Our Mission

One of family, patriotism, hard work, ingenuity, and pride in the country we’ve all built together.

The Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino strives to create a museum in our nation’s capital to educate, inspire and encourage respect and understanding of the richness and diversity of the American Latino experience within the U.S. and its territories. By highlighting the contributions made by Latino icons, pioneers and communities to the American way of life we are all better able to truly understand what makes our nation great.

The Story of Our Initiative

  • Since 2005, Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino has pushed its efforts to create a Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino on the National Mall. FRIENDS has worked tirelessly and closely with national organizations, cross-sector leaders and elected officials to make this dream a reality.
  • President George W. Bush signed into law legislation to create a 23-member commission to study the potential creation of a National Museum of the American Latino and was later enacted in 2008 by President Barack Obama.  The commission, appointed by the President and congressional leadership, worked in an exemplary bipartisan fashion to produce a first-class feasibility report.
  • On Cinco de Mayo, May 5, 2011, the commission submitted its final report to President Obama showcasing the urgency for a museum located on the National Mall as part of the Smithsonian Institution.
  • After 16 years of advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill, the National Museum of the American Latino Act passed both chambers and was signed into law on December 27, 2020. However, Congress still needs to grant the Smithsonian authorization to designate a location on the National Mall. This has been precisely our goal since 2020 and we will continue to advocate, educate, and coordinate efforts to ensure we secure the best location on the National Mall, shoulder-to-shoulder with the other iconic museums.

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