National Museum of the American Latino Has Announced $5 Million Gift From Walmart

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino has received a $5 million founding gift from Walmart to support the museum’s planning, design and construction and to help launch engaging virtual public programming. The company joins a growing roster of corporations, organizations and individuals who have shown significant support for the Smithsonian’s newest museum.

“We are grateful for Walmart’s commitment to telling deeper stories about the Latino experience in the United States,” said Jorge Zamanillo, director of the National Museum of the American Latino. “With Walmart’s early support, the museum can plan and develop innovative ways to enhance the learning experience for future museum visitors.” 

The National Museum of the American Latino will open the Molina Family Latino Gallery June 18 at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. The inaugural exhibition, “¡Presente! A Latino History of the United States,” introduces visitors to key concepts, moments and biographies that illuminate U.S. Latinos’ historical and cultural legacies. The exhibition tells the stories of Latinas and Latinos who have shaped the United States, and the gallery helps visitors imagine what they might see when the National Museum of the American Latino opens in its own building.

Walmart’s gift comes through the Walmart.org Center for Racial Equity and builds on the company’s longtime support for the Latino community.

“As the first Smithsonian museum dedicated to showcasing the contributions of Latinos and Latinas who have shaped the United States, the National Museum of the American Latino will play an important role in telling a more complete story of who we are as a nation,” said Kathleen McLaughlin, executive vice president and chief sustainability officer for Walmart and president of the Walmart Foundation. “We share the Smithsonian’s belief that our communities grow stronger when we embrace diversity, equity and inclusion and seek to more deeply appreciate each other’s history and lived experiences.”

About the National Museum of the American Latino

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino advances the representation, understanding and appreciation of Latino history and culture in the United States. The museum provides financial resources and collaborates with other museums to expand scholarly research, public programs, digital content, collections and more. The museum’s Molina Family Latino Gallery will be the Smithsonian’s first gallery dedicated to the Latino experience. The legislation creating the National Museum of the American Latino at the Smithsonian passed Dec. 27, 2020. Connect with the museum at latino.si.edu, and follow @USLatinoMuseum on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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