Since the inception of La Caleta, both researchers and the government considered creating an archaeological museum for tourists, students and researchers dedicated to the understanding and study of the burial customs of the indigenous people. Eventually, in 1974, the Constitutional Government of President Dr. Joaquín Balaguer opened the La Caleta Centre and the Archaeological Museum. La Caleta Park, the only Marine National Park in the Dominican Republic, exists as a national model for community-based coastal marine management. In recognition of its success, the government recently awarded co-management of the La Caleta Park to Reef Check Dominican Republic (RCDR) and its local partners. This empowering of local communities represents a new model for Dominican Republic citizens to sustainably manage and benefit from their coastal ecosystems. The goal is for this model to expand to include networks of community-run marine protected areas, where local priorities are aligned with conservation goals.