Illuminations on the ORB, Honoring Our Veterans

Letters and poetry written by community members are projected onto The Betsy Orb in a public tribute to veterans and their families. The outdoor installation is presented nightly from Saturday, November 7 through Tuesday, November 10 at The Betsy – South Beach in Miami Beach. Created and coordinated by U.S. Marine Corps veteran Alex Kruger-Dobrota, the project is presented in partnership with Miami Beach VFW Post 3559.

Designed by Shulman + Associates, the Orb is a spherical skybridge connecting the hotel’s two historic wings. Its curved white exterior doubles as a projection surface, bringing public art into the alley near 14th Place between Ocean Drive and Collins Avenue.

Related programming on November 7 and 8 includes continuous screenings of Nothing Can Be Done, But Something Can Be Said from noon to 9 p.m. Created with The Betsy and the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, the 2010 documentary explores Miami Beach’s role as a World War II training center through archival footage, veterans’ interviews and the writing of soldier-poet Hyam Plutzik. His poems and wartime letters provide a literary connection between military service and family remembrance.

Admission is free.