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    The Wolfsonian-FIU

    4.3 (81 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    The Wolfsonian-FIU Photos

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    Art deco bronze.
    Lancer K.

    We've done it! It was a long haul but we've made it to the 21st century! Now, how does it match with the visions of the future expressed by the 1880-1930's during the Art Deco period? Well, brave time traveler, drop in and take a look at the artistic renditions of what people thought the future would be like and compare for yourself! You'll see beautiful portrayals in paintings, carvings, manufactured goods, fountains, and clippings and films that portrayed what people were seeing and thought on the future. You dear inhabitant of this lovely blue planet, the third one from the sun, get to be the judge. Take a step into the past TO SEE THE FUTURE!

    Untitled by Denman Fink c. 1930
    Jason H.

    Nice collection and educational presentation of the various exhibits. Enjoyed my time at the museum and would recommend.

    Lucia P.

    I've been wanting to check out the FIU Wolfsonian museum for quite sometime but they were remodeling it. I did however get to check out their bookstore/gift shop and I love it. Such fun and quirky things for sale. Earrings, books, cards and so much more. Yesterday, I came by and the museum was open on two floors so I was able to check it out beyond the lobby and bookstore. The museum is small but mighty and was beautifully remodeled. The currently exhibitions were cool and different from the usual material at museums. I loved their first floor and Art Deco influence throughout the museum and even within the elevator. It was free yesterday and I know prices vary with Florida residents, students etc. A great view throughout the 6& 7th floors. Definitely want to come back again soon!

    Chris S.

    We popped in here for a talk during Art Deco Weekend and had the chance to check out the museum as well. It was free during that weekend but is also free for Florida residents! There were a lot of neat exhibits about both history and art, and there was a neat coffee shop inside the gift store as well. I took a picture of a very impressive Art Deco fixture in the lobby. Worth checking out if you're in the area and into art and history!

    Adrianne B.

    An absolute gem! Architecturally interesting building with a few fantastic special exhibitions. The Roberto Longo exhibit blew me away and was one of the top highlights of my Miami Art Week trip. Loved the exterior murals as well.

    Entrance
    Julie F.

    This museum was opened in 1995. It was founded by Mickey Wolfson, a wealthy acquirer of objects, who is also an author, philanthropist, and former diplomat. It was based originally on his eclectic collections. As his collections grew, he bought the building, to store them in. The building is attractive in its own right -- having been built in 1927 in the Mediterranean revival style. The building was adapted to become the museum we see today. The public exhibitions are on 3 floors -- the 7th and the 5th floors having the most items on display. The Art Deco designs on the 7th floor were the most interesting to me. I love the clean lines and the use of the bold geometric shapes and colors in art, architecture, and advertising. The style was shown even in common household objects from furniture to appliances. The fifth floor showed "modern" art objects and included various items from different world fairs including the one held in New York in 1939. The 3rd floor has a library/research area. There's a very small display just in front of the elevator. On the first floor are some very large and dramatic sculptures. There's also the gift shop and a tiny room with a movie running where Wolfson explains his philosophies and fascinations (obsessions?) with collecting. From what I've read there are thousands more items stored and not on display. Hopefully, they will be cataloged and collated so the general public can enjoy more of what Wolfson (and now others) have amassed. It was well worth the price of admission to visit here. A nice air conditioned break from the summer heat -- and a chance to view a small part of a remarkable collection.

    Aeros (German manufacturer); Fan; circa 1935; iron, steel, paint, bakelite
    Paul L.

    'Made in Italy: MITA Textile Design 1926-1976' is a cool little exhibition with some very large tapestries on display. MITA was a design powerhouse that offered one-of-a-kind works for the wealthy and mass-produced designs for everyone else. Of course, the permanent collection is steeped in design from displays of amazing old toasters, desks, and vacuums down to bronze window frames from a long-gone department store. There a number of surprises here.

    Wolfsonian gift shop
    Carrie C.

    Always a wonder to pop in and marvel at the collections of Mickey Wolfson Jr. A gem of a museum in the heart of the Art Deco district in Miami Beach.

    Ariel W.

    Opened to the public in 1995, the Wolfsonian was created by millionaire Mitchell "Micky" Wolfson, Jr., a Miami Beach native and collector and expert on modern design, architecture, and the decorative arts. He began acquiring much of what makes up the collection in the 1970's and he stored it at the Washington Storage Company facility on Washington Avenue in Miami Beach which is a building from 1926. By 1986, 90% of the building housed his collection so he bought the building and established The Wolfsonian Foundation in order to preserve the collection and make it available for research. In 1992 architect Mark Hampton to expanded and renovated the Washington Storage Company building, converting it into a museum and research center. Hampton and architect architect William Kearns created a modernist lobby, museum café and shop. Upstairs are permanent and temporary galleries along with a library, offices, and storage. The museum is one of seven campuses of F.I.U. University. The first thing you need to be aware of when visiting is that parking here like in all of South beach is a nightmare. The first time I came I had to give up. The second time I came with a friend who has a bit of an aura of luck about her and even then we had to walk a few blocks in the heat. Admission is $12 for adults. Once inside you can forget the stress of parking as you immerse your self in a collection curated from 120,000 objects from 1885 to 1944 which span the Industrial Revolution to just after WWII. The collection tells the story of American culture during that time period through furniture, paintings, sculpture, books, and textiles. In addition to visiting the museum you can also attend free lectures, art classes, and guided tours at the Wolfsonian. It is a worthy excursion in South Beach.

    Outside view of the museum..
    Ciri D.

    I spent the day with my parents and headed over to this little gem in the heart of South Beach. Since my husband is a professor, we have been coming to the Wolfsonian and enjoying each visit. We first replenished our thirst by visiting their cafe and boutique shop. I love sitting in this quaint area and enjoying a delicious cup of coffee and then browsing through their unique collection of items and books. They also have a very special section for children. Once we finish our coffee, we are ready to enjoy the museum. From the moment the you step into the first floor, you begin to enjoy the deco feel that this museum offers. We usually go up to the 7th floor which is where the latest exhibits are and make our way down. There are plenty of benches to sit which is important to me when I take my parents. I highly recommend this gorgeous museum, every detail is meticulously thought of. Take your time and enjoy this beauty. Tip: The museum is free on Fridays from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.

    Nicole L.

    Definitely worth seeing. Great museum and the admission is only 12 dollars but I think that's about right for what you see. I wish they had more Art Deco objects on the 7th floor and less of the Italian textiles but that's just my taste. On the whole though, it's an all round interesting place and they do have some really good pieces. Takes about an 1 hour and a half to do. It would have been nicer if the gift store had more Art Deco items to sell. Apart from the super expensive books on the subject, there wasn't much else. On the positive - you can have a coffee there.

    Stella M.

    Fantastic museum that features exhibits at the cross-section of politics, culture, and art (specifically art deco). Very educational and a nice blend of artifacts that offer different insights into life during WWII and the cold war.

    Andrius A.

    Five stars for what it is. I will upload more pictures later. Lets just say I ditched our tour-guide woman and went on my own. Elevator's with a bunch of people bore me. So did the tour guide.

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - The Wolfsonian-FIU

    Review Highlights - The Wolfsonian-FIU

    I must say, the gift shop here stands out as the most exceptional one I've encountered in any museum so far.

    Mentioned in 16 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science - The 250-seat planetarium uses 16-million-color 8K projection, surround sound and a vast dome screen to take you on dazzling visual odysseys.

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    Miami Beach Botanical Garden - Butterflies

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    A real hidden gem in the heart of Miami Beach's most transited area (next to Lincoln Road)…read more Honestly this space is magical, thats the best way to put it. They have such a large variety of flora and fauna, even species I didnt know existed. The place is kept spotless, which is amazing seeing that the admission is FREE! Parking is a little tough, especially because, like I said before, Lincoln Road is two blocks away. There is street parking adjacent to the park, but there are only around 12 spots. If you can park in the Lincoln Mall garage (usually $2 an hour) you can walk here in 10 minutes tops. You HAVE to visit at least once in your time in Miami Beach. You wont regret it. We love it here! Wish I was a local in Miami Beach so i could come every day.

