American Museum of Natural History Research Library
author: American Museum of Natural History

Roots of Puerto Rico (Exhibition)
birth: 1973 June 6
death: 1973 December
Exhibition. Opened June 6, 1973 and closed December 1973. Located on Floor 1 in Education Gallery at the American Museum of Natural History. Roots of Puerto Rico, funded by the Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust, traced the origins of Puerto Rican culture. It was curated by Program Coordinator Maria Uyehara and Assistant Coordinator Lucille Rios of the Caribbean Studies Program of the Museum's Department of Education and designed by the Department of Exhibition.
Summary
Roots of Puerto Rico, funded by the Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust, traced the origins of Puerto Rican culture. It was curated by Program Coordinator Maria Uyehara and Assistant Coordinator Lucille Rios of the Caribbean Studies Program of the Museum's Department of Education and designed by the Department of Exhibition. The exhibition was designed to present and interpret the multi-cultural heritage of Puerto Rico, including Taino, African, and Spanish influences (1, p. 1-2).
Highlights (1, p. 1-2):
*A simulated patio with curved arches, stucco walls, a courtyard well, and an exterior stairway to highlight Spanish Colonial architecture
*Illuminated niches in patio walls featuring saints carved in mahogany, cedar, oak, and other native woods by eighteenth and nineteenth century artists
*Traditional music
*A globe-shaped terrarium with more than a dozen live coqui frogs
*Masks and photographs from the Loiza Aldea area to highlight African influences
*Exhibition labels in English and Spanish
This is a condensed summary of the exhibition. For additional information, see Sources and/or Related Resources.