The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino has announced a $5 million gift from Walmart in support of the museum’s planning, design, and construction and to help launch engaging virtual public programming. 

The National Museum of the American Latino will open the Molina Family Latino Gallery on 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 shares the stories of Latinas and Latinos who have helped shape 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.

“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.”

(Photo credit: Courtesy of the National Museum of the American Latino)