Between Art Basel Miami Beach and the Wynwood Arts District, it’s hardly a surprise that Miami is one of America’s most art-friendly cities, and you can see it in the city’s collection of first-class art museums. But the cultural scene offers so much more: Families flock to the Miami Children’s Museum and Miami’s science centers. History buffs have their choice between sweeping overviews and a focus on niche topics. And of course it is also home to some of thee world’s most of-the-moment works. Here you thought lounging on the beach was the only activity you’d want to put on your agenda! Read on for our picks for the best museums in Miami, and squeeze in a visit while you’re in town.
- Iwan BaanACTIVITYInstitute of Contemporary Art (ICA), MiamiCalled ICA for short, this is another pillar of the Miami art scene, located in the Miami Design District. The building has a bold and eye-catching metallic facade and was designed by Spanish architect firm Aranguren + Gallegos Arquitectos. Permanent and temporary exhibits with a focus on emerging and local artists; for Miami, this means many Cuban-born and Latin American artists. You don’t need hours at this museum, like is the case at others in town, so for people who just want to dabble in Miami’s arty side during a vacation, it makes a perfect stop. Interiors are as modern as exterior with brightly lit open spaces. The permanent collections has works by Pablo Picasso, Yves Klein, and Roy Lichtenstein, among others.
- Courtesy Philipp and Patricia Frost Museum of ScienceACTIVITYPhillip and Patricia Frost Museum of ScienceThe Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science is a temple to learning in Downtown Miami’s Bayfront Park that’s as vast as it is comprehensive. With an aquarium, a planetarium, and two science galleries, this distinguished destination is always busy, but it’s big enough to accommodate even the largest rainy-day crowds. Though the exhibitions are just as interesting to adults as they are to kids, the Frost Museum is definitely a family-friendly place. Don’t miss a trip up the elevator to the sixth floor’s rooftop terrace for sprawling views of downtown Miami.
- Daniel AzoulayACTIVITYPérez Art Museum Miami$$Though the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) is focused on 20th- and 21st-century international art, and a large permanent collection of works (over 3,000 spread across 8 galleries) by such acclaimed artist as Jenny Holzer and Sam Gilliam. The museums spans 120,000 square feet inside but is best known for its facade, with hanging gardens among its most iconic features. Current exhibitions explore things like post-colonial condition and Africa and African-diaspora art; the museum is in a constant conversation with the current topics consuming society, as well as overlooked and worthy subjects. Timed tickets must be reserved online in advance of visits, so the museum doesn’t feel crowded. Elevators and ramps for people with mobility issues. Don’t miss a swing in the sculpture garden on the hammock-like net swings overlooking Biscayne Bay.
- Zachary BalberACTIVITYThe Bass$Just across the street from the beach at the northern end of South Beach is The Bass, a contemporary art museum that completely reinvented itself in 2017 after a two-plus-year, $12 million renovation by architects Arata Isozaki and David Gauld. The exhibition space is now twice as large—they’ve added four new galleries, space for educational events, a museum store, and a café. It’s a perfect rainy day activity (and if the sun comes back out, you don’t have far to go to soak up some rays). One of the biggest changes after the renovation was the opening of The Creativity Center, with classrooms, a multimedia lab and space for public programming that have opened the space up to education and made it much more family friendly.
- GettyACTIVITYMiami Children’s Museum$$This popular weekend spot is one of America’s largest kids’ museums—and every inch of the space is dedicated to teaching youngsters about the world around them. With 14 galleries spread over two floors, there’s an exhibit to spark every type of tot’s imagination. The museum’s interactive nature makes it feel like one big playhouse, almost hiding the fact that kids are learning a lot as they move along. It also does a stellar job of incorporating life in Miami, with lots of space dedicated to learning about the ocean and the life forms that inhabit it, plus a whole zone dedicated to the Port of Miami (where kids can operate a crane).
- ACTIVITYHaitian Heritage Museum$As much a cultural center as it is a museum, the Haitian Heritage Museum is both a comforting reminder for Haitian expats of their country’s art, history, music, movies, and literature, and a fascinating look into a Caribbean nation that too few have been able to visit. Opened in 2004 to commemorate Haiti’s Bicentennial, the 60,000-square-foot museum is a one-of-a-kind experience just steps from Miami’s Little Haiti neighborhood, a location that makes it even more immersive.
- Bill SumnerACTIVITYVizcaya Museum and GardensIf you want a little Italian flare during your trip to Miami, you’ll find it here. Now a national landmark, the Vizcaya is a living museum dedicated to the early days of Miami’s rise as a destination and to old-school European design. The waterfront home’s many treasures include more than 2,500 antique art objects and furnishings; 10 acres of immaculately landscaped gardens, including 2,000 orchids; and 25 acres of endangered forest lands. It’s easy to spend several hours at Vizcaya without getting bored.
- Courtesy HistoryMiamiACTIVITYHistoryMiami$Don’t let HistoryMiami’s rather plain Mediterranean-style building and courtyard fool you: Inside, the museum paints a colorful portrait of how the city transformed itself from a mosquito-filled swampland to one of the country’s most vibrant urban areas, with exhibitions on everything from transportation to sports. Located in Miami’s ever-changing downtown (just look and listen for the cranes), the museum is not one you’re likely to just stumble upon while wandering the city—you’ll need to be specifically headed there (which is a good thing if you like a little breathing room with your culture).
- GettyACTIVITYCoral CastleIn Homestead, about a 40-minute drive from Downtown Miami, Coral Castle stands as a tantalizing mystery for architecture lovers. The oolite limestone structure (yes, its name is a bit of a misnomer) was built under the cover of night by a lone man, Edward Leedskalnin, who somehow—still, nobody quite knows how—managed to carve 1,000 tons of rock into a walled sculpture garden as a tribute to the fiancée who called off their engagement just a day before the wedding.
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- Lynton GardinerACTIVITYWolfsonian-FIU$$Just two blocks from Ocean Drive is the Wolfsonian-FIU, a grand Art Deco building that’s now home to a Florida International University–affiliated museum, library, and research center dedicated to the importance of art and design throughout history. Though it’s only been around since 1995, the Wolfsonian collection showcases the entire modern age of design, from the Industrial Revolution to the end of World War II. Among the nearly 180,000 pieces in the museum’s collection are paintings, textiles, furniture, industrial design objects, rare books, and magazines.
- AlamyACTIVITYWorld Erotic Art MuseumLocated in the heart of South Beach, the World Erotic Art Museum (WEAM) could have easily gone the tawdry gimmick route. And while there’s no way to miss the gigantic phalluses that decorate the space, there’s also some real history to the museum, which has been going strong since 2005. The collection comprises more than 4,000 pieces—sculptures, drawings, paintings, and photographs among them—that date back to 300 BCE. The collection includes some (NSFW) pieces by such masters as Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí.