The 400 seat
Lyric originally hosted sient movies, vaudville shows, and numerous African-American
entertainers who were permitted to perform in Miami, but were not permitted to
stay in the city’s hotels.&nbsp; After it shut
its doors in the early 1960s, the theater fell into disrepair and became an
unofficial shelter for Miami’s homeless population.&nbsp; It was then purchased by the Black Archives
and money was raised to renovate the venerable old theater, which reopened in
2000.

It went
through another series of renovations in 2004 which added a new lobby, box
office, concessions area and administrative offices.&nbsp; However, financial issues forced it to close,
once again, in 2010.&nbsp; It re-reopened in
February of 2014 as the Black Archives Lyric Theater Cultural Arts Complex and
reclaimed its spot as Miami’s olderst theater.

It now serves a movie theater, performance hall,
community auditorium and social gathering place for visitors and the residents
of Overtown.&nbsp; Currently, on the first Friday
of every month, the Lyric hosts Lyric Live, an amateur night modeled on the
famous Apollo Theater’s version

More Info

Short, two minute vid that deals with the re-opening of the Lyric in 2014

Video

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.

The Lyric Theatre

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!

Miami Arts and Cultural Institutions Driving Tour

The Haitian Heritage Museum (HMM) was founded on March 3, 2004 to commemorate Haiti's Bicentennial. The first public galleries were opened three years later. The museum's founders were inspired by the need to introduce Miami residents and visitors to Haitian history and culture while simultaneously providing exhibits and programs that demonstrate the contributions of Haitian people. The museum also strives to draw connections between various groups of Haitians, who are scattered throughout the Atlantic World. HMM provides a cultural Mecca for residents of Little Haiti as well as a space where individuals outside of the community can enjoy Haitian art and artifacts, and explore Haitian music, film, and literary works.HMM is located in a modern building within Miami's Design District. The Museum strives to retain connection to the Haitian community in Miami by positioning itself close to residents of the neighborhood of Little Haiti. By providing a space to display Haitian and Haitian-American art, as well as through its mission to educate the public about the contributions and experiences of Haitians, the museum hopes to inspire future generations of young Haitian Americans. The museum also strives to create job opportunities and culturally relevant partnerships that will benefit area residents. Since opening, HMM has offered over 30 exhibitions, created over 100 jobs, and provided tours to over 10,000 students.

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.

The Haitian Heritage Museum

The Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (ICA Miami) is historically linked to the Museum of Contemporary Art, which opened under that name in 1996 in a Charles Gwathmey designed building in North Miami. In 2014, following the failure of a municipal-bond referendum to finance MOCA’s expansion, and the departure of the director, Bonnie Clearwater, the museum’s board sued the city for the right to move. The board cited the current neighborhood’s disinterest in the museum’s mission and programming as the cause for moving. After a protracted legal battle, MOCA maintained its name and location, but the new ICA Miami organization was also created. ICA Miami moved to a space in an Art Deco building in the Miami Design District that art dealers Rosa and Carlos de la Cruz once used as a gallery. The space had remained vacant since the couple chose to focus on exhibiting their own art and opened the de la Cruz Collection in 2009, in a nearby 30,000-square-foot building.Thanks to generosity of auto magnate Norman Braman, ICA Miami is now located in a new 37,500-square-foot building – split between 20,000 square feet of gallery space and 15,000 square feet of garden patio. The structure was designed by Spanish architects María José Aranguren and José González Gallegos, who are no strangers to designing for the arts. The front of ICA Miami is similar to the ABC Museum in Madrid, also designed by the architects. Other notable buildings by Aranguren and Gallegos are the National Visual Arts Center in Madrid and the Archaeological Museum of Córdoba. Designing ICA Miami was the Spanish firm’s first venture into the United States (US). The firm aimed to create an integrated experience for the visitor, which combines modern art and architecture, as well as some striking views of the Miami cityscape.The modernist styled ICA Miami building is boxy, though bright materials and curvilinear forms keep it from being awkward or clunky. The front façade is blanketed in geometric forms inspired by triangles. Spaces in the forms allow recessed lighting to illuminate the façade at night. Museum officials envisioned the museum as a magnet; both figuratively and literally. A dynamic and welcoming appearance draws visitors in, while dark matte metal components resemble the actual forms of magnets. Though the front of the building lacks large windows, the rear of the building is composed of floor to ceiling panes of glass. These portals overlook Miami and the sculpture garden behind the Museum. The building serves a double function: a space that houses and exhibits a range of diverse works and installations and a cultural anchor and a major element of the urban surroundings.Shows at ICA Miami are spread across three levels, in rooms flexible enough to accommodate different types of exhibits. The top two floors house temporary exhibitions. On the ground floor are the galleries for the permanent collection, long-term loans and a project space for emerging artists. ICA Miami has achieved acclaim for its artistic collection and presentation, which presents emerging local artists side by side with more established artists from the canon of contemporary art. For example, the opening exhibition at ICA Miami featured works from well known artists such as Picasso and Jasper Johns, but sixty percent of exhibited artists were experiencing their first US museum exposure. One of ICA Miami’s greatest strengths is their programming. Museum programs range from performance art, to lecture series, to artists’ workshops. Programming is supported by the Museum’s Knight Foundation Art + Research Center, which aims to further scholarship and dialogue about South Floridian arts. The Museum has no admission fee, making it accessible to all. Miami has no shortage of great art museums. ICA Miami positions itself as one of them through avant-garde exhibitions, a fresh perspective on contemporary art, and support for local artists and communities.

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. 

Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami

De la Cruz Collection Contemporary Art Space owners Rosa and Carlos de la Cruz have been married since 1966. Rosa’s father was an architect and Carlos’s family collected art. The couple immigrated to the United States as a result of Fidel Castro’s regime gaining power in Cuba. The de la Cruzs have since assembled one of Miami’s finest collections of contemporary art. The first work they acquired was by Rufino Tamayo. The couple had originally considered building a strictly Latin American collection but instead decided to focus on contemporary art in general. The de la Cruz's opened their Key Biscayne mansion to the public to share their contemporary art collection more than 30 years ago. In 2009, they took their hospitality one step further by working to open a public space to exhibit their collection.By 2010, the de la Cruzs opened a 30,000 square-foot free-admission museum in the posh Design District. The building was designed by architect John Marquette. The building includes project rooms that rotate often. One of the project rooms will provide a space for local artists to display their works. Program and lecture series at the Museum concentrate on creating public awareness of art history and contemporary art practices. The Museum is a unique example of pre-eminent art collectors opening their own de facto museums. The collection of the de la Cruz Collection Contemporary Art Space focuses on international contemporary art. Some areas of emphasis in the collection are postwar German art and American art. The de la Cruz Collection includes works by Isa Genzken, Christopher Wool, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Mark Bradford, and Peter Doig.The de la Cruz Collection has a strong focus on community support. Several education programs serve local schools through a series of workshops and classes that were established in collaboration with Dade County Public Schools. These programs give local students the opportunity to learn different approaches to the creation and presentation of contemporary art. Students are encouraged to visit the space and library throughout the year and apply for internship positions. The de la Cruzs also fund scholarships and travel opportunities for students and teachers. Though the de la Cruz Collection is privately operated, not a 501c non-profit, and receives no government funding, admission is always free.

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.

