Miami hosts a wide variety of literary, artistic, and creative activities that draw cultural tourists as well as those who enjoy the beauty of the beaches, the architecture, and the tropical landscape. The Miami International Book Fair brings together famous authors from around the world in a friendly, gregarious, and fascinating way, the International Map Fair is considered one of the best in the world, and of course the Art Basel Miami event is the largest, most diverse, and most colorful event of the year. So if you like good books, interesting people, and a very forward-looking cultural atmosphere, Miami is the place for you!
Museums & Historic Sites
If you want to learn more about Miami culture, art and history, a great place to start are the dozens of museums and historical places around Miami-Dade County. Start at the exquisite collection of historic and contemporary artwork at Lowe Art Museum on UM’s main campus, and then explore the many programs and events each place has to offer. HistoryMiami for example, has amazing tours of the city lead by leading historians and educators, including walking, bike and boat tours through many of the art and cultural alcoves of Miami. The Coral Gables Museum has free yoga days and free music Fridays in addition to exhibits and displays. Consider museums your gateway to Miami culture.
Museums
- Lowe Art Museum at University of Miami, Coral Gables
- HistoryMiami Museum, Downtown Miami
- Perez Art Museum Miami, Museum Park, Downtown Miami
- Coral Gables Museum, Coral Gables
- Museum Of Contemporary Art (MOCA), North Miami
- Miami Children’s Museum, Miami
- Bass Museum of Art, Miami Beach
- Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Miami
- Frost Art Museum at Florida International University, Doral
- Wolfsonian-FIU, Miami Beach
- Gold Coast Railroad Museum, South Miami
- Jewish Museum of Florida- FIU, Miami Beach
- Frost Museum of Science, Museum Park, Downtown Miami – Coming Soon
Historic Sites
- Freedom Tower, Downtown Miami
- Fairchild Tropical Gardens, Coral Gables
- Ancient Spanish Monastery, North Miami
- Deering Estate, South Miami
- Coral Castle Museum, South Miami
- Venetian Pool, Coral Gables
Performing Arts
- Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts
- Broward Center for the Performing Arts
- Cleveland Orchestra Miami
- Florida Grand Opera
- Miami City Ballet
- Miami Symphony Orchestra
- New World Symphony
- South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center
Multicultural Miami
Pro Tips
- Take advantage of free entry days. Many museums have certain days of free admission per month, ranging from selected times like Friday evenings to a whole day of free entry. Check out this handy list of free museum entry days.
- Visit during Miami Museum Month. From May 1- 31 every year get discounts on admission to participating museums and historic places.
- Save on museum admission and events by getting memberships. Members at some places can even get reciprocal membership to other museums and sites. Check the museum’s membership page for more information.
A Librarian