Miami Arts and Cultural Institutions Driving Tour

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Located in Miami’s Design District, the Haitian Heritage Museum works to interpret, share, and preserve the culture of Haiti and the influence and contributions of people of Haitian descent in Miami and throughout the world. As the only museum of its kind in the United States, the award-winning Haitian Heritage Museum provides art exhibitions, cultural arts events, and educational programming to the Miami-Dade County community and South Florida since its opening in 2004. The organization strives to enrich South Florida's cultural landscape through diversity and heritage.

2. Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami

One of several new or expanded art museums in the city, the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (ICA Miami), opened in December of 2017 within a three-story modern structure designed to resemble a glass and steel box. The museum exterior reflects the collection of modern art with a sculptural south façade of interlocking metal triangles and recessed colored light panels. The organization’s galleries and programs encourage continuous experimentation in contemporary art as well as supporting the work of scholars and promoting the exchange of art and ideas. The museum galleries include spaces for exhibiting the work of local, emerging, and under-recognized artists. ICA Miami is also renowned for their community programs, which include performance art exhibitions, lecture series, and research opportunities.

3. De la Cruz Collection Contemporary Art Space

The de la Cruz Collection Contemporary Art Space—a three-story, 30,000-square-foot building in Miami’s Design District—houses work from the personal collection of Rosa and Carlos de la Cruz and launched in 2009. The de la Cruz's had previously exhibited their collection from their home. Privately funded by the couple, the primary purpose of the space is to provide education and awareness of the visual arts. Educational programming includes lectures, artist-led workshops, docent-led tours, scholarship opportunities and student travel initiatives. Though the de la Cruz Collection is privately operated, not a 501c non-profit, and receives no government funding, admission is always free.

4. Little Haiti Murals - Wynwood Walls

Even before the creation of the murals known today as the 'Wynwood Walls,' Little Haiti's artists used public art to create new narratives and embrace the rich multiplicity of their history and experiences. These sites range from small actions of resistance to large projects meant for buildings. They especially use imagery and symbolism present in the homeland to enunciate the uniqueness of their experiences as Haitian Americans in Little Haiti.

5. Wynwood Walls

Wynwood Walls was created by Tony Goldman in 2009 as part of an attempt to revitalize the Wynwood neighborhood. The walls are a set of six privately owned warehouses that flank previously abandoned land used for junk storage and garbage in the urban core of Miami. The site features dozens of street art and graffiti works by local and international artists. The site is recognized as a triumph of urban revitalization, with murals sponsored by the organization gracing buildings near and far. Wynwood Walls continues to expand its offerings with its primary emphasis being on community service. Wynwood Walls is open to the public all year round and admission is free.

6. YoungArts Campus (Bacardi Complex)

The YoungArts campus occupies the former Bacardi Complex. Built in an International Style of architecture, the two buildings on the site are iconic Miami landmarks. The Bacardi Tower was constructed in the early 1960s. It features 28,000 tiles on the north and south faces of the building which collectively form an azulejo mural depicting tropical plants and animals. The Annex – affectionately known as the Jewel Box thanks to its raised profile and encompassing stained-glass windows – was built about a decade after the Tower. Both buildings were used by the Bacardi Corporation until 2012, when National YoungArts Foundation purchased the site. Architect Frank Gehry modified the interiors of the two buildings for YoungArts. Despite not meeting the minimum age requirements for historic designation, both buildings were granted this title in 2009 by the city of Miami. Furthermore, the buildings were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2018.

7. The Bass (Formerly the Bass Museum of Art)

With a collection of contemporary art, European fifteenth through twentieth century paintings and textiles, and much more, The Bass draws visitors with appetites for the rare and eclectic. Since its founding in 1963, the museum has brought international fine arts straight to Miami Beach and expanded its historical Art Deco building to more than 35,000 sq. ft., making it one of the architectural wonders of the area. Japanese woodblock prints, Asian sculpture and ceramics, Rococo court paintings, nineteenth century landscapes, Latin American paintings, sixteenth century French tapestries, are just a few of more than three thousand pieces that make up the Bass' permanent collections. The Bass also features a variety educational programs, which are often considered some of the best museum programs in Miami.

8. The Holocaust Memorial at Miami Beach

Conceived in 1984 and dedicated in 1990, the Holocaust Memorial at Miami Beach pays fitting tribute to its more than six million Jewish victims. Designed by architect and artist, Kenneth Treister, the memorial’s centerpiece is an outstretched, forty foot bronze arm reaching to the heavens as hundreds of human figures cling to and rise with it. However, the memorial contains so much more than this dramatic sculpture.

