FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 04, 2020
(Albuquerque, New Mexico) — The groundbreaking for a much-anticipated Welcome Center at the National Hispanic Cultural Center will be held Thursday, March 12, at 11:30 a.m. near the Torreón on the 20-acre NHCC campus.
Envisioned since NHCC opened its doors 20 years ago, planning for the new welcome center began in earnest in 2014. The design by Living Designs Group Architects of Taos, N.M., was approved by the NHCC Board, NHCC Foundation, the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) facilities’ team, and the DCA Historic Preservation Division. Construction on the Welcome Center, budgeted at just under $800,000, is expected to last through November, with an anticipated opening in December 2020.
The 1,700-square-foot building will house a box office for the NHCC Art Museum and the three performing arts theaters. Inside will be a gathering space with a directory of information for visitors.
A vestibule attaching the Welcome Center to the Torreón will create an additional entrance into “the watchtower,” which houses the Mundos de Mestizaje: A Vision of History through Fresco by Frederico Vigil. Currently, it is open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. or by appointment. Upon opening, the Welcome Center will ensure greater access to the Torreón. Mundos de Mestizaje depicts thousands of years of Hispanic history highlighting diverse cultural connections between people and places from the Iberian Peninsula to the Americas. At more than 4,000-square-feet, it is one of the largest frescos in North America.
Celebrating 20 years, NHCC’s events in 2020 are intended to showcase the wide range of programming that makes the Center unique.
About the National Hispanic Cultural Center:
The National Hispanic Cultural Center is dedicated to the preservation, promotion and advancement of Hispanic culture, arts and humanities. The Center presents over 700 events each year through its history, literary arts, performing arts and visual arts programs and its art museum, library and genealogy center. The Center is a division of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs and is further supported by the National Hispanic Cultural Center Foundation.
The National Hispanic Cultural Center is located at 1701 Fourth Street SW in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For information about upcoming events and exhibitions visit the NHCC website at www.nhccnm.org.
