October 17, 2014
Tying Museum to the Community
How does a community inform what kind of museum is placed there? Does the community influence what types of artifacts are preserved and displayed? Does the museum have agency over what is displayed? El Museo del Barrio is the only museum in New York City solely dedicated to preserving and exhibiting Caribbean and Latin American art. Located in Spanish Harlem, a predominantly Puerto Rican neighborhood, I was able to answer some of these questions. Through community engagement, I was able to understand how close contact with community members was important in practicing the museum’s mission.
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