9. ArtCenter South Florida

The mission of ArtCenter/South Florida is to support artists and advance the knowledge and practice of contemporary visual arts and culture in South Florida. ArtCenter has been a central part of the South Florida arts community for over 30 years and it continues to re-invent itself and stay current to better serve the needs of both the community and artists.

10. Lincoln Theatre, 1936-2010

Architect Thomas Lamb designed this historic theater, which made its debut in 1936 as a movie house. The building was purchased and restored by the New World Symphony in the 1990s and thanks to the efforts of this organization, the theater was been restored and served as a concert hall that hosted numerous performances by local musicians and touring artists alike. After the New World Symphony constructed a modern venue just north of this location, the historic theater was placed on the market. In 2010, a commercial developer purchased the building and decided to convert its space into retail outlets for chain stores.

11. World Erotic Art Museum

Located in Miami Beach, the World Erotic Art Museum was established by Naomi Wilzig in 2005. Wilzig, who passed away in 2015, traveled the world collecting erotic art pieces. Her collection is one of the largest collections of erotic fine art in the world. WEAM is open only to adults and offers exhibits drawn from its collection of over 4,000 pieces of erotic fine art from 300 BCE to the present. Works in collection span a huge variety of cultures and media. While there are several museums dedicated to the interpretation of sex, this is the only museum in the United States devoted exclusively to erotic fine art.

12. The Wolfsonian — FIU

The Wolfsonian is a modern art museum unlike any other and is also a department within Florida International University. It was founded by Miami native Mitchell Wolfson Jr. in 1986, and opened to the public in 1995. It is located in the renovated and expanded former Washington Storage Company building. Wolfson began storing his collection there in the 1970s, before Wolfson later purchasing the Mediterranean Revival style building. Wolfson renovated the structure to meet his needs and then bequeathed the building and his entire collection to Florida International University in 1997. The building is now the primary home to the Mitchell Wolfson Jr. Collection of Decorative and Propaganda Arts. The Wolfsonian is part of the larger Miami Beach Architectural District, often referred to as the Art Deco District.

13. Art Deco Welcome Center

The Miami Beach Architectural District (also called Old Miami Beach Historic District but more popularly known as Miami Art Deco District) is a South Beach neighborhood containing 960 historic buildings. It was designated as a US historic district on May 14, 1979. The area boasts many significant pieces of architecture, including a mansion that was once the residence of Italian designer Gianni Versace. Notable architects designed many of the Art Deco buildings in the area, including designers Albert Anis, Henry Hohauser, and L. Murray Dixon. The Miami Design Preservation League, located in this Art Deco building, offers exhibits related to the history and architecture of South Beach, as well as guided walking tours.

14. Miami Design Preservation League

A non-profit organization founded by Barbara Capitman and a group of her friends in 1976, the Miami Design Preservation League (MDPL) focuses on preserving and promoting the Miami Beach Architectural Historic District. It is the world’s oldest Art Deco Society.

15. Jewish Museum of Florida - FIU

The Jewish Museum of Florida – FIU (JMOF - FIU) is dedicated to educating the public and preserving Jewish culture and experience in Florida. The Museum was founded in 1995 after the success of the grassroots Jewish history organization MOSAIC. JMOF - FIU occupies two historic buildings important to the history of Jews in Florida. The structures were built in 1929 and 1936 and have served as synagogues, cultural centers, and now as museums. JMOF - FIU’s core exhibit, "MOSAIC: Jewish Life in Florida," tells the story of nearly 250 years of Jewish history in Florida. In addition to permanent collections, the museum also hosts many traveling exhibits, including the art of Matatiaou, portraits of Jewish personalities, and the history of anti-Semitism. The Museum also supports the Collections and Research center about Floridian Jewish experiences.

16. Pérez Art Museum Miami

The Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) offers collections that reflect the diverse population of southern Florida. The museum's permanent collection of over three thousand works features international modern and contemporary art. Floridian, African Diaspora, Caribbean, and South American art are especially well represented in the collection. The Museum also hosts a plethora of travelling exhibitions and shows. Established in 1984 as Center for Fine Arts in 1984, the Museum changed its name to the Miami Art Museum in 1996 to reflect the institution’s growing collection and exhibition spaces. Following a gift of $40 million in artwork and cash from Jorge M. Pérez, the museum was renamed Pérez Art Museum Miami. The PAMM building was designed by internationally acclaimed architects Herzog and de Meuron, and combines indoor and outdoor elements to create a unified space.

17. The Lyric Theatre

Built in 1913 in Miami’s historic Overtown neighborhood, the Lyric became the entertainment anchor of “Little Boradway.” It was owned and operated by Geder Waller until 1919 and then by his wife, Henrietta, until 1959. It has hosted such entertainment luminaries as Count Bassie, Aretha Franklin and Patti LaBelle. It was added to the National Register of Historc Places in 1989 and reopened in early 2014.

