In the late 1980’s, Rosa and Carlos de la Cruz started collecting from their home which they opened to the public by appointment only. From 2001 to 2007, Rosa founded and chaired the non-profit Moore Space, a kunsthalle located in the Design District. It was then that Rosa and Carlos started planning and building the present de la Cruz Collection in a 30,000 square foot museum which opened to coincide with Art Basel/Miami 2009.
The Collection also organizes lectures, educational scholarships in NY for high school students of DASH, educational travel to Europe for college students of New World School of the Arts, and summer workshops for grade school children.