Museo del Reciclaje Inc

What Museo del Reciclaje Inc does

Museo del Reciclaje Inc is a Puerto Rico-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational museum founded in 2016 and headquartered in Hatillo, adjacent to the Reciclaje del Norte recycling facility. The organization combines art, education, and research to address Puerto Rico's solid waste crisis — approximately 2.8 million tonnes of landfill waste annually and roughly 4.9 pounds per capita per day — by promoting circular economy principles through hands-on exhibits built from recyclable materials. Its flagship offering is the Mundo Material educational hall, complemented by the Mercadillo marketplace for local artisans and farmers, the Tardes de Museo afterschool STEAM program for ages 9-13, the Cuidadores del Museo volunteer initiative, and the upcoming RE-LAB research and innovation center. Inclusive exhibit features (audio guides, sign language, Braille, and English translation) were added through an ARPA-funded Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña grant.

The museum operates a community-led go-to-market model with no admission fees, free public programs, and no proprietary technology platform beyond a Wix website, Google Forms reservations, and donation processing via PayPal, ATH Móvil, and Stripe. Revenue is generated exclusively through donations, fundraising campaigns (e.g., a $30,000 goal to fund 3,000 free public school visits), corporate sponsorships (Motorambar), and institutional grants (ICP/ARPA). The organization is supported by a network of 24+ allied organizations and is wholly founded by Reciclaje del Norte, a worker-owned recycling company established in 1996. The museum employs 7 people, has hosted four exhibitions since 2019 reaching 5,000 cumulative visitors, and has showcased 29 artists and over 100 local projects through the Mercadillo platform since 2020.

Name

Museo del Reciclaje Inc

Legal name

Museo del Reciclaje Inc

Website

https://museodelreciclaje.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Museo del Reciclaje Inc is a Puerto Rico-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit museum in Hatillo that delivers free art, education, and research programming on recycling and the circular economy to school groups, local artisans, and the general public, funded by donations, grants, and corporate sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Museum and Environmental Education Services

NAICS

Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAJADAF

Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Museums, Galleries & Cultural Institutions

SECONDARYBPAGAHAA

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

SECONDARYCRALAJAG

Museum, Zoo & Attraction Gift Shops

Consumer Products & Retail/Specialty Retail (Hobby, Books, Office, Pet, Toys)/Gift, Novelty & Souvenir Retail

Keywords

• Environmental education
• Recycling museum
• Circular economy
• STEAM education
• Community workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Hatillo

