“The only Puerto Rican museum in the continental United States is now nationally recognized by a reputable museum organization, which its leaders are touting as a win for preserving the island’s art and culture.

“After about five years of work, The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture, 3015 W. Division St., received accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums last week. It’s the highest national recognition available to museums in the United States.

“The recognition, which has been a goal for museum leaders since it launched in 2000, opens the door for more grant and artistic opportunities, like working with other museums to partner on exhibits and borrow artwork.

“The American Alliance of Museum reviewers praised the Puerto Rican museum’s staff, educational programs, bilingual interpretation, community accessibility and stewardship of Puerto Rican collections, museum leaders said.

“The accreditation makes the museum the only Puerto Rican one to earn the accolade and the fourth Latino museum in the nation to be on the list.

“Last year, the museum completed its outdoor sculpture garden on land previously intended to be the museum’s archives center, a controversial project shut down by the city in 2022 and demolished in early 2024. The garden also helped the museum get the national recognition, per the alliance’s museum listing.

“At the end of August, work will start to enclose the courtyard and make it into a glass atrium, creating 6,000 square feet of year-round program space.” (Parrella-Aureli, Block Club Chicago, 7/31/26)

“Native plants reflective of the prairie-style landscape will be put in place in tribute to famed architect Jens Jensen, who designed Humboldt Park’s prairie garden. Jensen served as the park’s superintendent; in the 1890s, he worked out of the stables building that became the museum.

“The garden and community area was presented to the community late last year and received approval from city officials, the Park District, Preservation Chicago and city and state agencies.” (Parrella-Aureli, Block Club Chicago, 7/21/25)

“The solution also included the retention of the foundation of the illegal building, for possible use for future programming. In addition, Ocasio said he would pursue suggestions made by Preservation Chicago to top off the museum’s courtyard with a glass roof and remove the tent currently used as an event space.

“‘We’re here to help and we want to be your partner,’ said Ward Miller, executive of Preservation Chicago, who declared himself ‘very pleased with the outcome’ of the negotiation.” (Wetli, WTTW Chicago, 10/4/23)

Preservation Chicago congratulates Billy Ocasio and the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture on earning American Alliance of Museums accreditation. This is the highest recognition available to an American museum, and it affirms both the institution’s stewardship of its collections and its care for the landmark building it occupies. We are especially pleased that the glass-enclosed courtyard — an idea Preservation Chicago proposed during the 2023 negotiations — is now moving to construction.

Preservation Chicago is thrilled with this outcome. We played a central role in helping to amplify and document this illegal construction. We worked closely with neighborhood partners including Humboldt Park resident Kurt Gippert who launched the Change.org petition, and like-minded organizations including Juanita Irizarry, executive director of Friends of the Parks.

Ward Miller met with leadership from the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture and their design team to help them try to find a workable way forward. Many of these creative alternative ideas were incorporated and were presented at the public meeting as the path moving forward.

These ideas included the demolition of the partially built cinder-block structure and using the concrete pad as a sculpture garden, creating a glass-enclosed courtyard, inspired by the Three Arts Club, in the historic structure to allow for year-round programming and to eliminate the current white tent, and relocating the archive building and use to a nearby location beyond the greenspace of Humboldt Park.

We appreciate Billy Ocasio’s gracious recognition and gratitude to Ward Miller and Preservation Chicago during the public meeting for playing such a constructive role in finding a way forward.

Read the full story at Block Club Chicago

• Humboldt Park’s Puerto Rican Art Museum Gets Historic Accreditation From National Museum Alliance; The recognition is especially timely given the tense political climate toward Latinos and ongoing ICE activity, museum leaders said, Ariel Parrella-Aureli, Block Club Chicago, 7/31/26
• National Puerto Rican Museum’s Outdoor Sculpture Garden, Education Space Coming In September; The space will be able to host everything from poetry and dance workshops to shows, high school field trips and community meetings, museum officials said, Ariel Parrella-Aureli, Block Club Chicago, 7/21/25
• Illegal Building in Humboldt Park Will Be Demolished, Museum Leader Apologizes for ‘Missteps’; Patty Wetli, WTTW Chicago, 10/4/23
• Unsanctioned Building Next To Puerto Rican Museum To Be Demolished Next Week; Ariel Parrella-Aureli, Block Club Chicago, 2/21/24
• Puerto Rican Museum Archives, Tu Casa Community Center Approved By City Council; Ariel Parrella-Aureli, Block Club Chicago, 6/12/24
• WIN: Improvements Moving Forward at Humboldt Park Receptory Building and Stable Building After Illegal Construction Was Stopped and Demolished; Preservation Chicago