Museo de arte de pr: Plan your visit | Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico
History of the MAPR | Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico
2011
New Façade / Plaza of the Arts
The construction of the Plaza of the Arts began in January 2011 and was the primary interest of the institution to keep in top condition the homeof Puerto Rican art and have new areas for different forms of artistic expression. Over the years the main entrance of the Museum began to exhibit signs of deterioration. Given this, the Board of Trustees of MAPR conducted a process analysis on how the Museum has evolved and how to make it even more accessible to visitors. The evaluation resulted in the determination to transform the Museum entrance into an open space which will be called Plaza of the Arts.
In the new Plaza the main gates were removed and relocated, allowing direct access from De Diego Avenueto the building. Also, the existing trees would be relocated inside the Museum’s Botanical Sculpture Gardenand benches would be located in the public areas for the use of visitors and Santurce’scommunity.
The design for the Plaza of the Arts was done by the architect Luis Gutierrez, who was one of those responsible for the original design of the Museum’s addition in the eastern wing. The physical improvements to this space of the Museum were made possible by funding provided by the Government Development Bank, owner of the structure that houses the MAPR.
The Museo de Artede Puerto Rico (MAPR) celebrated the opening of its new Plaza of theArts on September 17, 2011 with a big event, open to the public, where it accomplished the reason for which it was created: to foster community spirit and art for everyone. The artistic program of the inauguration was organized by thearteSanturce Cultural Alliance. During the inauguration ceremony the artists Jennifer Allora and Guillermo Calzadilla, representatives of the United States at the 54th Venice Biennale and residents of Puerto Rico, received a tribute.
The traditional ribbon cutting was replaced by a 3 D mapping projection on building’s façadenever before seen in Puerto Rico by Puerto Rican artist Anaitté Vaccaro, which featured live interventions of contemporary dance company Andanza.
The façade of the building, which houses the MAPR, came to life through three-dimensional images that included works from the permanent collection as well as animations that transformed the structure into a large canvas.
2000
Inauguration
June 30, 2000, the inauguration of the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico takes place with an act of protocol from the Government of Puerto Rico. In honor of its grand opening, the MAPR presents its inaugural exhibition “Treasures of Puerto Rican Painting”. This exhibition is the result of the collaboration of the country’s principal cultural institutions, The Musée d’Orsay and 50 private collectors. The painting “The Student” by Puerto Rican artist Francisco Oller, which is currently located in France in the Musée d’Orsay, is brought to Puerto Rico for the occasion.
1999
MAPR Board of Trustees
April 29, 1999 the first Board of Trustees of the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico is appointed.
The Governor of Puerto Rico, the honorable Pedro Roselló, names 15 members from the public and private sector, the first group responsible for taking the reins of one of the most important cultural projects in the country.
Sculpture Botanical Garden
The construction of the lake and the landscaping program that will form the Sculpture Botanical Garden of the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico is initiated.
1998
First exhibition and establishment of the collection
Project construction continues with an emphasis on the underground parking garage. In tune with the construction, the first museum exhibition, entitled “Spaces in Transition – Transition in Space”, was developed. The exhibition, a year and a half before the museum’s inauguration, presented elements of flexibility and dynamism that corresponded to the transformation process of a building from the beginning of the twentieth century to one from the twenty-first century, when it is converted into a museum.
It is in this year that the MAPR acquires its first work of art for its Permanent Collection, “La Virgen de la Soledad de la Victoria”(The Virgin of the Solitude of Victory).
1997
Construction Begins
F&R Construction Company is contracted to begin the general construction of the building’s new wing. The historic building, originally designed in the 1920’s by architect William H. Shimmelphening, is the only structure left standing of the 13 that comprised the former San Juan Municipal Hospital. The building served as the surgery hospital of the compound until 1966, the year in which the Medical Center in Río Piedras is inaugurated. Later, it housed the Department of Public Works until 1975. From that point on the building is shut down and sealed off.
1996
Presentation
July 18, 1996, the Government of Puerto Rico officially presents the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico project.
Architects Otto Reyes Casanova and Luis Gutiérrez Negrón join the initial work team and establish “The Museum Group” with the purpose of developing the project. This group had the responsibility of restoring and rehabilitating the former San Juan Municipal Hospital, the design of the new East wing measuring 10,000 square feet, which now houses the administrative areas of the museum, and the design of the underground parking garage and the Sculpture Botanical Garden. Consulting firm RKK&G works on the pre-design phase and initiates the
restoration of the historic building.
