Celia Cruz portrait

Celia Cruz Artifact Wall Display

Closed July 8, 2015

Celia Cruz was a Latina American singer known as the “Queen of Salsa.” The five-time Grammy Award winner was famous for her vibrant stage personality. This special case examines the colorful aspects that made up part of Cruz’s illustrious career, including wigs, shoes from her collection, one of her five Grammys, and more. The case also features artist Robert Weingarten’s interpretation of Cruz’s life. Weingarten's "visual biography" was created after a public vote on which of five historical figures should be the subject of the new portrait. After Celia Cruz was chosen, the public had further input into the artist's process by telling the Musuem why she was significant.

About the artifact walls

Artifact walls, consisting of 275 linear feet of glass-fronted cases lining the first and second floor center core, highlight the depth and breadth of the collections and convey that the Museum collects, studies and exhibits objects from our nation's rich and diverse history. The display is part of the special cases within the museum’s Artifact Walls that highlight anniversaries, new acquisitions to the collections and research findings.