De la Cruz Collection Contemporary Art Space 

English: The public art pieces in Little Haiti directly confront the ideas of race and public memory in Miami (and to a large extent, the Atlantic) while using old symbols to define new problems. The art itself can be found on almost every corner and has underlying definitions for the residents and the artists. One of the most prominent of muralists is Surge Toussaint, who paints the murals specifically to create an experience of memory for all generations living in the area. The murals frequently confront ideas from different eras to show the continuity in their stories and still pay homage to the Bahamian and African American roots in Lemon City. The art frequently uses mythological and religious symbols that are familiar to the diaspora.&nbsp; Creole:&nbsp;Moso yo atizay piblik nan Little Ayiti dirèkteman konfwonte lide yo nan ras ak memwa piblik nan Konte Miami (epi nan yon gwo limit, Atlantik la) pandan w ap itilize senbòl fin vye granmoun yo defini pwoblèm nouvo. ka atizay nan tèt li ka jwenn sou prèske chak kwen e li te kache definisyon pou rezidan yo ak atis yo. Youn nan enpòtan nan pi fò nan Muralists se Onn Toussaint, ki moun ki pentire epitou travay yo espesyalman yo kreye yon eksperyans nan memwa pou tout tan k ap viv nan zòn nan. epitou travay yo souvan konfwonte ide ki soti epòk diferan yo montre kontinwite a nan istwa yo epi ou toujou ap bay omaj a rasin yo bahameyen ak Afriken Ameriken nan oto domaje lavil la. Atizay la souvan sèvi ak senbòl mitoloji ak relijye ki abitye nan dyaspora a.

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. 

Little Haiti Murals - Wynwood Walls

The Wynwood Arts District started in 1987 when a group of artists based out of Coconut Grove formed a nonprofit organization and purchased an abandoned bakery in the area, called the Bakehouse. The Wynwood Arts District Association was also instrumental in the growth of the area, creating monthly art walks. Before the Goldman family started buying property in Wynwood in 2006, the community was mostly a deserted warehouse district filled with garbage and industrial waste. In 2009, Wynwood Walls was conceived by visionaries Tony Goldman and Jeffrey Deitch. Looking for something big to transform Miami’s warehouse district of Wynwood, Goldman arrived at a simple idea: "Wynwood's large stock of warehouse buildings, all with no windows, would be my giant canvases to bring to them the greatest street art ever seen in one place." His goal was to create a center where people could gravitate to and explore street art. Jeffrey Dietch was tasked with organizing the original space, which featured twelve artists. Wynwood Walls quickly became a major art statement with its commitment to graffiti and street art, an under-appreciated and historically disrespected genre. By decontextualizing and recontextualizing street art, Goldman hoped to force viewers to confront the works directly, rather than allowing the works to be consumed passively or peripherally. Wynwood Walls has brought the world's greatest artists working in graffiti and street art to Miami. Since its inception, the Wynwood Walls program has seen over one hundred artists representing sixteen countries and have covered over 80,000 square feet of walls. Works by national and international artists are included, as Goldman envisioned a space where local culture could interface directly with international influence. Artists featured at Wynwood Walls include Os Gemeos, Shepard Fairey, Ben Jones, HOW &amp; NOSM, Clare Rojas, and David Ellis. Over three million visitors come to Wynwood Walls each year from all over the world. Unlike a typical museum space, Wynwood Walls itself was not intended to be commodified. Entrance to the walls is free, and the site specific works cannot be sold to another museum or individual the same way a canvas or sculpture can be. However, Wynwood Walls encounters commodification in different ways. The site attracts enormous amounts of visitors eager to take Instagram photos in front of the works. As of early 2020, over 802,000 Instagram posts are tagged with #wynwoodwalls. Wynwood Walls also features a shop where exhibited artists can sell complementary items such as prints, books, and other merchandise.In 2010, Wynwood Doors opened, which is Tony Goldman’s nod to traditional portrait galleries through an indoor community space. This also expanded the mural program outside the physical location of Wynwood Walls. The Outside the Walls program was added to complement this and extended murals and influence into the surrounding neighborhood. These community murals cover sides of buildings and sometimes the entire building, creating breathtaking scenes on every block of the neighborhood. Taking this another leap further, the Goldman Global Arts program curates large-scale conceptual projects on a global level.Though Tony Goldman passed away in 2012, his daughter Jessica Goldman Srebnick continues to expand Wynwood Walls. In 2015, Goldman Properties launched the Wynwood Walls Garden. The new space offers another area within the outdoor museum to enjoy not only an additional four murals by Case (Germany), Logan Hicks (US), El Seed (France) and Hueman (US) but also a container installation by Pichi &amp; Avo (Spain) and is accessible from the Wynwood Doors. In a recent theme of “humanKIND,” Wynwood Walls unveiled a batch of 12 new installations for Miami Art Week in December of 2017 and another by Fin DAC in January. Wynwood Walls has been lauded for their role in transforming local communities. Miami mayor Francis Suarez said, “What the Goldmans have done with Wynwood Walls is like the story of the phoenix — they’re created a neighborhood out of the ashes.”1

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. 

