The National Museum of Mexican Arts has relatively humble beginnings. Rather than being founded because of a large amount of funding or because of an incredible art collection, the Chicago Public School teachers who started the museum in 1982 were a group of people who simply loved Mexican art. But they were also looking to fill what Cesareo Moreno, the museum’s visual arts director and curator, called a noticeable deficit in cultural art and education for the Mexican community.

“Although the Mexican community was large and strong and 24 percent of children in the Chicago Public School system at that time were of Mexican ancestry, there was very little taught about Mexico back in that time period,” he said. “Something that was missing that prompted the museum founders and that initial group to really stand up and do something about it.”

Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, the NMMA has expanded considerably since its inception. What was once a community arts center is now the only accredited Latino museum in the United States. It is home not only to permanent and travelling exhibitions of Latino art, but also hosts and sponsors educational programs, speakers and events.

Yollocalli Arts Reach and Radio Arte (WRTE-FM 90.5) are examples of the museum’s well-known youth programs. Their annual Día del Niño Family Festival, dedicated to celebrating children and healthy living, has reached up to 8,000 visitors from various parts of the Midwest.

But it is NMMA’s exhibitions that have been the museum’s main attraction. Moreno believed that they have been successful in not only creating exhibits that will draw a crowd, but also reach new audiences across Chicago. “I think we have been successful getting people to get cross the city, to cross these sort of unofficial boundaries,” he said. “And ...