When Carlos Tortolero founded the Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum in 1982, he said some colleagues in the art world didn’t think opening an art museum in a working-class neighborhood like Pilsen would work.

Now, Tortolero, who serves as president of what’s now known as the National Museum of Mexican Art, announced he will be retiring at the end of the year, more than 40 years after the museum’s founding. 

The National Museum of Mexican Art serves as a community hub in the Pilsen neighborhood, bringing in more than 150,000 visitors a year. 

As part of Tortolero’s goal to make the arts more accessible, it was a priority for him to ensure the museum was free to the public. 

“Have you seen the prices to go to museums?” Tortolero said. “There’s no way my parents could have afforded to take us to museums at today’s prices.”

“The arts should belong to everybody,” he continued.

Tortolero plans on doing some consulting work and playing with his 2-year-old grandson during his retirement.

Contact Eunice Alpasan: @eunicealpasan | 773-509-5362 | [email protected]