Wynwood Walls

Founded in 1862 in Cuba, the Bacardi Corporation enjoyed many decades of success in its native country, before expanding to the United States (US) in 1915. Despite Prohibition creating major setbacks for the company, Bacardi weathered the storm and continued expanding in the US following Prohibition’s repeal. In 1959, the director of the company, Jose “Pepin” Bosch, realized that Fidel Castro’s burgeoning movement in Cuba spelled disaster for private corporations. Bosch began secretly making plans to move the bulk of Bacardi’s manufacturing and processing to the US before he and his family fled in 1960. Bosch chose Miami as the center of Bacardi’s US operations due to Miami’s position as “The Gateway of the Americas.” The Bacardi Corporation rebranded as a broadly Latin American company with a special interest in the plight of Cuban Exiles and Cuban Nationals who remained subject to Castro’s regime. With both commercial and political interests in mind, Bosch began creating a new Bacardi headquarters in the early 1960s.Bosch initially contacted Bauhaus architectural icon Ludwig Mies van der Rohe to request designs for a new building. Bosch was an ardent appreciator of modernist architecture. The Bacardi president and Mies had previously worked together on Bacardi buildings in Mexico. Furthermore, given Mies’ personal experience and opposition to Nazi despotism, there was a natural ideological match between the two men as well. Mies enthusiastically accepted the commission, though due to logistical and communication disconnects, the architect’s vision for the new building was not able to be executed. Instead, architectural plans were created by Enrique Gutierrez. Gutierrez was a Cuban architect who had collaborated with Mies in the past. He delivered on all three of Bosch’s requirements for the building. These were that the building be tall to attract attention, be open concept so that all employees could see each other, and that the building have ample space for fifty employees. Gutierrez’s final design for a seven-story tower was rooted firmly in the International Style of architecture. This can be seen in the simple faces, repeated geometry, and focus on structural innovation. Gutierrez designed a system where a glass pedestal on the first floor makes it appear that the building is floating. However, the pedestal supports none of the building’s weight. The architect cleverly hid loadbearing columns and supports throughout the Tower. The east and west sides of the building are composed of floor to ceiling glass panels which allow sunlight to flood the interior space. The north and south walls are cast concrete covered in painted tiles which collectively form an azulejo mural. Bosch hired Brazilian artist Francisco Brennand to design the mural, which depicts stylized tropical plants and animals rendered in blue and white. Brennand created and hand numbered 28,000 tiles in Brazil before shipping them to Miami, where they were unboxed and assembled to form the finished image. Though Bosch wanted the Tower to be complete for Bacardi Corporation’s one hundredth birthday in 1962, construction did not finish until the following year. The Tower housed a small museum of Bacardi Corporation history, a plethora of offices, and a penthouse dining room and corporate bar.As the Bacardi Corporation continued to expand, it outgrew the Tower space. Miami based Cuban architect Ignacio Carrera-Justiz was commissioned to create a new building that matched the Tower in general aesthetic design principles. The architect’s plans for the Annex were executed on an adjacent lot from 1973 to 1975. The Annex consists of a forty-seven-foot high central square pedestal upon which the main floors of the building rest. The two stories of main floors are cantilevered from the pedestal by twenty-four feet in every direction. The design was a bold choice architecturally, but also practically. Miami frequently experiences hurricane force winds, which would discourage most architects from the design challenges posed by a completely cantilevered structure. However, the elevated main floors of the Annex are not even its most striking feature. The entirety of the building’s walls is composed of stained-glass windows designed by German artist Johannes Dietz. The windows are abstracted but weave a narrative of the history of rum-making. They glass was manufactured in Chartres, France by Gabriel and Jacques Loire. Due to the Annex’s elevated profile and resplendent walls, it was dubbed the Jewel Box by Miami residents. The Bacardi Corporation continued to use both the Tower and Annex until 2009, when the company moved to a new location in Coral Gables. After Bacardi vacated the buildings, concerned Miami citizens began a campaign to have the buildings designated as historic. The city of Miami acted quickly to protect the structures and granted the requested historic status. In 2018, this work culminated in the buildings being added to the National Register of Historic Places – despite the fact that they were several years short of the minimum fifty years of age required. The buildings were sold to National YoungArts Foundation in 2012. The non-profit arts advocacy organization purchased the complex for $10 million; well below market value. YoungArts contracted renowned artist Frank Gehry to alter the interior spaces of the buildings, though the exteriors were left completely untouched. The first two floors of the Tower were made into an exhibition space and gallery while the rest of the building continues to serve as offices. The Annex was re-envisioned as a space for artists to create. It now includes art workshops, music rooms, and dance studios. Thanks to the efforts of Miami citizens and YoungArts, the Bacardi buildings continue to stand as iconic landmarks in the city.

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.

YoungArts Campus (Bacardi Complex)

The Bass traces its history back to its founding in 1963, when the City of Miami Beach accepted a large donation of both money and art objects from the esteemed private collection of local residents, John and Johanna Bass. Objects donated numbered over five hundred works and included Old Master paintings, decorative objects, and textiles. As part of their donation, the Bass couple stipulated that an art museum be opened using the collection. The museum was founded immediately in 1963 and a location was found soon after. The Bass Museum of Art opened its doors a year later in the 1930s Art Deco building that previously housed the Miami Beach Library and Art Center. Designed by renowned Miami architect Russell Pancoast, the 1930s building is an emblematic example of a public Art Deco building. Made from native oolitic limestone, a local bedrock, the building features a low, blocky profile. Decorative motifs on both the interior and exterior of the building recall Egyptian tombs, Minoan palaces, and Roman temples. Sculptor Gustav Bohland designed bas reliefs and stone gargoyles for the exterior of the structure. Like the building material, the gargoyles also suggest a regionalized style, as they are fashioned after native creatures like seagulls and alligators. The Miami Beach Library and Art Center was the first public art exhibition space in South Florida.John Bass oversaw museum operations as director until 1978. Over the next several decades, the Bass Museum of Art expanded its holdings, developed a scholarly archive, and obtained accreditation from the American Association of Museums. Furthermore, exhibitions began to reflect increasing interest in modernization. Though works from prior centuries still hung prominently in the museum, they now hung alongside more avant-garde and contemporary works. As the museum attracted thousands of visitors every year due to its globetrotting collection, the museum doubled its size from 15,000 to 35,000 square feet to accommodate the growing collection in 2001. A new wing was added, and several older spaces were reconfigured. This addition was designed by famed architect Arata Isozaki. In 2009, the museum transformed into a non-profit organization thanks to increased support from the city of Miami and the Knight Foundation. In 2015, the museum temporarily closed its doors as part of a complete overhaul of the space. Architect David Gauld oversaw the redesign in consultation with Isozaki. Though the changes added no new additions, the renovation led to a fifty percent increase in programmable square footage purely through reclamation of space. As part of the project, an educational facility was built. It is the largest museum education space in Miami. The Bass Museum of Art reopened in 2017 and began marketing itself as simply “The Bass.” The collection of art displayed at The Bass includes important works from around the globe ranging from the Renaissance to the modern era. The original donation from John and Johanna Bass included quintessential works from Old Masters as well as over five hundred European works from the fifteenth to the early twentieth century. Some major figures with works in the museum include Cornerlis van Haarlem, Peter Paul Rubens, Benjamin West, and Armand Guillaumin. The Bass’ donation also included many textiles and sculptures. One of the most significant pieces in the museum is the sixteenth century Flemish tapestry titled “The Salute Before the Tournament,” which was once part of Henry VIII’s collection at Knole House in England. Due to John Bass’ upbringing in Austria, The Bass holds one of the most expansive collections of Austrian paintings in the United States. Nowadays, the Bass Museum of Art continues to expand its collection while also reinvigorating its vision by offering the public more exhibition and educational programs. The focus of the museum is primarily on acquiring and exhibiting contemporary. Several permanent sculpture installations — Sylvie Fleury’s “Eternity Now,” Ugo Rondinone’s “Miami Mountain,” and Pascale Marthine Tayou’s “Welcome Wall,” to name a few — help diversify the museum’s grounds and lobby. Classical pieces in the collection continue to be displayed and exhibited, typically in the context of temporary contemporary exhibitions. In addition to its acclaimed collection of paintings and other works of art, The Bass stands as one of the premier educational centers for art in Miami. In fact, the museum’s vision is to stimulate creative interpretation of contemporary art that encourages further inquiry and exploration. Thus, to provide greater artistic enlightenment in the community, the Bass Museum of Art offers a cutting-edge education program spanning from group tours to public programs, such as through art clubs, the “Beats After Sunset” on the beach, the ARTTALKS@thebass: Lecture Series, and more.

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.

The Bass (Formerly the Bass Museum of Art)

The Holocaust Memorial Committee was created in 1985 and chose Miami Beach as the location for its memorial due to the large population of Holocaust survivors that resided in South Florida at that time. After overcoming some initial resistance, the funds they raised allowed construction on the memorial, which takes up several blocks, to begin in 1986 and they secured Elie Wiesel as the guest speaker at the memorial’s dedication.Aside from the central sculpture, the memorial also contains a moving series of smaller sculptures that depict Holocaust victims in various poses of fear and anguish. Built on a foundation of Jerusalem stone, the memorial invites visitors to contemplate the horrors of the Holocaust as they stare into the reflecting pool, read the thousands of names on the Black granite memorial wall and stand in stunned silence in the bare Dome of Contemplation.Many considered the eventual creation of the memorial to be “bashert,” or fate, as the address was, and still is, 1933-1945 (the years of Nazi rule in Germany) Meridian Ave. It is entirely proper, in the playground of Miami Beach that we take a few minutes to remember those souls who perished at the hands of such evil.