HQ country

Puerto Rico

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 66-0866639), Museo del Reciclaje generates revenue primarily through donations. The organization conducts fundraising campaigns with specific goals for programs such as free museum visits for public school students, the workshop program, Tardes de Museo afterschool program, RE-LAB center development, and the Museo Store. Donations are collected via PayPal, ATH Móvil, and Stripe. Donations are tax-deductible under Puerto Rico Treasury Section 1101.01 and IRS Section 501(c)(3).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Museo del Reciclaje operates an interactive educational museum in Hatillo, Puerto Rico that uses recyclable materials for art installations and exhibits to teach circular economy, recycling, and solid waste management. The museum offers free guided tours of the Mundo Material educational hall, an afterschool STEAM program for students aged 9–13, periodic workshops, a community artisan marketplace called the Mercadillo, a volunteer program, and a forthcoming RE-LAB research laboratory. All programs are offered at no charge to participants and are supported by donations, grants, and corporate sponsorships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mundo Material Educational Exhibit The museum's current main educational exhibit: a large interactive hall that tells the history of recycling in Puerto Rico and explores the solid waste crisis through immersive experiences. Open to the public with free admission Wednesday through Saturday; guided group tours available for groups of 10+ with advance reservation. Visitors also tour the adjacent Reciclaje del Norte recycling plant and RE-LAB laboratory.
• Tardes de Museo Afterschool STEAM Program A free, semesterly afterschool STEAM program for students aged 9–13 that combines environmental education with creative manipulation of recyclable materials. Offers full scholarships (covering snacks, materials, and program staff) and validates 15 hours of Contacto Verde (green contact) certification. Has positively impacted 35+ students in the region.
• RE-LAB Research and Innovation Laboratory Upcoming research and innovation center that trains youth, artists, and entrepreneurs in using recycled materials to create functional and artistic products. Provides access to specialized machinery (especially for plastics), training in ecodesign, and tools to manufacture new products from recovered materials in support of circular economy practices.
• Mercadillo Marketplace Platform An in-person periodic marketplace connecting local artisans, farmers, and microentrepreneurs with consumers, promoting products that meet social, environmental, and economic responsibility standards. Since 2020, the Mercadillo has showcased 100+ local projects, brands, and artists. Includes the Hatillo Recicla initiative accepting plastics #1 and #2, aluminum, and paper.
• Guided Educational Group Tours Guided educational tours for groups of 10 or more persons, including visits to the Mundo Material exhibit, the Reciclaje del Norte recycling plant, and the RE-LAB laboratory. Requires advance reservation via Google Forms. Free admission provided to public school students and teachers in Hatillo and adjacent municipalities, supported by a fundraising goal of $30,000 to reach 3,000 students and teachers.
• Museum Workshops and Talleres Periodic virtual and in-person workshops covering techniques such as natural dyeing, crochet, embroidery, macramé, sun-weaving, and bottle-based sensory crafts (e.g., Taller de Botellas Sensoriales), offered to the community and integrated with the museum's exhibition programming.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4 exhibitions since 2019 reaching 5,000+ visitors
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Reciclaje del NortecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Reciclaje del Norte is a worker-owned community company founded in 1996 that has operated in Puerto Rico's recycling industry for over 30 years. It is the founding organization behind Museo del Reciclaje, establishing the museum in 2016. The company provides the museum with physical infrastructure (adjacent land and facility), operational recycling expertise, and financial support. It also sponsors the Tardes de Museo afterschool program and recently launched a line of construction systems made from recycled plastic and glass.
• Casa MúcarominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCasa Múcaro collaborated with the museum and other organizations on the Expedición de La Triatura community exhibition in April 2019, creating a collective journey across the Puerto Rican archipelago to showcase new ways of managing plastic at the community level.
• Tribu ContribuyeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTribu Contribuye was a collaborator on the Expedición de La Triatura community exhibition in April 2019, contributing to the collective artistic and educational journey across Puerto Rico.
• Iser CaribeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIser Caribe co-developed the Expedición de La Triatura exhibition with the museum in April 2019, contributing to the community art and recycling awareness initiative.
• El Circo de la PlazaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEl Circo de la Plaza collaborated with the museum on the Plasticuario exhibition, an interactive installation exploring the effects of plastic on marine life, held first at Por Amor Al Arte Fest and later brought inside the museum.
• Taller LibertáminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTaller Libertá, based in Mayagüez, co-created the Plasticuario exhibition with the museum, contributing to an artistic installation on marine conservation using recycled materials.
• Generación CircularminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeneración Circular developed educational resources on circular economy and solid waste management for Puerto Rico, which the museum highlights on its educational resources page. They co-developed infographics on Law 51-2022 regarding single-use plastic prohibition in partnership with Green PR and SWANA Caribbean Chapter.
• Green PRminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreen PR partnered with the museum, Puerto Rico Recycling Partnership, and SWANA Caribbean Chapter to develop infographics promoting safety in solid waste management related to Law 51-2022 on single-use plastics.
• Puerto Rico Recycling PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPuerto Rico Recycling Partnership collaborated with the museum, Green PR, and SWANA Caribbean Chapter to create educational infographics on Law 51-2022 and solid waste management safety.
• SWANA Caribbean ChapterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSWANA Caribbean Chapter developed safety infographics for waste management that the museum features on its educational resources page, supporting the museum's educational mission.
• Centros de Estudios para el Desarrollo SustentableminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Centers for Sustainable Development Studies developed a continuing education program on the recycling industry, providing professional tools to professionalize recycling activities in Puerto Rico. The museum features this program on its educational resources page.
• Arte Suelo SerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArte Suelo Ser operates the Museo de Suelos del Caribe (Caribbean Soil Museum), a living project dedicated to the study and appreciation of soils. The museum collaborates with Museo del Reciclaje on joint educational initiatives and features in Mundo Material exhibits such as 'Bio Layer, Materia Madura'.
• TAISminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTAIS developed an introductory article on Recycloponia shared on the museum's educational resources page, contributing educational content on sustainable practices.
• LimPiarminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLimPiar developed the Waste Reduction Guide featured on the museum's educational resources page, providing practical tools for eco-conscious consumption and waste management decisions.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Casa Múcaro: Casa Múcaro is a Puerto Rico-based cultural/community organization that co-developed the La Expedición de La Triatura exhibition with Museo del Reciclaje. Operates in the PR arts-and-community-education space with overlapping programming.
• Para la Naturaleza: Para la Naturaleza is a Puerto Rico-based nonprofit dedicated to conservation and environmental education across natural reserves. Highly comparable as a regional environmental education nonprofit in Puerto Rico with educational programming and a donor-supported operating model.

Broad incumbents

• Closed Loop Partners: Closed Loop Partners is a U.S. circular-economy investment platform that funds recycling infrastructure and education. Comparable as a broader incumbent operating in the same circular-economy and recycling-education space, though at significantly larger scale and with a finance/grant-making lens.

Direct peers

• EcoCycle: EcoCycle is a Boulder, Colorado-based nonprofit recycler and Zero Waste education organization with a public-facing educational center. Comparable as a nonprofit recycler running a sustainability education facility, community programs, and donor-supported operations.
• EcoTarium: EcoTarium is a nonprofit environmental science and nature museum in Worcester, MA focused on interactive exhibits and outdoor education. Closely comparable as a specialty environmental museum combining exhibits, school programming, and STEAM learning.
• Recology San Francisco: Recology operates one of the most prominent recycling visitor education centers in the U.S. at its San Francisco facility. Highly comparable to Museo del Reciclaje's model of combining a working recycling plant with public-facing educational exhibits and tours.

Emerging players

• LimPiar: LimPiar is a Puerto Rico-based organization that developed the Waste Reduction Guide featured on the museum's educational resources page. Operates in the adjacent waste-reduction and sustainability-education niche serving PR consumers.
• Arte Suelo Ser (Museo de Suelos del Caribe): Arte Suelo Ser operates the Museo de Suelos del Caribe, a niche environmental museum focused on soil study. Already a documented collaborator with Museo del Reciclaje on Mundo Material exhibits; operates a similar specialty-museum, education-led nonprofit model.
• Generación Circular: Generación Circular develops circular-economy and solid-waste-management educational resources for Puerto Rico. Already a documented partner of Museo del Reciclaje; operates in the same niche of circular-economy educational content creation.
• Puerto Rico Recycling Partnership: Puerto Rico Recycling Partnership is an industry-aligned nonprofit advancing recycling education and policy in Puerto Rico. Listed as an active collaborator on Law 51-2022 educational materials; overlaps directly on circular-economy education and advocacy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@museodelreciclaje4225
• Facebookfacebook.com/museodelreciclaje
• Instagraminstagram.com/museodelreciclaje
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/museo-del-reciclaje-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Museo del Reciclaje Inc