Sofía Ímber (1924-2017) was the first woman ever nominated for the National Journalism Prize of Venezuela and subsequently won other international awards, including the French Légion d’honneur, the Argentinian Orden de Mayo, and the Picasso Medal from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

One of Ímber’s greatest contributions to Venezuelan history was the 1972 founding and nearly 30 years of leadership of the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Caracas, one of the most important collections of modern art in a Latin American public institution. Her pioneering efforts at the museum—where she spearheaded the creation of an engaging, inclusive community space that brought art buses into neighborhoods, published accessible art catalogs for the visually impaired, and included a free art library—all coalesced in bringing diverse culture to Venezuelan society. Throughout her life, her work functioned as a cultural bridge between Europe and Latin America, which is evidenced by her enduring career in journalism and television. In 2022, her family donated her collection to Special Collections at the University of Miami Libraries.

Through personal photographs, correspondence, newspaper articles, and art materials that capture her extensive career, “The Legacy of Sofía Ímber: Pioneering Journalist, Museum Founder and Director” commemorates the 100th anniversary of her birth in 1924 and showcases her accomplishments in journalism and the promotion of art.

Learn more about the Sofía Ímber Collection:

• The Legacy of Sofía Ímber, Venezuelan Cultural Icon
• The Sofía Ímber Collection – Colección de Sofía Ímber Subject Guide
• Sofía Ímber Collection – Colección de Sofía Ímber – Digital Collection
• Sofía Ímber Collection Finding Aid