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.

The Holocaust Memorial at Miami Beach

In 1984, with help from&nbsp;Community Development Block Grant
funds from the City of Miami Beach, the ArtCenter was created. &nbsp;In keeping with its mission to support art in the Miami Beach area,&nbsp;the ArtsCenter invited&nbsp;artists to take up residence in twenty-one abandoned&nbsp;storefronts on Lincoln Road. &nbsp;As the&nbsp;80s progressed, ArtCenter’s founder Ellie Schneiderman
raised funds to buy three other&nbsp;buildings on Lincoln Road in order to establish
a base for the organization. Thus, ArtCenter established a resident
artist program and has since provided studio
residencies and exhibition opportunities to more than 1,000 visual artists. ArtCenter also provides art classes and outreach programs for the community.

Today, ArtCenter is credited as being the catalyst for the revitalization of Lincoln Road and the surrounding area. &nbsp;The center prides itself in being one of the few institutions
in South Florida that grans free admission to all of its exhibitions and other
public programming in an effort to make the arts accessible to all. &nbsp;It&nbsp;also provides art classes and outreach programs for the community. &nbsp;Approximately 100,000 visitors come to the ArtCenter every&nbsp;year.&nbsp;

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. 

ArtCenter South Florida

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.

Lincoln Theatre, 1936-2010 

Naomi Wilzig began collecting exotic art in the 1980s, when her son, Ivan, asked her to purchase some conversation pieces for his apartment. Wilzig was a longtime antiques collector, though the world of erotic art was new to her. When the first exotic artworks Wilzig procured were rejected by her son, she kept them for her personal collection. Wilzig quickly came to enjoy hunting for new erotic works, and started expanding her circle, travelling around Europe and beyond to find new works. Her home became a veritable Mecca of erotic art, with friends and neighbors frequently bringing visitors by to see the works. In the early 2000s, Wilzig published two books detailing her collection. These volumes attracted the attention of Musée de l’Erotisme, a Parisian museum dedicated to the erotic. The Museum expressed interest in partnering with Wilzig to create a museum. However, after several months of attempting to find a location, the partnership collapsed due to ideological differences.Wilzig continued searching for a museum space on her own time after her partnership with Musée de l’Erotisme ended. She proposed placing her new museum in several locations, though many cities denied the plans, fearful that the Museum would attract the wrong sort of crowd. Ivan noticed a vacant space in Miami Beach and referred his mother to it. Wilzig rented the space and by 2005, the World Erotic Art Museum (WEAM) opened to the public. Wilzig was granted an honorary doctorate from Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality in San Francisco and published five books about her collection.Though Wilzig passed away in April of 2015 at the age of 80, her Museum continues. With over 20 rooms filled with over 12,000-square-feet of artwork, WEAM spans a wide range of mediums, time periods, and cultures. Objects in the collection include paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, textiles, furniture, and ceramics. Works date from antiquity and pre-Columbian to present day. Art objects come from all over the world; works from the canon of western and non-western art are equally well represented. One of the most famous items on display is a large example of a male appendage that served as a prop in Stanley Kubrick’s 1971 film “A Clockwork Orange.” WEAM challenges the notion that erotic art and pornography are interchangeable terms. Wilzig was firmly committed to the idea that erotic art maintains all the legitimacy of traditional fine art, and should be treated as such. Though many artists in the collection are more obscure, works by names as recognizable as Shiele, Klimt, Dali, Picasso, Mapplethorpe, and Rembrandt are included. In fact, in 2011, WEAM premiered the first United States exhibition of rare erotic Rembrandt etchings. WEAM offers a combination of academic events, cultural programs, and a variety of workshops and classes. The Museum aims to engage the local community and become the home for Miamians to explore topics related to human sex and sexuality.

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.

World Erotic Art Museum

Mitchell “Mickey” Wolfson Jr., prominent collector and architectural and modern design expert began collecting modern art objects in the 1970s. He soon required additional space to store his collection. Wolfson selected the 1927 Washington Storage Company building to serve his storage needs. By 1986 his collection occupied 90% of the storage space within the building, so Wolfson simply purchased the structure. He then established the Wolfsonian Foundation to oversee his collection and make it available for research. The staff spent several years registering, cataloguing, conserving and researching Wolfson’s extensive collection. In 1992, Wolfson hired Mark Hampton and Architect William Kearns to renovate, convert and expand the building into a world class museum and research facility. The height of the building’s first floor was extended to accommodate vehicles driving within to unload items into Miami Beach’s first freight elevator. The structure now houses the Wolfsonian’s auditorium, café, main lobby and gift shop. Hampton and Kearns also added the smaller sixth and seventh floors to the building which are now home to the Museum’s temporary exhibitions. The fifth floor contains the Museum’s permanent exhibition, entitled Art and Design in the Modern Age. The building’s third floor houses the Wolfsonian’s non-circulating research library that contains over 60,000 items, such as rare books, historic periodicals and various works of propaganda.Today, the Wolfsonian divides its over 180,000 items into two groups: the library and objects collections. Both collections focus on works of modern art from 1850-1950. The objects collection contains furniture, works in glass, ceramics, metal, textiles, industrial-design objects, works on paper, and ephemera. Works are derived primarily from American industrial design and Art Deco, Dutch and Italian Art Nouveau, propaganda from both World Wars as well as the Spanish Civil War, and New Deal decorative and graphic arts. Objects from the United States, Italy, Germany, Great Britain, and the Netherlands are most represented at the Wolfsonian.Thematically, the Wolfsonian’s collections are divided into such categories as Art Deco, Arts and Crafts, Modernism, and World’s Fairs and Expositions among others. A sample of recent exhibitions includes Art for Justice, Color and Form: American Depression Glass, and The New Deal: Art Relief. The Wolfsonian also offers numerous public, family and school educational programs and fellowships.

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.

The Wolfsonian — FIU

The Miami Design Preservation League was established in 1976 by local residents who hoped to preserve many of the historic Art Deco buildings from the 1930s that had fallen into disrepair. In its early years, the organization sponsored festivals and other events to raise awareness about the architectural value of this South Beach&nbsp;neighborhood and the need to preserve&nbsp;its original&nbsp;buildings. In 1980, Andy Warhol brought international attention to the neighborhood and its unique buildings after taking a&nbsp;tour area with the leaders of the organization. Despite losing many of the original buildings, many others were saved thanks to the growing organization and its members. The term Art Deco refers to a design style that began in
France before World War I and became popular internationally throughout the
twenties, thirties, and forties. It declined in popularity after World War II.&nbsp; Art Deco is a product of the interwar
period, referring to the period of time between the first two world wars and
characterized by industrialization that resulted in a changing culture. One
distinguishing feature of Art Deco is its incorporation of technology. This
differentiates it from Art Nouveau, its predecessor that heavily incorporated
more organic themes.
















