MISSION
AMA | Art Museum of the Americas of the OAS is a hub for contemporary art produced in and about the Western Hemisphere. We promote social change by providing a lively space for educational exchange, new ideas, and creative expression. Within and beyond our gallery walls, we enrich our local and international communities by interconnecting artists, museums, and audiences across the Americas.
HISTORY
The Art Museum of the Americas of the Organization of American States was established in 1976 by resolution of the OAS Permanent Council in tribute to the two-hundredth anniversary of the independence of the United States, host country of the OAS. The historic building housing the Museum was designed by noted architect Paul Cret in 1912 as the residence for the Secretaries General of the Organization of American States. It is Spanish colonial in style with white walls, iron grilles, a red tiled roof and a loggia decorated with richly colored tiles in patterns modeled after Aztec and Mayan art.
With its unique regional focus, AMA collects, preserves, studies, and exhibits works by outstanding artists and carries out other activities of an educational nature. The museum's permanent collection of contemporary Latin American and Caribbean art is one of the most important of its kind in the United States. The museum also maintains a regular schedule of exhibits and related educational programs.