Explore/Experience Puerto Rico
History & Culture
When Christopher Columbus stepped ashore in Aguada in 1493 he encountered a flourishing Taíno culture. Within decades the Indians disappeared, but not before leaving their mark on the character that was to become Puerto Rican. African slaves replaced the Indians as laborers, and their traditions also went into the cultural mix forged by more than four centuries of Spanish dominance.
The symbol of the Puerto Rico Institute of Culture depicts these three influences: Indian, African and Spanish. In broad terms, that is an accurate ethnic amalgam, but culture and history are never easy to explain. Into the crucible have to go Chinese workers, who built the railroads and remained; Spanish Loyalists fleeing revolution in South America; Corsicans who populated the coffee country out on the island; French immigrants from Haiti and Louisiana; a smattering of Scots and Irish; and droves of North Americans following the Spanish American War.
What is Puerto Rico?
It is an island teeming with beauty and vitality. Some of it is Spanish, some Indian, some African, some North American and some... others. But somehow it all blends together into a culture that you will find fascinating and one-of-kind.
History
Puerto Rico was a Spanish colony from 1493 until 1898, when it became a part of the United States as a result of the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Spanish-American War. During those 405 years, the bedrock of Puerto Rican culture was laid: the Spanish language, the Roman Catholic religion, architecture, and art. Puerto Rico became a possession of the United States in 1898, US citizenship was granted to its inhabitants in 1917, and the island became a self-governing U.S. commonwealth on July 25, 1952. Elections are held every four years.
This is a simplified outline of our political history. The true history of Puerto Rico is reflected in our literature, art, music, architecture, and in our spirit. You can see it everywhere, from our oldest cities to our newest urban developments.
Culture
As a result of its geographical position in the center of the arc of the Antilles, and its particular history, Puerto Rico is a crossroads of Hispanic and Anglo culture.
During their 400-year tenure the Spaniards laid the bedrock of our language and our culture. They built cities and towns, fortresses and churches, lighthouses and roadways. They brought slaves from Africa to work in the fields, who, in turn, contributed the spice of their culture, enriching our language, our music and our diets! Yet Puerto Rico has been a part of the United States since 1898 and Puerto Ricans have been U.S. citizens since 1917. This close relationship with the world's most powerful nation has also left its mark. It is this fascinating combination of elements that gives the island its distinctive character. Here you will find cities and towns that are living museums of Spanish colonial architecture, yet bustling with activity. You can see the remains of villages more than a thousand years old. You can hear music that captures the tempo of the island or echoes the world. You can even watch NASA scientists listening for signs of intelligent life in the universe!
Puerto Rico is many, many things. We hope you will enjoy discovering a few of them!
Start your journey into Puerto Rico visiting our Museums:
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Museo de Archivo e Historia de Bayamón |
Metro |
Bayamón |
(787) 780-0673 |
|
Museo de Arte Francisco Oller |
Metro |
Bayamón |
(787) 780-0673 |