By some accounts, the term “Art Deco” was first used by the
architect Le Corbusier. He published a series of articles under the title “1925
Expo: Arts Deco” in his journal L’Esprit
Nouveau’. These articles referred to the 1925 Exposition Internationale des
Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes (International Exposition of Modern and
Decorative Arts). The term became more widely used in 1966 during a French
exhibition called Les Annees 25: Art
Deco/Bauhaus/Stijl/Esprit Nouveau. This exhibition was held to celebrate
the 1925 exposition.&nbsp;Arguably one of the most famous works of Art Deco architecture is the
spire of the Chrysler building in New York City, which was designed by William
Van Allen and built between 1928 and 1930. Historian Bevis Hillier described
Art Deco as, “an assertively modern style [that] ran to symmetry rather than
asymmetry, and to the rectilinear rather than the curvilinear; it responded to
the demands of the machine and of new material [and] requirements of mass
production.’

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. 

Art Deco Welcome Center

The society was formed as a project to celebrate the
nation’s bicentennial. Barbara Baer Capitman and her son, John Capitman, and
designers Leonard Horowitz and Lillian Barber identified historic thirties-era
buildings in South Miami Beach. There are three main architectural types found
in the Art Deco district and focused on the MDPL: Art Deco, Mediterranean
Revival, and Miami Modern (MiMo).

MiMo became popular after World War II, during the 1950s.
Buildings designed in this style often include features such as asymmetry,
futuristic space age influenced shapes and forms, anodized aluminum in colors
such as gold and copper, and mosaic murals. The MiMo style came about when
architecture schools heavily focused at the International Style.

The International Style originated in the 1920s and 1930s.
Characteristics of the style include open interior spaces, rectilinear forms,
and the use of cantilever construction. Cantilevered construction makes it
possible to build overhanging structure with no external support, giving
buildings built using them a sort of impossible weightless quality.The term “International Style” originated during the 1932
exhibition “Modern Architecture: International Exhibition.” The exhibition was
held at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, making it the first
architectural exhibition held at the museum. The exhibition’s catalogue was
followed up with a book called The
International Style.

Many Modernists rejected the architectural term. Sir
Nikolaus Pevsner, an architectural historian, stated: “To me what had been
achieved in 1914 was the style of the century. It never occurred to me to look
beyond. Here was the one and only style, which fitted all those aspects which
mattered, aspects of economics and sociology, of materials and function. It
seems folly to think anyone would wish to abandon it.”

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.

Miami Design Preservation League

In 1929, the original Beth Jacob Congregation building was constructed in response to a growing Jewish community in Miami Beach. Though the congregation was formed just two years before, almost every permanent Jewish resident of Miami Beach was a member. The synagogue was the first to be built in Miami Beach; members of the Jewish community previously had to ferry across Biscayne Bay to the B’nai Zion Congregation in Miami. Architect H. Frasser Rose designed the building, which was built at 311 Washington Avenue for a total cost of $25,000. The Beth Jacob Congregation building has a simple two-story rectangular plan and a gable roof. The building displays considerable Spanish influence through the use of stucco, stylized iron hinges, and round windows. Three sets of double doors lie at the base of the façade. A plaque at the top of the façade reads, “Beth Jacob Social Hall, 5689-1929,” and is capped by a tablet carved with the Ten Commandments. As the Beth Jacob Congregation was Orthodox, attendees were segregated by gender. Men were allowed to worship on the main floor, while women were relegated to a second-floor balcony. As the Beth Jacob Congregation continued to expand in the early 1930s, more space was needed. A larger second facility was constructed next to the original building in 1936. Located at 301 Washington Avenue, the new building was designed by congregation member Henry Hohauser. The Synagogue was likely Hohauser’s first completed building design. Hohauser would later go on to design more than one hundred Streamline-Moderne commercial and residential structures in Miami Beach. The 301 building resembles the 311 building in both form and function. Though the 301 building is slightly larger, it maintains the ratios and proportions of the 311 structure. Instead of three sets of double doors, the 301 location has a single set of double doors underneath a large arched stained-glass window. Both the interior and the exterior of the building display a wide variety of Art Deco touches, most striking of these which are the seventy-seven stained glass windows installed in 1940. They were designed by a Beth Jacob rabbi, Moses Mescheloff, and created in Hialeah, Florida. After the completion of the 301 building, the 311 building became a social and community center. Religious school classes were also taught there. In 1980, both buildings were placed on the National Register of Historic Places due to their significance to Jewish history in South Florida. However, as the twentieth century wore on, Beth Jacob Congregation found itself with a rapidly dwindling community. Many members moved to more affluent parts of town, as the area around Washington Avenue was becoming a high crime neighborhood, or passed away due to age. The Synagogue often struggled to even assemble a minyan – the minimum ten men necessary for many aspects of worship. The historic buildings were ravaged by vandals and hurricanes. By the 1990s, it seemed like the end of the road for the buildings, which were set to be demolished and replaced with an apartment complex. In 1993, the Beth Jacob Congregation’s buildings were saved by MOSAIC. MOSAIC was founded by Marcia Jo Zerivitz and served as a grassroots Jewish history organization dedicated to preserving the stories of Floridian Jews. The organization travelled all over Florida in the early 1990s collecting photographs, objects, and oral histories. Public reception of MOSAIC was overwhelmingly positive, which allowed it to purchase the two synagogues. MOSAIC then evolved into the Jewish Museum of Florida (JMF). The Museum officially opened at the Beth Jacob Congregation buildings in 1995. JMF contracted architect Ira D. Giller to restore the dilapidated 301 building to its former glory. Giller accomplished this by replacing electrical and plumbing systems, installing a new wooden floor, and shoring up the foundation to ensure safety from environmental hazards. Next, the exterior of the building was steamed. This process removed twenty-seven coats of paint, which were replaced with a new layer to replicate the original color of the buildings. All seventy-seven stained glass windows were repaired and insulated with hurricane-proof glass to protect from further damage. The restoration cost just under $2 million. Two years later, JMF was honored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation for their efforts.JMF was accredited in 2002 by the American Association of Museums, thanks to the Museum’s dedication toward multi-cultural education and demonstrations via exhibitions, public programs, and archival materials and its passionate way of contextualizing the challenges of the immigrant experience. In 2005, Giller was again contracted for restoration work, this time on the 311 building. The project cost just under $1 million. The 301 and 311 buildings were bridged in 2008 by the addition of the Bess Myerson Gallery. This space lies between the historic buildings, bringing the total floorspace of JMF to nearly 15,000 square feet. In 2012, JMF partnered with Florida International University to become the Jewish Museum of Florida – FIU (JMOF - FIU). This partnership allows for a variety of interdisciplinary and scholarly opportunities. JMOF - FIU is centered around the permanent Mosaic Core Exhibit, which explores the lives of three centuries of Florida Jews. In addition to this exhibit, the museum also features a variety of temporary history and art exhibits. Some of the other permanent exhibits at the museum include a Timeline Wall of Jewish History, a film depicting the Jewish history of Florida, and JMOF - FIU’s massive Collections and Research Center that continually grows and is used by scholars, historians, journalists, and families.

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.