    Nice botanical garden perfect for a fairly quick stop to try something different in Miami Beach…read more Parking is across the street at the convention center and is $2/hour if you get the ticket validated in the gift shop within the garden. Otherwise it's $20 at that garage. The garden is free and open to all, showcasing lots of orchids, both native and foreign plants and trees, and several water features with turtles and koi fish. I was very impressed by the vanilla orchid - so beautiful! There is no food available for purchase, but there were some drinks available in the small gift shop. My only complaint was the audio tour, though appreciated, is difficult to follow and I gave up on it. It would be better with a more clear map and better descriptions for where to look for the particular plant/tree being discussed in the audio. Lincoln road, with food, drink, and shopping options, is nearby in walking distance, perfect to round out an afternoon at the garden.

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    4.6(16 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    I've lived in Miami for more than a decade but yet I've never done the official Art Deco tour…read morethrough the Miami Beach Preservation Society and decided to do it one weekday I was off from work. The tour occurs every weekday at 10:30 AM and is roughly around 90 minutes or so. It covers about 8 blocks or so and you stop along the way. You have to book the tour through TripAdvisor or can purchase tickets the day of in person from the Museum Welcome Center. I arrived 15 minutes early as the booking suggested and I was the first person there, so I explored the Art Deco Museum while I waited on the tour to begin. Your tour includes admission to the museum to explore throughout the day. The museum is two rooms and you can easily cover it in about 15 minutes. They provide you with headsets and are greeted by your volunteer tour guide. Mine for the day was Franzi and she was so nice and knowledgeable about the Art Deco area and was very personable. We started the tour at the the lifeguard stand behind the museum and continued on Ocean Drive and saw a number of buildings from the outside and also went in two hotels and the tour guide spoke about the significance of each of the buildings and interiors. A number of the things you could learn from reading the monuments and images inside of the museum but Franzi also provided a lot of knowledge about the area and brought everything to light. The tour was really good, and I'm glad I could finally take advantage of going on the tour!

    In 1910 Carl Fisher began to transform Miami Beach into a world class resort destination. In 1916…read morethe Miami Beach Improvement Company, founded by John Collins, platted the Oceanfront Subdivision and named the area Miami Beach. In the 1920's during Florida's land boom years, many hotels and mansions were built. The 1930's and 40's were the height of the art deco design movement inspired by Paris and many of the hotels were built in this style. By the 1970's Miami Beach was run down by neglect and salt water damage. Things were so bad that the movie Scarface used to South Beach to stand in for a drug infested ghetto neighborhood. Barbara Baer Capitman and a group of activists banded together to preserve the Art Deco buildings of South Beach. Capitman founded the Miami Design Preservation League in 1976 with Leonard Horowitz which started a movement to place one square mile of South Beach on the National Register of Historic Places. Their efforts enabled 800 of the historic Art Deco buildings to be saved. In the late 1980's South Beach had a resurgence. Models and the fashion industry moved in. An area that once had people thinking twice about driving through became home to the wealthy. Today it is walking friendly and generally low crime. The South Beach Art Deco Museum was established by the Miami Design Preservation League as public outreach from their preservation efforts. Their mission is to educate the public about the history of the Art Deco architecture through year round exhibits and special events such as lectures, films and workshops. The museum is located in the historic Art Deco Welcome Center which is in the 1954, 10th Street auditorium. The building also houses the Miami Design Preservation Leagues gift shop. Admission to the Art Deco Museum is $7 while students, military, and Miami-Dade residents are free with ID. The museum is small, only two rooms but the Miami Design Preservation League is currently trying to raise $648,000 to enlarge and upgrade the museum. I enjoyed the current exhibit, Henry Hohauser: Designing Paradise on view through October 31st. Henry Hohauser 1895-1963) was one of the most prolific early modernist architects. He designed over 300 buildings in Miami Beach, many of which are protected Art Deco landmarks. Other museum exhibits focus on the three major historic design styles in Miami Beach, Mediterranean Revival, Art Deco, and Miami Modern also known as MiMo. There are scale models of buildings and information about the development of Miami Beach. There is also information about the development of the City pf Miami Beach and the history of the Miami Design Preservation League. The museum includes a resource center and children's area. You can schedule informative walking tours at the Miami Art Deco Welcome Center. These include walking tours, self-guided tours, and a selection of group private tours, such as a Lincoln Road Tour and MiMo Tour. The Art Deco Museum is open from 9am to 5pm seven days a week except for select holidays.

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    Art Deco Museum
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    Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach

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    View from the street

    The Wolfsonian-FIU - museums - Updated May 2026

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