|
Museo José Celso Barbosa |
Metro |
Bayamón |
(787) 786-8115 |
|
Museo Histórico de la Biblia |
Metro |
Carolina |
(787) 625-5858 |
|
Casa Escuté |
Metro |
Carolina |
(787) 701-0245 |
|
Reserva Natural Mariposario Las Limas |
Porta Caribe |
Guayama |
(787) 864-6037 |
|
Museo Orocoveño |
Central |
Orocovis |
(787) 867-2718 |
|
Museo y Parque Historico Ruinas de Caparra |
Metro |
Guaynabo |
(787) 781-4795 |
|
Museo del Deporte de Puerto Rico |
Metro |
Guaynabo |
(787) 731-4923 |
|
Universidad de Puerto Rico (Recinto Río Piedras) |
Metro |
San Juan |
(787) 764-0000 |
|
Museo de Arte e Historia |
Porta Del Sol |
Guánica |
(787) 821-4343 |
|
Fundación Luis Muñoz Marín |
East |
Trujillo Alto |
(787) 755-7979 |
|
Metro |
San Juan |
(787) 724-5052 |
|
|
Metro |
San Juan |
(787) 721-2400 |
|
|
Museo Histórico de Culebra (El Polvorín 1905) |
East |
Culebra |
(787) 742-0509 |
|
Museo Antigua Aduana |
Porta Caribe |
Arroyo |
(787) 839-8096 |
|
Metro |
San Juan |
(787) 722-5882 |
|
|
Museo de la Farmacia |
Metro |
San Juan |
(787) 977-2700 |
|
Casa de la Familia Puertorriqueña del Siglo XIX |
Metro |
San Juan |
(787) 977-2700 |
|
Casa España |
Metro |
San Juan |
(787) 724-1044 |
|
Metro |
San Juan |
(787) 724-4294 |
|
|
Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte |
Metro |
San Juan |
(787) 763-3939 |
|
Museo Casa Roig |
East |
Humacao |
(787) 852-8380 |
|
Centro de Arte Ángel "Lito" Peña de Humacao |
East |
Humacao |
(787) 285-3550 |
|
Museo de Histórico de las Piedras |
East |
Las Piedras |
(787) 733-2160 |
|
Casa Cultura y Museo |
East |
Yabucoa |
(787) 893-1035 |
|
Centro de Arte Alejandro Franceschi |
Porta Caribe |
Yauco |
(787) 856-1340 |
|
Taller de Arte Samuel Lind |
East |
Loiza |
(787) 876-1494 |
|
El Portal |
East |
Rio Grande |
(787) 888-1810 |
|
Museo Casa Cautiño |
Porta Caribe |
Guayama |
(787) 864-7765 |
|
Centro de Bellas Artes de Guayama |
Porta Caribe |
Guayama |
(787) 864-7765 |
|
Museo Histórico de Coamo |
Porta Caribe |
Coamo |
(787) 803-6712 |
|
Porta Caribe |
Jayuya |
(787) 828-1241 |
|
|
Porta Caribe |
Jayuya |
(787) 828-1241 |
|
|
Casa Museo Santos Reyes |
Porta Caribe |
Juana Díaz |
(787) 837-2199 |
|
Reserva Nacional de Investigación Estuario Bahía de Jobos |
Porta Caribe |
Salinas |
(787) 853-4617 |
|
Museo Walter Mc K Jones |
Porta Caribe |
Villalba |
(787) 847-2275 |
|
Museo de La Música Puertorriqueña |
Porta Caribe |
Ponce |
(787) 848-7016 |
|
Casa Pueblo |
Porta Caribe |
Adjuntas |
(787) 829-4842 |
|
Museo Casa Paoli |
Porta Caribe |
Ponce |
(787) 840-4115 |
|
Museo Pancho Coímbre |
Porta Caribe |
Ponce |
(787) 259-3604 |
|
Casita de los Bomberos |
Porta Caribe |
Ponce |
(787) 841-8044 |
|
Porta Caribe |
Ponce |
(787) 824-3338 |
|
|
Porta Caribe |
Ponce |
(787) 259-1774 |
|
|
Museo de la Historia de Ponce |
Porta Caribe |
Ponce |
(787) 844-7071 |
|
Centro Cultural Carmen Solá Pereira |
Porta Caribe |
Ponce |
(787) 844-2540 |
|
Museo Casa Wiechers Villaronga |
Porta Caribe |
Ponce |
(787) 843-3363 |
|
Museo de Recursos Históricos de Lares |
Central |
Lares |
(787) 563-7883 |
|
Centro de las Artes y Fuente de los Manaties |
North |
Manatí |
(787) 884-3428 |
|
Salon de los Poetas |
North |
Manatí |
(787) 884-5494 |
|
Museo de Arte Casa Alonso |
North |
Vega Baja |
(787) 855-1364 |
|
Museo de Arte e Historia de Arecibo |
North |
Arecibo |
(787) 879-4403 |
|
Casa Museo Luis Muñoz Rivera |
Central |
Barranquitas |
(787) 857-0230 |
|
Centro Cultural de Barceloneta |
North |
Barceloneta |
(787) 846-4199 |
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Museo de Arte e Historia de Dorado |