Jewish Museum of Florida - FIU

The Jorge M. Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) has its roots in an earlier organization known as the Center for the Fine Arts (CFA). In the early 1980s, voters in Miami overwhelmingly approved significant funding for the arts. By 1983, a $6 million arts complex was created using public funds in downtown Miami to support the arts. The building was designed by Philip Johnson and primarily served as a location for travelling shows. By 1994, the Center was experiencing so many visitors that the Metropolitan Dade County government decided to establish a museum and permanent collection. The CFA became the Miami Art Museum in 1994 and began collecting art in 1996. However, operation and acquisition were both severely limited by space constraints. In 2009, plans were made by the Miami Art Museum and the Metropolitan Dade County government for a new museum building. $220 million were raised to fund the construction of the new building. $100 million was government funding approved by Miami-Dade voters, with the other $120 million coming from private donors. Latin American art collector and philanthropist Jorge M. Pérez donated $40 million, prompting the Miami Art Museum to change their name to the Jorge M. Pérez Art Museum Miami. The name change was controversial and caused the resignation of several museum board members. Critics of the name change felt that naming should have been left to the public, as $100 million was approved by taxpayers, while Pérez donated less than half that amount. Other concerns about the name change cite that it is permanent with no opt-out clause, or that the change could deter greater or similar donations. Construction began on PAMM’s new museum building in 2010 and was completed by 2013. Former museum director Terence Riley commissioned the Swiss architecture firm of Herzog and de Meuron to design the structure. Famous for projects such as the Beijing National Stadium, the two architects also have experience with museum spaces; their redesign of the Bankside Power Station in London, for example. The three-story PAMM building is designed to resemble Stiltsville, a community of raised homes off the southern coast of Florida. A parking garage is cleverly hidden below the museum. Despite being directly on the water, the PAMM building is extremely hurricane resistant. Herzog and de Meuron envisioned the PAMM building as a harmonious blending of indoor and outdoor spaces. This is accomplished in a variety of fashions. The structure is set in Museum Park – renamed from Bicentennial Park – and looks out over the Biscayne Bay. A large shaded patio runs the length of the building and allows visitors to comfortably sit and watch the water. The entire structure incorporates a copious number of windows, which allows ample natural light to flood the galleries. On the interior, the main and third floors incorporate copious amounts of glass and other translucent materials, while the second floor utilizes more opaque construction. This gives viewers the impression that the second floor is floating in space. Finally, botanist Patrick Blanc designed vertical hanging gardens throughout the building. These rigs straddle interior and exterior spaces indiscriminately. Eighty plants are included in the vegetative embellishments and are all resistant to the heat and hurricanes that frequently plague Miami. The permanent collections at PAMM include over three thousand works and are centered on twentieth century and contemporary art. The permanent collection spans eight galleries. The Museum’s holdings have a strong international component, with special focus given to cultural groups found in Miami. For this reason, Latin American, African diaspora, and Caribbean art are frequently acquired and exhibited by PAMM. An outdoor sculpture garden has permanent installations by artists such as Anthony Caro and Edgar Negret. Temporary exhibitions at PAMM range from travelling shows to local artists. In addition to visual arts, the Museum also hosts frequent lectures and education programs. A reflection of their mission to support the local community, PAMM organizes a variety of educational programming for K-12 students. These initiatives include after-school events, art workshops in classrooms, and summer programs. PAMM models itself simultaneously as a museum, architectural space, cultural center, and community gathering place.

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.

Pérez Art Museum Miami

The Museum of Art and Design (MOAD) at Miami Dade College grew out of several disparate collections and programs. In 2005, the Freedom Tower was chosen as a location for organizations such as Miami Book Fair International, The Center for Literature and Theatre, Miami International Film Festival, the Cuban Cinema Series, MDC Live Arts, Prometeo Theatre, and the Miami International Sculpture Park to collaborate on artistic pursuits. This led to the establishment of offices and venue spaces in the Tower. MOAD was officially recognized as a museum in 2012. Constructed in 1925 as a home for The Miami News, the Freedom Tower was modeled after the Giralda Cathedral Bell Tower in Seville, Spain. After the news agency moved buildings in 1957, the Tower was operated by the U.S. government as a reception center for Cuban refugees from 1962 to 1974. This led to the structure being dubbed, “The Ellis Island of the South.” The building is significant because it represents the story of the Cuban migration to America and resettlement during the Cold War. During a restoration of the Freedom Tower in 1987, remnants of a tapestry from 1925-1926 were discovered. The textile – which depicts Ponce de Leon and the Tequesta chief meeting before maps of the new and old worlds – was commissioned when the building was first constructed. Additionally, the tapestry includes a poem created by poet laureate Edwin Markham, famous for writing the Lincoln Memorial address. Unfortunately, the tapestry was beyond conservation efforts, so a new replica mural was created by a group known as the Miami Artisans. The Freedom Tower remains one of South Florida's most distinctive historic buildings and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2008.The Miami Dade College (MDC) Permanent Collection contains over 1,900 works in all mediums and genres, including painting, sculpture, works on paper, photography, video, film, installation and public sculpture. The collection was established in the 1960s at the individual campuses, with the first formal institution of a "collection" at MDC North Campus. MDC's Permanent Collection is known for works by emerging artists, under recognized artists, as well as major figures in the modern, postmodern, and contemporary art. Among the greatest strengths in the collection are pieces within movements of Minimalism, Pop Art of the 1960s and 1970s, Conceptual Art, and Contemporary Latin American Artists.In May 2018, the main floor of MOAD reopened following extensive renovations and the creation of a pair of companion galleries. The long-established Cuban Exile Experience and Cultural Legacy Gallery debuted an improved and expanded permanent exhibition, including new immersive elements. Another permanent gallery exhibits pieces from the renowned Kislak Collection of artifacts, books and historic documents from the early Americas. The Kislak Collection includes objects from as early as the Classical Mayan Period (second through fourth centuries CE) to objects surrounding early Spanish influence in the New World (sixteenth century). MOAD provides open, critical, and collaborative frameworks for artistic experimentation and interdisciplinary risk-taking that explores the intersections of art, design, and other art forms with cultural action. It also provides its patrons and visitors access to unique cultural, historical and educational exhibitions that enrich the greater community while building and preserving an expansive permanent art collection, Freedom Tower archives, and newly established design collection. The Museum advances Miami Dade College’s core values, contributing to the intellectual life of the college, engaging students and audiences from the community and the world beyond.

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.

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

The Olympia Theater was built in 1926 by Paramount Pictures as part of a new ten-story commercial building. It replaced an open-air theater known as the Airdrome that had previously occupied the same site. The Olympia was designed by the popular atmospheric theater architect John Eberson in the Mediterranean Revival style. Atmospheric theaters were popular in the 1920s, with auditoriums designed to look like outdoor environments and ceilings painted to depict a blue sky with stars. The Olympia is one of only two surviving atmospheric theaters in Florida, along with the Tampa Theater. It is also said to be the first theater in the South to have air conditioning. &nbsp;

Originally the Olympia Theatre screened silent movies, but it quickly began showing “talkies” and vaudeville acts, including the Marx Brothers. By the 1950s the theater was hosting concerts as well. The most notable performer was Elvis Presley, who played fifteen sold-out concerts in August 1956. Business declined at the Olympia during the 1960s and 1970s. In 1970, the building was purchased by businessman Maurice Gusman, who began a multi-year series of renovations to modernize the theater, led by architect Morris Lapidus. As part of the renovations, plastic seats replaced the original seating while the overall capacity was reduced from 2,170 to 1,710. In 1975 Gusman donated the theater to the City of Miami, which renamed it the Gusman Cultural Center and converted it into a venue for rock concerts. For over a decade the theater hosted concerts for acts such as The Police and Jimmy Buffett.

