Sep

¡Celebra el Mes de la Herencia Hispana al Smithsonian!

Children playing at a Hispanic Heritage Month event. (Photo by Molly Stephey)

The Smithsonian is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 through Oct. 15) with a series of vibrant performances, lectures, exhibitions, family activities and tours at various museums around the Institution. All programs are free unless otherwise indicated. Click here for a full calendar of events and information about tickets.

Family activities

The National Portrait Gallery will host two portrait story days for visitors to learn more about Latino activists César Chávez (Sunday, Sept. 15, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.) and Dolores Huerta (Saturday, Sept. 28, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 29, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.).

Visitors can meet Hispanic astronauts, scientists and engineers, and participate in bilingual activities during the Hispanic Heritage Family Day at the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center Saturday, Sept. 21, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and at the National Air and Space Museum on the National Mall, Saturday, Oct. 5, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The National Zoo’s Fiesta Musical will feature animal demonstrations, Latin American music, gourmet cuisine at a Latin American-inspired food bazaar and traditional crafts Sunday, Sept. 29, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The National Museum of Natural History will host “Luis Garay’s Percussion Explosion” Friday, Oct. 4 at 10:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Garay’s sensational Percussion World ensemble unleashes the primal power of congas, bongos, steel drums and marimbas. The young audience explores math to the beat of the tradition music of Caribbean and all of Latin America. For ticket information, call (202) 633-8700 or visit discoverytheater.org.

Tours

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, walk-in tours during the month feature a work by a Latino artist at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. Meet in the F Street Lobby.

Exhibitions

The National Museum of the American Indian presents “Cerámica de los Ancestros: Central America’s Past Revealed,” a bilingual (English/Spanish) exhibition that illuminates Central America’s diverse and dynamic ancestral heritage with a selection of more than 160 objects from seven cultural areas and spanning three thousand years of history. The exhibition is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

“Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art,” at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, presents the rich and varied contributions of Latino artists active in the United States since the mid-20th century. The exhibition is drawn entirely from the museum’s pioneering collection of Latino art. It explores how Latino artists shaped the artistic movements of their day and recalibrated key themes in American art and culture. The exhibition is open daily beginning Friday, Oct. 25 from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The National Museum of American History presents “A Room of Her Own: My Mother’s Altar,” an installation created by Sandra Cisneros, acclaimed author of The House on Mango Street and Caramelo, based on Day of the Dead traditions to honor her mother. The installation will be open daily starting Friday Oct. 25 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Cisneros will be available for a book signing near the exhibit Oct. 25 at 11 a.m. The National Museum of the American Indian will host a discussion with Cisneros at its Rasmuson Theater Saturday, Oct. 26 at 4 p.m.