Hip Hop Museum to open in the Bronx in spring 2027, board president says

Rubén Díaz Jr., the former Bronx borough president and president of the Hip Hop Museum board, said the museum will open to the public in spring 2027 at a site near East 149th Street in the Bronx.

"En la primavera, eso es cuando se abre para el público," Díaz said, announcing the projected opening window. He described the project as a global museum meant "to preserve, celebrate and share the history" of hip hop beyond just the Bronx or New York.

Díaz told the program the project already has roughly $74 million allocated for construction and that officials have provided about $1,000,000 to help develop the museum. He said the current fundraising campaign aims to raise $50 million to support ongoing operations and programming. Díaz noted a recent gala featuring artists such as Nas and Fat Joe that he said raised about $3.8 million in one night.

"Ya hemos tenemos más 74,000,000 de dólares para construir... Lo que estamos ahora es recaudando dinero para operaciones," he said, urging listeners and artists to support the museum financially and to visit the institution when it opens.

The museum, Díaz said, will be part of a broader cultural renewal in the Bronx that includes nearby arts organizations and venues; he framed the museum as an intergenerational space for education and cultural exchange. He described his role as volunteer board president and said he also works with Montefiore’s health system while leaving electoral politics to a new generation.

Díaz did not provide a final operating budget or detailed programming schedule on the broadcast; he asked listeners to follow the museum’s channels and contribute as they can. The museum’s timeline for permitting and final public-opening work, he said, depends on city approvals ahead of the spring 2027 opening.