By the late 1980s, the building was showing signs of significant deterioration, and new renovations began in 1989. Restoration architect Richard J. Heisenbottle was commissioned to develop a multi-year plan to both restore the theater to its 1926 design and to convert it into a performing arts center. The plan was broken down into segments during which restoration would only occur during the summer months when attendance was typically lower. The renovations included adding period seating and using carpet and paint matching the original 1926 designs. In 2010, the Olympia Center Inc. was created to preserve and operate the theater. In 2014, the name of the venue&nbsp;was changed&nbsp;back to the Olympia Theater. Today the Olympia Theater hosts a variety of live programming, such as concerts, plays, operas, comedy routines, and lectures. It also has an annual film series known as Recent Cinema from Spain, and serves as the principal location for the Miami International Film Festival.

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.

Olympia Theater

The idea for a historical museum covering the rich history of southern Florida was first conceived by famous Miami citizens George Merrick, Charlton Tebeau, and Marjory Stoneman Douglas. By 1940, these three visionaries founded the Historical Museum of Southern Florida. Although the Historical Museum of Southern Florida remained as an association without a physical museum for two decades, it was able to open its doors for regular public use in 1962. Ten years later, the Museum moved to a larger facility within the Miami Science Museum, where it was able to expand its exhibition range and provide more educational and outreach programs for the city. From 1974 to 1979, the Museum gained esteem for its developing exhibition storyline, and in 1984, after years of fame for being the premier historical museum in the area, the Museum moved to its current location in downtown Miami in the Miami-Dade Cultural Center. By 2010, the Museum changed its name to HistoryMiami, and a year later, it was formally received as a Smithsonian Institution Affiliate.The sheer variety and depth of HistoryMiami’s exhibits have made the museum the premier cultural center in southern Florida, and this museum presents everything from standard historical subjects (such as Native American and Spanish arrival in the region) to more nuanced and specific exhibits. For example, the interactive “History &amp; Ourselves” exhibit features artifacts and other materials related to the theme of Arrive, Adapt, Grow, and Live, and highlighted objects range from the Miami Heat logo to an early Coral Gables street light. Other exhibits featured at the museum have included “Whitman Family Gallery,” “Folklife Gallery,” and “Operation Pedro Plan,” which showcases the Cuban child refugee exodus in the Western Hemisphere from 1960 to 1962. Artifacts at HistoryMiami present the three-dimensional history of Miami culture and innovation, and with over 37,000 objects covering archaeology, technology and home furnishings, aviation life, and even community life, visitors to the museum can discover the real objects that played a role in the growth and cultural diversity of the area.In addition to galleries and collections, HistoryMiami also offers a variety of educational resources. Since the organization's inception, it has hosted programs attended by over 500,000 area students. A non-circulating library provides historical documents, photographs, and other materials to both public and private researchers. In addition to gallery and school tours, HistoryMiami also offers group city tours. A variety of tours are offered, including via walking, bike, boat, or coach. Finally, HistoryMiami has published Tequesta since just a year after the organizations founding in 1940. Tequesta is an annual scholarly journal which focuses on the history of south Florida and Miami. Topics range from pre-Columbian history to late twentieth-century. As one of the largest local history museums in Florida, HistoryMiami offers stellar resources and exhibits while maintaining a local feel.

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.  

HistoryMiami

Located in the heart of Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood, Cubaocho Museum and Preforming Arts Center has an extraordinary collection of Cuban art and literary treasures. The owner of Cubaocho, Roberto Ramos, started rescuing and preserving Cuban art when he was gifted a painting by famous Cuban painter Carlos Sobrino. Despite the painter's legacy, few Cubans knew of him due to cultural suppression by Fidel Castro. In 1992, Ramos left Cuba at seventeen years old with a small collection of fourteen paintings. The young man made it close to Florida hidden in the hull of a small, wooden fishing boat, though it was unable to complete the journey. Ramos pleaded so insistently to the coast guards that came to rescue him that they agreed to tow the boat, thus saving the paintings.Once in Miami, Ramos' collection and knowledge of Cuban continued to grow. Artists represented in his collection were major contributors to the cultural life of pre-Castro Cuba. Ramos founded Cubaocho to make his art collection and Cuban culture available to a wider audience. In addition to a constantly expanding museum, Cubaocho also features furniture once owned by Frank Sinatra and an extensive collection of pre-1959 Cuban publications. The library portion of the center features a wide variety of rare research materials about Cuban artists from 1800-1958.  A well stocked rum and cigar bar frequently offers live music and is available to rent for private events.

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. 

Cubaocho Museum & Performing Arts Center

The Junior Museum of Miami was founded by the Junior League of Miami in 1949. This museum was a forebear to the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science. With fund-raising and continual efforts, the “Project Finding Committee” created the first iteration of the museum in 1950 in a small house. The museum expanded at such a fast rate that by 1952 it had to move to the Miami Women's Club, and in 1953, the Guild of the Museum of Science was formed, and the Museum was renamed to the Museum of Science and Natural History (MSN). Exhibits included archeological artifacts and items from Florida, as well as physics displays and live animals, such as honeybees. MSNH was primarily run by volunteers, who were instrumental to the rapid growth experienced by the organization. In 1960, Miami-Dade County funded a 48,000 square foot museum at the historic Vizcaya property. The move to Vizcaya allowed MSNH to expand its offerings significantly. The Museum’s first science summer camp was run in 1965 and received numerous awards for its quality. The Space Transit Planetarium was added in 1966. The planetarium included a Spitz Model B Space Transit Projector, which was the last operational projector of this model when it was retired in 2015. The Space Transit Planetarium was made possible in part due to the efforts of museum employee Jack Horkheimer. Over the next ten years after the planetarium was added, Horkheimer became a local celebrity, often appearing on local news shows to talk about upcoming astronomical events. By the early 1970s, a local Public Broadcasting Service station was collaborating with Horkheimer to create programs that educated the public about astronomy. The show – titled, “Jack Horkheimer: Star Hustler” – became nationally syndicated in 1985 and reached international audiences in 1989. Horkheimer singlehandedly wrote, coordinated, and hosted each episode from the Space Transit Planetarium. In 1991, MSNH added the Batchelor Wildlife Center. This museum component rehabilitates over four hundred birds of prey each year. Despite renovations and expansions throughout the twentieth century, MSNH had outgrown their home on the Vizcaya property by the early twenty-first century. Plans for a new facility started to be made in 2004, and the current site in Museum Park was purchased in 2009. Dr. Phillip and Patricia Frost, supporters of arts and culture in Miami, donated $35 million to name the museum at its new location. Construction on the new 250,000 square foot building began in 2012 and was completed by 2017. MSNH continued to operate at Vizcaya until 2015, when it began moving into the new building. However, the Batchelor Wildlife Center, administrative offices, and several educational programs remained in the previous location.  Grimshaw architects were selected to design the new Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum. Similar to nearby Pérez Art Museum Miami, the Frost Museum faces Biscayne Bay and allows indoor and outdoor spaces to flow effortlessly into each other. The museum is divided into four buildings clustered around a central atrium. The north and west wing buildings serve as welcoming arms to the site. They contain ecological and natural history galleries, as well as temporary exhibits. The wings meet at the focal point of the site – a 500,000-gallon aquarium filled with native aquatic life. The cone shaped tank of the aquarium spans three floors and is completely corner-less, which allows both fauna and viewing to be completely unimpeded. Opposite from the aquarium is the Frost Planetarium. The Planetarium boasts a 250-person capacity under a 16-million-color 8K projection dome. The forty-million-pixel display also features 3D technology. An observation deck on the roof provides views of downtown Miami and Biscayne Bay. The Museum as a whole is utilitarian, but accents remind visitors of the building’s function. Geometric textures on the outer walls tesselate sunlight over the building and illuminate the inner galleries. Paneling throughout the museum resembles plant cells or computer code. The organic drip of the aquarium is simultaneously contrasted and complemented by the more iconically human bulb of the planetarium. Though the Museum is a place of science, it also achieves architectural unity with this pursuit.In addition to the Frost Planetarium and Aquarium, the Frost Museum also features a variety of science related exhibits. These range from biological explorations of the human body, to ecological examinations of biomes, to natural history displays of ancient flora and fauna. The Frost Museum focuses on serving local communities, especially young people. One way it does this is through continued hosting of the award-winning science camps for which MSNH was renowned. Other programs aimed at pre-teens include field trip tours and digital supplementary learning. However, the Frost Museum is not solely a children’s museum. Programs for adults aim to bring community members together through volunteering and other group pursuits. The Museum also offers workshops, internships, and career opportunities to educators and STEM professionals. Finally, the Frost Museum supports STEM research in partnership with several federal agencies. The Frost Museum is a bastion of STEM learning for curious individuals of all ages.