1995
Origin
The year 1995 marks the beginning of studies undertaken by the Puerto Rico Tourism Company in preparation for the creation of the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico. The Government Development Bank for Puerto Rico (BGF, for its Spanish acronym) approves the museum project and assigns funds for its construction. The BGF, with an interest in fostering the socio-economic development of Puerto Rico for the benefit of future generations, agrees to restore and rehabilitate the former San Juan Municipal Hospital, which houses the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico today.
Museum of Art of Puerto Rico (Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico) – What To Know BEFORE You Go
- Overview
- Tours & Tickets
The Basics
Formerly San Juan’s municipal hospital, the museum’s vast space is cleverly packed with essential Puerto Rican artists including Rafael Ferrer, Francisco Oller, and Jose Campeche, among others. A lovely garden landscaped with native flora, waterfalls, ponds and winding pathways leads to 16 sculptures, a theater, and a conservation lab. Skip the line by purchasing your ticket in advance.
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Things to Know Before You Go
- The Museum of Art of Puerto Rico is ideal for art and culture lovers.
- Admission fees may vary.
- Check the calendar for concerts and festivals.
- The museum is wheelchair accessible.
- Take your kids to the child-oriented section downstairs.
- Take a relaxing break in the leafy sculpture garden.
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Trip ideas
Visiting San Juan for the First Time? Here’s What to See and Do
From the food to the flora and fauna and everything in between, here’s how to make the most of your first trip to San Juan.
Don’t Miss These Must-Do Activities in San Juan
Things to Do in San Juan This Winter
How to Spend 3 Days in San Juan
Things to Do in San Juan This Spring
Things to do in San Juan with Kids
Things to Do in San Juan This Summer
Where to Find the Best Views in San Juan
Here’s where to go for the best views in San Juan, from the streets to the suburbs.
How to Spend 2 Days in San Juan
With two days to spend in the Puerto Rican capital, you’ll be able to tour the colonial old city, explore otherworldly bioluminescent bays, and head farther afield to experience Puerto Rico’s rain forests.
Things to Do in San Juan This Fall
How to Spend 1 Day in San Juan
How to Spend a Rainy Day in San Juan
Don’t-Miss Dishes in San Juan
How to Get There
The Museum of Art of Puerto Rico is 3.
9 miles (6.3 kilometers) from Old San Juan. Walk to Terminal Covadonga bus station to catch the T3 Estacion Sagrado Corazon Bus to Reverendo Ollengo. From there, walk a few minutes to the museum.
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When to Get There
The museum is open daily except Tuesday, from morning until evening. Visit in the early hours to avoid the crowds. Weather year-round on the island is pleasant. Peak season runs from December through March. An ideal time to visit is mid-April to June, when the crowds have left.
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Museum Hopping
Soak up San Juan’s rich cultural history by combining a visit to the nearby Museum of History, Anthropology and Art. Located in the campus of Puerto Rico University, this compact museum displays a fascinating collection of pre-Colombian relics. Don’t miss El Velorio (The Wake), the famous painting by Francisco Oller, which depicts the wake of a child’s funeral. Oller created the oversized artwork in 1893 and it is one of very few paintings by the master artist that have survived.
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Frequently Asked Questions
The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Q:
What are the nearest attractions to Museum of Art of Puerto Rico (Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico)?
A:
Attractions near Museum of Art of Puerto Rico (Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico):
- Luis A. Ferré Performing Arts Center (Centro de Bellas Artes Luis A. Ferré)
- San Juan Bay
- La Calle Loiza
Q:
What else should I know about attractions in San Juan?
