Given the pandemic, it might seem an odd time to open a museum, but the old saying “There’s no time like the present” certainly seems true in this case. Billed as the first Caribbean Heritage Museum in the United States, the Island SPACE Caribbean Museum, recently opened in Plantation, plans to fill a gap in the museum landscape by creating a space that is “an archive and exhibition space featuring a collection of artifacts, iconic paraphernalia, cultural relics and historical data representing South Florida’s Caribbean communities.”
What’s in a Name?
The “SPACE” in “Island SPACE” stands for the “Society for the Promotion of Artistic and Cultural Education,” notes Island Origins magazine. Island SPACE is the nonprofit behind the museum; the organization is “dedicated to the development and advancement of arts, culture, history, and educational initiatives that represent the Caribbean region, in South Florida and the broader diaspora community.”
Other current Island SPACE projects include a photo art project, which the organization plans to turn into a coffee-table book, and a reggae documentary.
The museum, which, according to sunny.org, “facilitates the creation of artistic, cultural, and socially conscious initiatives that educate the public about the valuable contributions and positive significance of the Caribbean community,” already contains artifacts from over 20 countries.
If you go:
Where: 8000 West Broward Boulevard #422, Plantation, FL 33388 (in the Westfield Broward Mall)
Hours: Open 11:00 am – 7:00 pm Thursday through Sunday from now through 12/31/2020; in January 2021, the hours will change.
Read more about Island Space here:
Visit Island SPACE on Instagram
Visit Island SPACE on Facebook
