State of the Arts

From renowned performance venues to internationally acclaimed art fairs and even entire neighborhoods bursting with color and design, miami boasts an eclectic art scene thanks to its kaleidoscope of cultural influences and talent.

By Meryl D’Sa

Many visit Miami for shimmering beaches and heart-pumping nightlife, but the booming art scene is beckoning visitors more than ever before. Home to all modes of expression, Miami plays gracious host to impressive collections, exhibits, touring acts and series, both local and international. Here are some standouts to add to your cultural itinerary.

Zachary Balber/Courtesy of The Bass Miami Beach

The Districts

Declared a United States Historic District, Miami Beach’s Art Deco District is located between Fifth and 23rd Street. Walk around this area and you will notice striking pastel-colored buildings with duplicate flags from popular ocean liners. You will also admire properties like the Clevelander Hotel on Ocean Drive, the 1936 Beacon South Beach Hotel and the 1935 Colony Hotel, as well as the Spanish-style Villa Casa Casuarina at the former Versace Mansion.

Jessica Savill

Cross the Julia Tuttle Causeway and head to the mainland for street art and graffiti masterpieces in Wynwood. The formerly dilapidated warehouse district now hosts the world-famous Wynwood Walls as well as block after block of massive and colorful murals created by artists from all corners of the globe. The neighborhood is a hub for galleries, art walks, live performances and even its very own music festival: the iii Points Festival.

Wynwood is a hub for galleries, art walks, live performances and even its very own music festival.

Located near Downtown Miami and Wynwood, the Miami Design District is a creative neighborhood built around innovative upscale fashion houses, home design stores, architectural wonders and art. The district is an epicenter of contemporary museums, public art spaces and fine art stores.

The Museums

For a truly immersive artistic experience, Miami Beach’s Bass Museum of Art offers a range of artistic expression that is sure to ignite the senses of every visitor. Following a $12-million renovation, the museum unveiled a newly configured and expanded space in late 2017, featuring four new galleries, a Creativity Center, a museum store, a café and 6,000 square feet of public space that includes an enclosed courtyard. Since the early 1980s, the Bass has consistently exhibited contemporary works from the 21st century.

Another artful treasure, the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) lords over Downtown Miami’s Maurice A. Ferré Park (Museum Park). The impressive Herzog & de Meuron–designed structure has a world-class collection of contemporary, multidisciplinary and multicultural fine art. With constantly updating exhibits, there are almost too many masterpieces to admire.

You don’t have to drive far to stop by the Design District’s Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) Miami, which hosts a variety of contemporary and experimental works. The space promotes innovation by offering scholarships and research opportunities to talented artists.

The Art Deco District’s Wolfsonian–Florida International University is a museum, library and research center. Its main focus is the power of art and design and their role in social and political change. Tucked inside a historic building called “The Multi-Museum Building” along Miami Beach’s Washington Avenue, The World Erotic Art Museum holds some of the most interesting erotic art collected from around the world. The Multi-Museum Building is also home of the newly opened George Daniell Museum, an ode to the legendary photographer. Also on Miami Beach, one of the most innovative and immersive experiences comes courtesy of ArtecHouse. This digital art space located on Collins Avenue curates interactive exhibits that respond and react to its visitors’ presence and vibrations, making them active participants in a high-tech artful experiment.

Head to the North Miami Beach area and visit the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), home to a significant collection that reflects on the past to converse with the future.

History and Heritage

Learn about more than 250 years of Florida Jewish history at the Jewish Museum of Florida–FIU (JMOF-FIU). Housed inside two restored synagogues, this museum is where you will find over 100,000 items and exhibits. Miami Beach also has a stunning Holocaust Museum. Located on Meridian Avenue, the powerful monument was created in memory of Holocaust victims. With its proud Jewish heritage, Miami Beach was the ideal place for this space for reflection.

You can learn more about Miami’s history and early life at the HistoryMiami Museum in Downtown Miami. This Smithsonian Affiliate offers a wealth of exhibits and multimedia experiences. The museum’s own collections include more than 37,000 artifacts that cover everything from prehistoric archaeological finds to 20th-century Afro-Cuban folk art. Its massive archives and Research Center collections feature permanent and temporary exhibits and educational events to engage and inspire the community.

Bravo!

A variety of both grandiose and specialized performing art venues call Miami home. Any time of year you will find riveting theater performances, symphonic series and concertos, world-class ballet, Broadway shows, cultural festivals and more.

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami Dade County hosts theater, dance, opera, jazz, classical music as well as popular performances, family shows, and more.

Plan to be in town for the Miami City Ballet season and make sure to catch a performance at the Knight Concert Hall or the Ziff Opera House.

The New World Symphony Concert Hall and Music School has a robust schedule of shows and educational programs for the musically inclined, and the New World Center in Miami Beach is a state-of-the-art facility designed by star architect Frank Gehry.

Downtown Miami’s Olympia Theater is a lavishly ornate jewel from the Roaring ’20s still hosting major acts, while the legendary Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater still maintains its historic charm.

Art Basel Miami Beach

Art Basel Miami Beach is the sister fair of Art Basel Switzerland and is the reason why visitors from around the globe converge in Miami Beach during the first week of December. Showcasing more than 250 galleries from over 35 countries, the festival provides a platform for artists to show and sell their works to collectors, museum directors and curators; but it also attracts a large international crowd of celebrities and jet-setters. The main art exhibits take place at the Miami Beach Convention Center, but you will also find satellite fairs, cool after-parties, public art installations and more as the party overflows into Wynwood, the Design District and Downtown Miami.