By: Ashmar Mandou

Coinciding with the 25th anniversary, the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture hosted a ground breaking ceremony of a new Outdoor Educational Programming Space and Sculpture Garden has begun. The space, designed by award-winning landscape architecture firm Site Design Group, Ltd., will serve as a welcoming space for the community to gather, participate in Museum programming, workshops, and events, and learn more about the island and its people.

“As the only museum outside of Puerto Rico dedicated to preserving the arts and culture of the Puerto Rican people and diaspora, we dedicate this new outdoor education space and sculpture garden to the indigenous Puerto Rican tribes who would gather in circles to learn, celebrate and build community,” said Billy Ocasio, Chief Executive Officer of the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture. “We have worked with countless partners and stakeholders to bring this vision to reality, and we look forward to bringing Puerto Rican people from Chicago and across the globe to congregate in our beautiful outdoor space.”

The Outdoor Educational Programming Space has been designed to meet the diverse needs of all Museum guests, with accessibility, the natural landscape, and cultural relevance at the heart of the design. The space will feature a carefully planned layout, including moveable seating areas for flexible programming, catenary lights for illumination, a rain garden that acts as a buffer between the parking lot and the programming area, as well as lawn areas with shade trees and mounded planting. “The Chicago Park District welcomes the NMPRAC’s new outdoor educational programming space and looks forward to the completion of this wonderful addition to Humboldt Park,” said Chicago Park District General Superintendent and CEO Carlos Ramirez-Rosa.

Plans for construction moved forward following a December 2024 community meeting, where the concept was presented and won unanimous approval. The project has earned the support of the City of Chicago, the Chicago Park District, Preservation Chicago, the Chicago Landmarks Commission, Landmarks Illinois, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and the State Historical Preservation Office, and the Puerto Rican Agenda.

“This new space will be a welcome addition to our Humboldt Park community and landscape,” said Alderperson Jessie Fuentes (26th Ward). “Watching the community come together in support of such a worthy project demonstrates that this will be a well-loved, well-used space for years to come.” Funding for the project comes from the State of Illinois, the Chicago Parks District, State Representative Lilian Jiménez, State Senator Omar Aquino, and Alderperson Jessie Fuentes. The project is overseen by Wheeler Kearns Architects, with partners including Site Design, EVA Design and Engineering, CGi, and Blackwood Group.

Photo Credit: National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture