Alebrijes: Keepers of the Island

A world of color, creativity, and cultural wonder comes to Raspberry Island

June 1 – October 26, 2025 | Raspberry Island, Saint Paul, MN

This summer, the imagination and vibrant fantasy of Mexican folk art come alive on Raspberry Island with Alebrijes: Keepers of the Island — a spectacular outdoor exhibit featuring 16 monumental Alebrije sculptures!

Alebrijes were first envisioned in 1936 by famed Mexican artist Pedro Linares, who, during a severe illness, dreamed of surreal creatures in a vivid forest: toads with butterfly wings, lions with fish faces, and other magical hybrids. These beings cried out a single word: “Alebrijes!” Upon recovering, Linares brought them to life through colorful papier-mâché, giving birth to a unique and now-iconic Mexican folk art tradition.

Since then, generations of cartoneros (papier-mâché artists) in Mexico City have continued crafting ever-more fantastical creatures. Since 2007, Mexico’s Museo de Arte Popular has celebrated these visionary works with an annual parade of Alebrijes Monumentales — large-scale sculptures that dazzle crowds with their color, scale, and imagination.

Now, in partnership with the Mexican Cultural Center DuPage, which organized the largest U.S. Alebrijes exhibit to date in 2022, the Minnesota Latino Museum brings this magical art experience to Minnesota for the first time!

From June 1 through October 26, 2025, explore Alebrijes: Keepers of the Island on Raspberry Island — a fitting setting surrounded by the Mississippi River and nestled between Saint Paul’s Downtown Cultural District and the West Side, home of Minnesota’s only officially designated Latino cultural district.

Join us for this unforgettable journey through art, folklore, and imagination.

Exhibit Dates

Exhibit Dates: Sunday, June 1 – Sunday, October 26, 2025
Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony: Friday, May 30 | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Community Celebration: Saturday, June 14 | 12:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Cost

Free

Location

Raspberry Island
2 Wabasha St.
Saint Paul, MN 55107

Parking & Transportation

Due to the popularity of the exhibit, parking will be limited on Raspberry Island. To respect our partners at the Minnesota Boat Club, we ask that you bike, walk, take public transportation, or use nearby parking options: