[10] In 1994, it issued a report, titled Willful Neglect, which concluded that the Smithsonian had ignored the contributions of Hispanics and Latinos in its exhibits and that a new national museum might help to correct the problem.
[2] It became law on May 8, 2008, creating the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of the National Museum of the American Latino, with 23 members appointed by the president and congressional leadership.
But this site, although preferred by the commission, was ultimately rejected due to security concerns and because the land would continue to be owned by the United States Senate and not the Smithsonian.
Instead, it recommended that an underground museum be built on the National Mall next to and below the Arts and Industries Building, with an entrance and introductory displays within a portion of that historic structure.
[16] The commission said it would cost $600 million to build and endow the museum, and said that half of this money should be raised from private donors.
[17] The museum proposal drew criticism for encouraging cultural isolationism, for seeking space on the already-crowded National Mall, and for its cost.
The bills, co-sponsored by Senators Bob Menendez, Harry Reid, and Marco Rubio and Representatives Xavier Becerra and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, would also require the Smithsonian to establish a formal panel to study how to fund the museum and what a construction timeline should be.
[21] They were joined on the Capitol grounds by actress and activist Diane Guerrero[22] and FRIENDS, a coalition of corporations, nonprofits and trade associations,[23] to formally introduce the legislation, the National Museum of the American Latino Act (H.R.
[24][25][26] The legislation followed the funding model of the newly opened and highly acclaimed National Museum of African American History and Culture with a 50/50 split of public and private dollars.
[27] It created a board of trustees that acquire artifacts for the museum, develop content of exhibits, and coordinate fundraising.