A:
As well as visiting the Museum of Art of Puerto Rico (Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico), check out these trip ideas to make the most of your visit:
- Things to Do in San Juan This Winter
- Things to Do in San Juan This Summer
- Things to Do in San Juan This Spring
More Tours in San Juan
- Art & Culture
- Audio Guides
- Classes & Workshops
- Food & Drink
- Likely To Sell Out
- Outdoor Activities
- Seasonal & Special Occasions
- Tickets & Passes
- Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises
- Travel & Transportation Services
- Unique Experiences
More attractions near San Juan
- Luis A. Ferré Performing Arts Center (Centro de Bellas Artes Luis A. Ferré)
- San Juan Bay
- La Calle Loiza
- Fine Arts Miramar
- Old San Juan Piers
- Museum of History, Anthropology and Art (Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte)
- Castillo San Cristobal
- La Fortaleza (The Fortress)
- Paseo de la Princesa
- Chapel of Christ (Capilla del Cristo)
- San Juan Cathedral (Catedral de San Juan Bautista)
- Mercado de Río Piedras
- Pine Grove Beach
- Old San Juan
- Museum of the Americas (Museo de las Américas)
Ferré Performing Arts Center (Centro de Bellas Artes Luis A. Ferré)Trending attractions
- Hoover Dam
- Molokini Crater
- Colosseum
- Eiffel Tower
- Statue of Liberty
- Na Pali Coast
- Burj Khalifa
- Tulum
- Road to Hana (Hana Highway)
- Las Vegas Strip
- French Quarter
- Alcatraz
- River Seine
- Sagrada Familia
- Blue Lagoon
Current exhibitions
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Memory full
Collection program. Viewpoint»
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Located on the site of Nalbandyan’s studio at No. 8/2 on Tverskaya Street, today the museum accurately recreates the space of the artist’s life and work in the Soviet era. nine0009
At the exhibition, visitors will see works by famous masters of naive art and primitive artists from the collection of the Moscow Museum of Modern Art. nine0009The Moscow Museum of Modern Art is the first state museum in Russia specializing in the art of the 20th and 21st centuries. Since its opening, the museum has repeatedly expanded the scope of its activities and has received recognition from the general public. Today the museum is one of the most active participants in the artistic life of the capital. nine0009 The museum opened its doors on December 15, 1999 with the support of the Moscow Government and the Department of Culture of the City of Moscow. Today, the museum is located on five sites in the historical center of Moscow, since the winter of 2018, a site in Perovo, the Vadim Sidur Museum, has joined the museum. The main building is located on Petrovka Street, in the former mansion of the merchant Gubin, designed by architect Matvey Kazakov. In addition, the museum has magnificent exhibition spaces at its disposal: a five-story building in Ermolaevsky Lane, which has become the MMOMA Educational Center, spacious exposition spaces on Gogolevsky Boulevard and several monographic museums dedicated to the work of Zurab Tsereteli, Dmitry Nalbandyan and Vadim Sidur. Collection The museum’s collection represents the main stages in the development of the avant-garde. Most of the collection consists of works by Russian authors, but the exposition also includes works by foreign artists: graphic sheets by Pablo Picasso, Fernand Leger, Juan Miro and Giorgio de Chirico, sculptures by Salvador Dali, Armand and Arnaldo Pomodoro, paintings by Henri Rousseau and Francoise Gilot, installations Yukinori Yanaga. The core of the museum’s collection is the works of the classics of the Russian avant-garde of the early 20th century. Many works purchased at auctions and galleries in Europe and the US have been returned to their homeland from abroad. Among them are paintings by Kazimir Malevich, Marc Chagall, Natalia Goncharova and Mikhail Larionov, Aristarkh Lentulov, Vladimir Tatlin, Pavel Filonov and Wassily Kandinsky, sculptures by Alexander Archipenko and Osip Zadkine. In addition, the museum is proud of its unique collection of works by the Georgian primitive artist Niko Pirosmani. Exhibition strategy The extensive exhibition program of the museum is aimed at the widest and most diverse representation of the visual culture of the 20th and 21st centuries. Every year, the museum arranges many exhibitions of various sizes, from debut shows of emerging authors and conceptual expositions to international festivals and huge retrospectives of major artists. Education We support young artists and involve them in the current artistic process. To this end, the Museum operates the School of Contemporary Art “Free Workshops”. The two-year training program is implemented in specific practical activities in creative workshops. The course program includes lectures on contemporary art, the study of the art market, the study of new technologies in the visual arts, the development of the intellectual problems of modern culture. Also in the museum there is an art studio “Fantasy” for children from 5 to 12 years old. For everyone, lectures and master classes are held with leading artists, curators and art researchers. |
Zurab Tsereteli, President of the Russian Academy of Arts, became the founder and director of the museum. His personal collection of more than 2,000 works by famous artists of the 20th century laid the foundation for the museum collection. Later, the museum’s funds were significantly replenished, and at present it is one of the most representative collections of Russian art of the 20th century. nine0009
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An impressive section of the exposition is dedicated to the work of nonconformist artists 1960-1980s: Ilya Kabakov, Anatoly Zverev, Vladimir Yakovlev, Vladimir Nemukhin, Vitaly Komar and Alexander Melamid, Oscar Rabin, Dmitry Krasnopevtsev, Leonid Shvartsman, Oleg Tselkov and others. The museum supports the development of contemporary art in Russia and constantly replenishes its collection. Now the contemporary art section presents works by Boris Orlov, Dmitry Aleksandrovich Prigov, Valery Koshlyakov, Vladimir Dubossarsky and Alexander Vinogradov, Oleg Kulik, Viktor Pivovarov, Konstantin Zvezdochetov, Andrey Bartenev and other artists. nine0009
The priority activities of the institution are also education in the field of art, support for young artists, its own publishing program, the development of inclusive projects, scientific activities and laboratory expertise. Today, the museum is actively developing a regional program and contributes to maintaining a single rhythm of the country’s artistic life. nine0009