If you grew up in a Latinx household, chances are you’re familiar with Walter Mercado and his famous astrology show. If your mom didn’t watch it, your abuelita probably did. For many of us, it was what first exposed us to horoscopes and Zodiac signs. If you’re a big fan of his, you’d be excited to hear that this August HistoryMiami Museum will be having a Water Mercado exhibition on view that will feature a number of his close and personal items. How cool is that?
The exhibition titled Mucho, Much Amor: 50 Years of Walter Mercado, celebrates Mercado’s decades-long career and the 50th anniversary of his first show. He broke boundaries with his television program, becoming one of the world’s most famous astrologers. The Puerto Rican astrologer also wasn’t afraid to be openly gender non-conforming during a time when that wasn’t accepted or tolerated — especially by the Latinx community. And yet he still managed to reach 120 million Latinx viewers a day for more than 30 years.
His costumes, mementos, and ephemera will all be on display for the first time ever and we can hardly wait. There will also be a special public program with Mercado held on Saturday, August 3.
“We are excited to share the story of Walter Mercado here at HistoryMiami. So many of us grew up with the Puerto Rican icon in our living rooms as we listened to his predictions on television, and now his legacy will be shared on the walls of our museum for everyone to experience,” Jorge Zamanillo, executive director of HistoryMiami Museum said in a press release.
Mercado who now mostly lives in NYC is pretty excited about the exhibition and the fact that it’s happening in Miami.
“After my homeland of Puerto, Miami has been the most important city in my life and career. Miami has been a second home where I have lived and worked for many decades and a crucial place in the trajectory of sharing my message with global audiences,” he said in a statement. “This moment is a great homecoming. I’m excited to share it with all and I hope you’ll leave the museum feeling mucha paz y amor.”
If you live in Miami or will be there on August 3, this is definitely worth checking out!
