27-02-2025
Tampa history museum is the first in U.S. to host Spanish immigrant exhibit
After a four-year run in major Spanish cities, the Tampa Bay History Center is the first U.S. museum to host the exhibit 'Invisible Immigrants. Spaniards in the U.S. (1868–1945).'
It explores the often-overlooked history of Spanish emigration to the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries that played a big part in the history of Tampa. It opens March 1 and runs through Aug. 3.
In the late 1880s, Tampa's Ybor City neighborhood emerged as a center of Florida's immigrant community, bringing groups together from all around the world. They worked in Tampa's renowned cigar industry or provided goods and services to those who did. They established traditions and laid the foundation for the diverse cultural fabric found in modern-day Tampa.
'This is a remarkable opportunity for our community to engage with a pivotal chapter of immigration history,' said C.J. Roberts, president and CEO of the Tampa Bay History Center. 'We're honored to be the first museum in the country to host this exhibition, which brings to light the stories of countless individuals whose experiences still resonate with families here in the Tampa Bay area.'
The exhibit showcases the Spanish diaspora through over 300 photographs, objects, documents and audiovisual materials. It is framed through six chapters: Goodbye, Now Get to Work!, Living la Vida, They Got Organized, Solidarity and Strife, and Made in the USA.
Curated by New York University Professor James D. Fernández and journalist-filmmaker Luis Argeo, the exhibition draws from a vast archive of over 15,000 records, including family albums and personal memorabilia.
'This exhibition provides a rare, intimate glimpse into the immigrant experience of Spanish families who shaped the United States over a century ago,' said Fernández.
This weekend will feature a series of events at the J.C. Newman Cigar Factory, the Hotel Haya and more Ybor locations to celebrate the exhibition's debut.
The Tampa History Center is open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The 'Invisible Immigrants' exhibition runs March 1-Aug. 3. Tickets are $18.95, students $15.95, age 6 and younger free. 801 Water St., Tampa.
