Art & Culture in Miami Beach

With its striking architecture, fascinating museums, institutions boasting renowned musicians and public art for all to experience, Miami Beach has robust offerings of art, music and culture. There are happenings throughout the year, and many of them are free. Discover the cultural side of this exciting, colorful destination.

Explore Miami’s Iconic Art Deco Historic District

To immerse yourself in rich Art Deco architecture, stroll through the Art Deco Historic District, located between 5th Street and 23rd Street along Ocean Drive, Collins Avenue and Washington Avenue in South Beach. If you’d like to learn about the history of the buildings, stop by the Art Deco Welcome Center on Ocean Drive and visit the Art Deco Museum, which explores the past and present of design in the city. Book one of the Miami Design Preservation League’s Art Deco tours, which range from self-guided app-based tours to daily guided walking tours and private group tours. You’ll leave with a new love and understanding of the Art Deco buildings along with some history and fun facts about the area.

Visit Miami Beach’s Unique Museums

The Bass: Contemporary Art Inside & Out

If you love contemporary art, spend a morning at The Bass, where you’ll view ever-changing exhibitions of international contemporary art. Head outdoors to check out the museum’s public art exhibition, “Art Outside,” an interactive collection of contemporary sculptures and murals in Collins Park and throughout Miami Beach.

The Wolfsonian-FIU: Explore 100 Vital Years of World History

The Wolfsonian-FIU is a unique museum, library and research center located in the Art Deco District. Step inside the grand 1927 Mediterranean Revival building to discover more than 200,000 eclectic objects you won’t see anywhere else. The museum is packed with artifacts that transformed the world from 1850 to 1950, including industrial-design objects, rare books, paintings and household items.

Jewish Museum of Florida–FIU: Discover Florida’s Jewish History

In the South of Fifth neighborhood, discover another only-in-Miami Beach gem: the Jewish Museum of Florida–FIU. Learn about Florida’s Jewish history on free guided tours. The museum is housed in two bright-yellow historic buildings that were once synagogues for Miami Beach's first Jewish congregation and still showcase the beauty of the Art Deco era. Once inside, you’ll be immersed in the rich history of Florida’s Jewish community, with an evolving collection of more than 100,000 items and new exhibitions.

World Erotic Art Museum: The Only Erotic Art Museum in the U.S.

Another unique museum, the World Erotic Art Museum in South Beach is unassumingly tucked between shops and restaurants. It’s the only museum in the U.S. exclusively devoted to fine erotic art, and its collection includes more than 4,000 international works of art from 300 B.C to the present. There’s everything from ornate carved beds to paintings and sculptures. This museum makes for a fun date night or honeymoon activity.

Pick Your Pleasure At The Miami Beach Culture Crawl

October-May

To sample the best of local arts and culture in Miami Beach, mark your calendar for the Miami Beach Culture Crawl. This monthly event, presented by the City of Miami Beach, takes place on the third Thursday of the month, from 6 to 9 p.m., between October and May. Each month brings new and exciting cultural programming. Most of the area’s cultural gems, from the above-mentioned museums to art galleries, open to the public for extended hours. Expect concerts, new art exhibitions, film screenings and even dance lessons, like tango and salsa. Choose what you want to see and do, then hop on and off one of the free white trolleys at different points of interest. Most events are free.

Experience Music & Movies Under the Stars at SoundScape Park

October-May

Established in 1987, the New World Symphony (NWS) is a South Florida gem, an orchestra composed of graduates from top music programs around the world who are preparing for careers in classical music. Many have gone on to play with the world’s greatest ensembles. From September through May, the NWS presents an extensive series of orchestra and chamber music concerts at the state-of-the art New World Center in South Beach. You can even watch some them for free at the WALLCAST concerts in SoundScape Park; live concerts are projected on a 7,000-square-foot wall of the New World Center.

SoundScape Park is also home to the SoundScape Cinema Series, every Wednesday at 8 p.m. from October through May. Bring a picnic, a blanket and lawn chairs to relax on the lawn, and watch free movies ranging from family favorites to the latest hits and cult classics.

Enjoy Art & Jazz At The Betsy South Beach

Even if you’re not a guest, stop by the family-owned The Betsy South Beach on Ocean Drive to see its curated art collection that covers almost every inch of the hotel’s walls. Much of the collection consists of photography, including raw snapshots of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones (captured by tour manager Bob Bonis) and photographs showcasing daily life and the residents of South Beach by the late Andy Sweet. There’s also live jazz every night, and it’s free.

Discover Public Art In Miami Beach

South Pointe Park: Where Art Meets Ocean Views

You’ll also discover meaningful art in unexpected places in Miami Beach. While waterfront South Pointe Park is a dreamy spot with a pier, plenty of shaded green spaces worthy of a picnic, and a splash park for kids, there’s also public art on display. Look for the colorful 55-foot lighthouse sculpture by German artist Tobias Rehberger as well as his whimsical speech bubble that’s anchored above the South Pointe Pier gate.

Miami Beach Convention Center: A Hub for Public Art

The sprawling Miami Beach Convention Center campus is also a canvas for public art, playing its part in the Art in Public Places program. Check out “Morris Lapidus,” the colorful porcelain tiles by artist Sarah Morris on the exterior walls of the the northeast corner, then go inside for more interesting pieces of art, such as Joseph Kosuth’s “Located World,” which uses lettering to showcase global locations.

Don’t Miss Art Basel Miami Beach & Miami Art Week

December

If you want to see the world’s best art while mingling with other global art lovers, plan a vacation around Miami Art Week, which traditionally takes place the first week of December. There’s always a flurry of art activities and satellite art fairs sprinkled throughout Miami Beach, including the biggest event on the destination’s art calendar,  Art Basel Miami Beach at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

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