Ponce Art Museum: After the Earthquake

Many have told us about the outstanding quality of the Ponce Art Museum (Museo de Arte), but two large earthquakes in January 2020 changed all that, when the main building was badly damaged and closed. They finally reopened a section of the museum this year, and we decided to check it out!

After the earthquakes, the Museum displayed items at its gallery in San Juan, and took to the streets with workshops to shelters and schools. When COVID hit, it expanded its digital platform. Now it’s gradually opening again while raising funds to repair the earthquake damage.

The museum still has very limited offerings, though we really enjoyed what we saw. It costs just $6 to get in, half price for seniors. Free guided tours are conducted at 10 AM (Spanish) and 1 PM (English).

Note: Ponce is pronounced POHN-say.

INFO

Museum website
Santurce Gallery
Status of reconstruction

MAP

Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico (Museum of Art of Puerto Rico)

Sunburned after too many beach days in Puerto Rico? Need a break from the relentless sun? Head indoors for an afternoon in the air-conditioned Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico (Museum of Art of Puerto Rico)!

This museum is a beautiful, modern facility with 24 exhibition galleries wandering through 130,000 square feet on four floors. The mostly contemporary pieces are distributed between a historic building in the west wing, the former municipal hospital, and an addition in the east wing.

The Puerto Rican art to be found inside is astonishing. All the pieces are labeled and interpreted in both Spanish and English. The sculpture garden behind, in the middle of an urban neighborhood of theatres, restaurants, and office buildings, is also a sublime discovery. Don’t miss it!

When you’re done strolling through this cultural wonder in the Santurce neighborhood of San Juan, relax for an hour with an artisanal cocktail at Chimera rooftop bar, half a block away.

LINKS

Info:

Museum - https://www.mapr.org/es

Chimera - https://chimera-rooftop.business.site/

Maps:

Museum - https://goo.gl/maps/yufDPpKkF5MV8CMAA

Chimera – https://goo.gl/maps/EgeQ7k1T6hPSVNAe7