[3] The Antiguo Casino de Puerto Rico was the brainchild of a group of citizens, known as the Asociación del Casino de Puerto Rico, who requested then San Juan mayor Francisco del Valle Atiles a place to establish a new social club.

[4] The building was designed by Montilla & Ferrer and construction began under the supervision of the Del Valle Zeno brothers' firm.

Shortly after the end of the war, in 1946 the building was transferred to the government of Puerto Rico, who turned it into the Escuela Libre de Música Ernesto Ramos Antonini.

[6] By 1955, the school was relocated and the building became the first headquarters of the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña,[7] serving in that function until 1970.

Designed in a Beaux Arts style, the Antiguo Casino features gardens, balconies, moldings, white marble floors, and a grand central staircase.