The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History is set to open a new bilingual exhibition on salsa music, “¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa,” on April 18, 2026, in the museum’s 1 East Molina Family Latino Gallery.
The exhibition, presented by the National Museum of the American Latino in its gallery space inside the National Museum of American History, traces salsa’s evolution from Afro-Cuban musical traditions to a defining sound in the United States and features nearly 300 objects, according to Smithsonian materials.
In a May 8, 2026 opinion column published by The Daily Wire, writer Mike Gonzalez described “¡Puro Ritmo!” as the Smithsonian Latino Museum’s “third attempt” to introduce itself to the public and said earlier efforts drew criticism for political framing. The column also reported that museum director Jorge Zamanillo told Time magazine in 2023 that a music-centered show was chosen because it would have “broader appeal.”
The Smithsonian has said the Molina Family Latino Gallery is the first public gallery space for the National Museum of the American Latino, which is still in development as a full museum.
