted 160,000 visitors from over 60 countries at its facility in the city’s Pilsen neighborhood. The Museum’s educational outreach programming serves over 70,000 K-12 students annually.