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.

Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science 

Businessman James Deering, wealthy from his ties to Deering McCormick International Harvester Company, was also a conservationist. For this reason, he purchased one hundred eighty acres of mangrove swamp in southern Florida on which to build a vacation estate. Several accounts offer explanations for why Deering named his estate Vizcaya. One account suggests that the name was taken from a Spaniard who Deering believed had explored the area some centuries before. However, the explorer’s name was actually Vizcaíno. Another possibility is etymological. Vizcaya means “an elevated place” in Basque. A final possibility is a common belief that one of Ponce de Leon’s ships was named Vizcaya. Regardless of how the name came about, construction began on Villa Vizcaya in 1912. Over one thousand local people – approximately ten percent of Miami’s population at the time – worked on some aspect of the estate. In addition to the villa itself, the grounds included extensive gardens, lagoons, and even a small village for support staff. World War I made supplies and skilled tradespeople difficult to come by but despite this, the main building was finished by 1916. Deering arrived on his yacht on Christmas day of the same year to officially establish Vizcaya as his winter residence. Construction of the gardens and village continued for another seven years before finally completing in 1923. Deering occupied Vizcaya from roughly November to April each year until his death in 1925.F. Burrall Hoffman, Jr. was commissioned as the architect for the buildings at Vizcaya. Hoffman visited the site in 1913 to make preliminary drawings before immediately setting out to Europe to study Spanish and Italian manor homes. Though Villa Vizcaya is not an exact copy of any other building, it incorporates elements of Villa d’Este, in Tivoli; Villa Lante, in Bagnaia; Ca’Rezzonico, in Bassano; and Palazzo Farnese, in Caprarola. The home includes seventy rooms across two primary floors. It was the first and largest manor of its type to be built in Florida. Due to its relatively low profile, Villa Vizcaya sprawls across the grounds in an almost organic fashion. Hoffman’s finished design has a distinctly Baroque flavor, but the house featured many modern adaptions at the time of construction. The frame of the building is primarily reinforced concrete. Amenities included water filtration systems, a generator to provide electrical power, central heating and ventilation, two elevators, a vacuum-cleaning system, and a partially automated laundry room. Hoffman also designed Vizcaya Village, a collection of eleven buildings designed to make the estate self-sufficient. The village included lodging for staff, mechanical workshops, and greenhouses. Final costs for Vizcaya were $15 million – over $358 million adjusted for inflation.The interior of Villa Vizcaya received just as much attention as the exterior. Deering employed Paul Chalfin to help appoint the manor. Deering and Chalfin toured extensively throughout Europe before construction on Vizcaya was even begun. The two men selected styles they thought would be appropriate for the estate and purchased furniture, decorative art objects, and fine art pieces. When these works were moved into the house upon its completion, they were organized by geographic region and stylistic influence. For example, the Milan Room served as a music space, the Palermo Room served as a reception area, and the Venice Room served as a bedroom. The intention of Chalfin was not to create an exhaustively comprehensive or historical collection. Works were chosen foremost for their aesthetic value, and any other value was an incidental bonus. The final principal creative mind behind Vizcaya was Diego Suarez. Saurez was responsible for planning and executing the many acres of grounds that surrounded the Villa. Much of the grounds were occupied by gardens designed in French and Italian styles. Despite their ordered appearance and careful engineering, the gardens convey an impression of spontaneity and naturalism. Sculptures from eighteenth century Italian gardens – especially those around Rome – serve as accents in the gardens. New sculptures were also commissioned. The new sculptures were carved from a soft porous coral stone, which made them look weathered almost immediately. Complementing the weathered appearance, Deering made the astute decision to maintain indigenous wildlife in addition to planting more traditional garden flora. Thanks to the transplantation of older statues, artificially weathered stonework, and maintenance of existing plants, the gardens at Vizcaya appear timelessly ancient.When Deering died in 1925, he was a bachelor. Vizcaya passed to his nieces, Marion Deering McCormick and Barbara Deering Danielson. Neither of the two women ever occupied the estate, which began decaying. Beginning in 1945, they started selling portions of the estate’s grounds until just fifty acres were left. In 1952, Miami-Dade County purchased a significantly degraded Vizcaya for $1 million. The manor reopened as the Dade County Art Museum the next year. Since its transformation into a museum, Vizcaya has developed a history beyond Deering’s ownership. Many movies, such as Tony Rome, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, and Iron Man 3, had scenes filmed at Vizcaya. A 1971 robbery of the Villa made national news. Objects stolen were valued at more than $1.5 million. Many of the items were never recovered, including a silver bowl that once belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte. In 1987, the house was the meeting place of Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II when the Pope first visited Miami. Bill Clinton also convened the First Summit of the Americas which created the Free Trade of the Americas at Vizcaya in 1994. The estate is a popular location for quinceañera photos.Though the name has changed, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens today greatly resembles the Dade County Art Museum. Visitors can walk through the house and view Deering’s extensive collections of art and furniture. Additionally, Vizcaya is the subject of many dedicated restoration and conservation efforts. These efforts include protecting the architecture from the twin dangers of salt water and hurricanes and ensuring that art objects are well maintained. One example of a space in particular need of preservation is the swimming grotto. This pool area features a mosaic by famous American artist Robert Winthrop Chanler and is one of only two extant mosaics by the artist. In addition to preserving human-made objects, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens also manages the natural features of the grounds. Trees are catalogued, native undergrowth is permitted to flourish, and a collection of over two thousand orchids is cared for. Visitors to Vizcaya can simultaneously experience the lush landscaped gardens, a renowned collection of baroque European art objects, and a rich past that implicates major historical figures.

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. 

Miami Arts and Cultural Institutions Driving Tour

The Lyric Theatre

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Additional Information