North |
Dorado |
(787) 796-1030 |
|
Sala de Exposiciones La Plata (Salvador Rivera Cardona) |
North |
Dorado |
(787) 796-1472 |
|
Museo Marcos J. Alegria |
North |
Dorado |
(787) 796-1433 |
|
Centro Cultural Ángel R. Órtiz |
Central |
Aibonito |
(787) 594-2014 |
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Museo de Aguada |
Porta Del Sol |
Aguada |
(787) 868-6300 |
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Museo de la Guardia Nacional de Salinas |
Porta Caribe |
Salinas |
(787) 824-7400 |
|
Museo Fuerte Conde de Mirasol |
East |
Vieques |
(787) 741-1717 |
|
Museo de los Próceres |
Porta Del Sol |
Cabo Rojo |
(787) 255-1560 |
|
Porta Del Sol |
San German |
(787) 892-5845 |
|
|
Museo y Casa Ramírez de Arellano |
Porta Del Sol |
San German |
(787) 892-8870 |
|
Museo del Mundillo de Puerto Rico |
Porta Del Sol |
Moca |
(787) 877-3815 |
|
Museo de Arte y Cultura de Sabana Grande |
Porta Del Sol |
Sabana Grande |
(787) 873-2060 |
|
Museo Eugenio Maria de Hostos |
Porta Del Sol |
Mayagüez |
(787) 834-4263 |
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Casa del Rey o Antigua Alcaldía |
Central |
Gurabo |
(787) 737-8416 |
|
Antigua Cárcel Municipal |
East |
Juncos |
(787) 734-0619 |
|
Casa Rectoría de la Universidad del Turabo |
Central |
Gurabo |
(787) 743-7979 |
|
Museo del Café |
Central |
Ciales |
(787) 871-3439 |
|
Ruinas de la Casa Pintueles |
Central |
Ciales |
(787) 871-3439 |
|
Museo Juan Antonio Corretjer |
Central |
Ciales |
(787) 871-5677 |
|
Centro Cultural de Rincón |
Porta Del Sol |
Rincón |
(787) 823-5120 |
|
Antigua Casa de los Amador |
Porta Del Sol |
Quebradillas |
(787) 895-2840 |
|
Residencia de María Luisa Rodríguez Negrón |
Porta Del Sol |
San Sebastián |
(787) 896-1550 |
|
Museo de las Muñecas |
Porta Del Sol |
Quebradillas |
(787) 597-9946 |
|
Metro |
San Juan |
(787) 722-3791 |
|
|
Metro |
San Juan |
(787) 724-1875 |
|
|
Metro |
San Juan |
(787) 723-0354 |
|
|
Metro |
San Juan |
(787) 977-6277 |
|
|
Metro |
San Juan |
(787) 724-1877 |
|
|
Metro |
San Juan |
(787) 723-1897 |
|
|
Metro |
San Juan |
(787) 977-4030 |
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Museo de la Guardia Nacional |
Metro |
San Juan |
(787) 289-1675 |
|
Metro |
San Juan |
(787) 723-9185 |
|
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Casa Rosada Abelardo Díaz Alfaro |
Central |
Caguas |
(787) 258-3843 |
|
Central |
Canóvanas |
(787) 876-0562 |
|
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Museo de Arte de Caguas |
Central |
Caguas |
(787) 744-8833 |
|
Museo del Tabaco Herminio Torres |
Central |
Caguas |
(787) 744-2960 |
|
Casa del Trovador Luis Miranda |
Central |
Caguas |
(787) 744-8833 |
|
Museo de Arte Pío Lopez |
Central |
Cayey |
(787) 738-0650 |
|
Asilo de Beneficiencia |
Metro |
San Juan |
(787) 724-0700 |
|
Museo San Idelfonso |
East |
Culebra |
(787) 742-3832 |
|
Casa de la Cultura Cacique Comerío |
Central |
Comerio |
(787) 875-7075 |
Learn more about Puerto Rican culture, music and art.
Experience Puerto Rico
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3rd Annual Puerto Rico Tip-Off Prize Giveaway
You could win a 6days/5nights vacations to Puerto Rico.
Just Register Here! -
VOTE for El Yunque
Support El Yunque Nomination for the New 7 Wonders of Nature! VOTE NOW!
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Book tee times online!
Are you a Golf Lover? Book advanced tee times for a golf course online.
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Coffee Haciendas for Connoisseurs
Enjoy our gourmet coffee at our Coffee Haciendas.
