The International Institute is a non-profit organization established in Massachusetts in 1892. Its two main objectives are cultural exchange between Spain and the United States and the education of women.

According to its mission, the International Institute maintains and develops a library, reflecting its interest in Spanish and American culture. It also organizes and sponsors cultural events, including conferences, concerts, seminars and film series spanning disciplines such as the arts, the humanities, education, science, technology and social sciences. It also offers an English and American Culture program. Through initiatives such as the Ruth Lee Kennedy Fellowship, the Institute supports research in areas related to its mission.

After more than one hundred years of activity, the Institute's continues to pursue its mission of creating closer ties between Spanish and U.S. citizens and building awareness of the contribution of women in all spheres of public life.