18. Museum of Art and Design (MOAD) at Miami Dade College

The Museum of Art and Design (MOAD) dates back to 2005 with the creation of exhibits within downtown Miami's historic Freedom Tower. Thanks to the support of college personnel and local philanthropic organizations, Miami Dade College expanded the collection and established a formal museum in August 2012. The museum reopened in the spring of 2018 following renovations that included the creation of additional gallery space. From offering a space for students and local artists to the formal creation of MOAD, the museum has become Miami Dade College's leading institution dedicated to the presentation and exhibition of visual art and design. With a growing collection of nearly two thousand works and more than 17,000 square feet of exhibition space, this museum is becoming known within and beyond the Miami art community for exhibitions by emerging artists as well as major figures in modern, postmodern and contemporary art. The institution is also known for its efforts to support artists who explore the intersection of design and social issues relevant to Miami, including race, immigration, and inclusion.

19. Olympia Theater

The historic Olympia Theater was constructed in 1926 by Paramount Enterprises. The theater showed silent films and vaudeville in its early years. The theater later hosted "talkies" (movies with sound0 as well as concerts, plays, and community events. The Mediterranean Revival style building is one of only two surviving atmospheric theaters in Florida and it may be the first theater in the South to offer air conditioning. It has been renovated, repurposed, and renamed several times. Today the Olympia Theater continues as a performing arts center, hosting various concerts, lectures, and other events throughout the year. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

20. HistoryMiami

HistoryMiami, formerly known as the Historical Museum of Southern Florida, preserves the history and culture of Miami and southern Florida. Because southern Florida has historically stood as the cultural crossroads of America, HistoryMiami interprets and presents its vast collection of artifacts, providing locals and visitors with meaningful ways to connect to the region’s past and its ever-evolving future. In addition to the Museum’s 40,000 square feet of gallery space that features a variety of exciting and interactive exhibits, the museum also offers a variety of city tours. The top floor houses the museum’s permanent exhibition, where the “Tropical Dreams: A People's History of South Florida” exhibit (2015-2017) showcases over 12,000 years of regional history. The lobby contains the gift shop as well as two galleries that rotate temporary exhibitions. HistoryMiami also includes the Archives and Research Center, which contains historic photos and documents useful to scholars, distant learners and industry professionals.

21. Cubaocho Museum & Performing Arts Center

Cubaocho is a cultural arts research center with an extensive library and the Ramos Cuban Art Collection. This collection focuses on works that were created between 1800 and 1958 by various Cuban arts masters. The center's main purpose is to promote painting, theater, music, literature, and the arts in their entirety, as well as sponsor cultural events designed to disseminate the works of Cuban artist throughout South Florida.

22. Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science

The Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science has been inspiring local communities and educating the public on all things related to science since 1949. Formerly known as the Miami Science Museum, this museum first started as the “Junior Museum of Miami,” though nowadays it caters to all ages and tastes. Including the Frost Planetarium, a 500,000-gallon aquarium, and a myriad of interactive science exhibits and special programs, a trip to the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science is like traveling to the largest educational and interactive toy store (with science as the main topic). Discover life underneath the waves at the Sea Lab, explore hurricanes and Florida weather with the “Water, Wind, and Weather: Miami in a Changing Climate” exhibit, or learn about the principles of energy through an interconnected labyrinth of hands-on activities in the Energy Tracker. No matter the age, there are engaging and inspirational science and technology activities to enjoy at the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science.

23. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens

Built as a winter residence for James Deering, an executive of the International Harvester company and one of the wealthiest men in the country in the early 1900s, Vizcaya was the site of lavish parties between its completion in 1916 and Deering's death in 1925. The mansion was built to resemble an Italian estate with seventy rooms featuring Deering's collection of antiquities from around the globe. Deering was a bachelor when he died and his estate passed to his nieces. Over time, the family sold most of the land around the mansion before deciding to donate the house and its furnishings to create an art museum for the public. The estate is listed on the National Register of Historic Places while the gardens and galleries offer a world-class public museum.

This Tour is a Driving or Biking Tour.

Miami Arts and Cultural Institutions Driving Tour

Created by Hannah Swartz on May 13th 2018, 7:04:20 pm.

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This tour includes many of Miami's leading arts and cultural institutions, including the newly-renovated Museum of Art and Design at Miami Dade College. Be sure to hit the directions for driving in order to see directions to the nearest bridges rather than being directed to options for pedestrians. In addition to museums and galleries, the tour also includes murals, arts districts, permanent installations of public art, and a handful of landmarks related to arts and culture. If you have an account in Clio, you can customize this tour to fit your interests and schedule. Enjoy Miami!

Entries on This Tour

Miami Arts and Cultural Institutions Driving Tour

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