Island SPACE Caribbean Museum in Broward aims to showcase collections that defy stereotypes
FORT LAUDERDALE -- A Broward County museum with 5,000 square-feet of exhibits from every country touched by the Caribbean claims to own a collection unlike any in the world.
Managers at the Island SPACE Caribbean Museum use its artifacts to provide lessons tailored to tackle stereotypes and provide a boost to history teaching in South Florida public schools.
Curators say the museum, located in Broward Mall and open Thursday through Sunday, .has collections that are more than artifacts, art and fashion.
The stories teach visitors about Alexander Hamilton's birth in Nevis, shows off track spikes worn by Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt and walls display contributions to South Florida by dozens of influencers who have family roots in the Caribbean.
"There's talk of is this the right history?," said Calibe Thompson, the museum's co-founder. "Is that the right history? We're telling our history (and) our story our way."
Three years ago, the museum opened as the COVID-19 pandemic shut down many businesses.
Thompson said she and her partners in the museum want to celebrate shared heritage and impact on American culture.
This includes stories about the Haitians who helped found New Orleans, politicians who have Cuban heritage and Jamaicans who fought in World War II.
Inspiring grade school students is no small part of the mission. Thompson especially hopes students with accents to find comfort.
"My sister when she moved here 20 years ago, she was an adult but she was asked if she swung from trees in Jamaica," Thompson said. "There is a misconception that we are somehow backwards, uneducated. We want students to feel connected. I want those students who may feel out of place when they're in the classroom, you know with Americans kids, kids can be mean in general and when you're accent is different or you dress different or whatever come in here and feel very, very first world."
The museum partnered with Broward Schools to offer age appropriate field trips, Thompson said.
At the same time for older crowds, museum management welcomes artists like Theo Azael. He designs clothes inspired by his religion, Santeria.
His work is hardly accepted by every gallery, Azael said. However, the Island SPACE Caribbean Museum will host two exhibits with Azael's designs. He is grateful.
Azael hosts televised fashion segments in Miami.
He also took part in the Grand Opening of Fort Lauderdale Fashion Week in April.
Still, not every venue has opened its doors to his art. So he is proud to be the first Puerto Rican given opportunity to open an exhibit in the first Pan-Caribbean museum in the world.
"It's very important that people discover what is my religion because this religion is so interesting and sometimes people are very confused about it," Azael said.
Erasing stereotypes is no small part of Thompson's vision and the museum board sounds determined to open eyes.
Managers hope to host more cultural events and partner with schools in Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties to become a field trip stop for students.
