The arts and culture scene in Greater Miami & Miami Beach never slows down. From galleries and artist communities to resident theater companies and world-class music, we’ve got it all. If you don’t know where to start, no worries. Here’s the scoop on notable neighborhoods in Greater Miami & Miami Beach that are sure to get your cultural mojo going. Get ready to unearth some gems along the way.

coral rock exterior of Merrick House — Stop by historic Coral Gables Merrick House

See Cultural Delights in Coral Gables

Visit Coral Gables Merrick House

Known as the City Beautiful, Coral Gables is filled with charming boulevards shaded by tree canopies, fascinating museums and historic sites. Master-planned by developer George Merrick in the 1920s, it’s home to stunning Mediterranean Revival architecture and landscaped plazas inspired by Spain. Visitors can pay homage to the visionary developer by visiting his boyhood home, the Coral Gables Merrick House, set inside a 1900s-era frame house on an acre of land. Guided tours are offered.

Venetian Pool featuring Venetian-style bridge and cave-like grottos — Spend some time at Venetian Pool

Plunge Into the Historic Charm of Venetian Pool

The Venetian Pool might just be the most unique watering hole you’ll ever dip your toes in. Built out of a coral rock quarry in the heart of Coral Gables, the 820,000-gallon pool is fed by natural spring water from an underground aquifer and features grottoes, waterfalls and a Venetian-style bridge.

Mediterranean architecture, spectacular landscapes at the Biltmore Hotel Miami Coral Gables — Visit The Biltmore Hotel Miami-Coral Gables

Explore The Historic Biltmore Hotel Miami-Coral Gables

Arguably the crown jewel of Merrick’s master plan, the 1920s-era Biltmore Hotel Miami-Coral Gables is a historic hotel built in the fashion of Spain’s La Giralda tower. Today, it’s a lavish resort complete with a golf course, luxury spa, fine dining restaurants and one of the largest swimming pools in the world, all in a grand, historic setting.

Learn more about art and culture in Coral Gables.

Exterior beautiful glass structure to Adrienne Arsht Center at night — Catch a performance at Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts

Experience Downtown Miami

Embrace the Arts at the Arsht Center in Downtown Miami

For live arts in Downtown Miami, you can’t miss the beautiful Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County. While the bigger shows play in the 2,400-seat Ziff Ballet Opera House, often overlooked is the small black-box Carnival Studio Theater, home to resident theater company Zoetic Stage. If your timing is right, you might catch City Theatre there as well, with its focus on bite-sized plays in a festival format. Fans of jazz and classical music should know that the Arsht Center's John S. and James. L. Knight Concert Hall has received glowing reviews from performers such as Dionne Warwick, Harry Connick Jr. and George Benson, who have heralded its stellar acoustics.

Learn more about art and culture in Downtown Miami.

Entrance of Hampton House — Experience history, art and culture at the Hampton House

Visit Liberty City

Historic Hampton House, Where Legends Stayed

Memories abound at Historic Hampton House, located in Brownsville near Liberty City. Today, it’s a museum and cultural center, but the Hampton House Motel once stood as a hub for Black visitors during the segregated 1950s and ’60s. (You may recall that it received the Hollywood treatment in the 2020 Academy Award-nominated movie "One Night in Miami,” based on the play about the evening in 1964 after boxing legend Muhammad Ali – then known as Cassius Clay – defeated Sonny Liston at the Miami Beach Convention Center.) Ali was one of many legends linked to the Hampton House. Sammy Davis Jr. and Josephine Baker were frequent visitors, as were Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. Tour the suites where Ali and King once stayed.

Discover Heritage at the Marshall L. Davis, Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center

Liberty City is also home to the Marshall L. Davis, Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center. On any given day, you’ll find evening classes, civic meetings and entertainment here. It also features what’s considered the largest wraparound, completely hand-painted mural in the United States. Its creator, Miami artist and teacher Darryn Ferguson, was inspired by Ndebele design, a colorful style of African art.

Local artist display their latin ispired paintings at the Viernes Culturales Art Walk — Explore local art in Little Havana

Savor Little Havana

See Calle Ocho, Little Havana's Cultural Heartbeat

The heart of Little Havana runs along SW 8th Street, also known as Calle Ocho. Here, the street is lined with bakeries, coffee “ventanitas” (little windows), restaurants, fruit markets and cigar shops, many of which have been around for generations. Music pulses through the streets, especially during the annual Calle Ocho Music Festival in March, part of Carnaval Miami.

People entering Domino Park — Immerse yourself in Cuban culture at Domino Park

Celebrate Cuban Culture at Domino Park

Calle Ocho is also home to famed Domino Park, where neighborhood old-timers gather to play dominos and talk politics. Mosaic tile murals surrounding the park depict symbols of Cuba, like tropical fruit, bongo drums, dominos and cigars, while painted murals illustrate Cuban legends, from poet and revolutionary José Martí to iconic singer Celia Cruz.

Displayed artwork at the Futurama 1637 — Take a glimpse at Futurama 1637

View Local Art at Futurama 1637 Art Building

Just a few blocks away from Domino Park, the Futurama 1637 Art Building acts as the epicenter of Little Havana’s arts scene, home to 12 working artist studios and dynamic exhibits by local artists in its gallery spaces.

Learn more about art and culture in Little Havana.

People enjoying a WALLCAST performance — Escape to a WALLCAST concert at SoundScape Park in Miami Beach

Concerts, Theater, Art and More in Miami Beach

Watch a WALLCAST Performance

While it’s world-famous for its glistening beaches, South Beach is a mecca for all kinds of culture, too. A favorite local pastime is to sprawl out at SoundScape Park with a blanket or a beach chair to watch what's on the Wall – the WALLCAST, that is. The facade of the Frank Gehry-designed New World Center, home to the New World Symphony, doubles as a 7,000-square-foot wall where live concerts are projected while you relax under the stars.

Outside of South Beach's Colony Theatre at night — Spend some time at South Beach's Colony Theatre

Catch a Show at Colony Theatre

The Colony Theatre on Lincoln Road has its own resident company, Miami New Drama, which premieres original productions. Seeing a show inside the Colony is a throwback to historic Miami Beach. The theater opened on January 25, 1935 as a Paramount Pictures movie house and provides a spectacular example of the area’s famous Art Deco heritage.

Historic Art Deco architecture on South Beach's Ocean Drive — View Art Deco architecture on South Beach's Ocean Drive

Admire Miami Beach's Art Deco Buildings

The Art Deco Historic District, perhaps the most-distinctive symbol of Miami with its brightly colored architecture, is located between 5th and 23rd streets, along Ocean Drive, Collins Avenue and Washington Avenue.

Crowd of people experiencing the culture at Art Basel — Art Basel Miami Beach is one of the biggest events of the year

Immerse Yourself in Art at Art Basel Miami

Every December, the art world descends upon the destination for Art Basel Miami Beach, North America’s most comprehensive international art fair. Art Basel is based at the Miami Beach Convention Center, and satellite fairs take place throughout Miami.

Learn more about art and culture in Miami Beach.

ICA Sculpture Garden — Spend a day in the sculpture garden at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami

Uncover Art in the Miami Design District

Take a Journey to Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami

Through the years, the Miami Design District has transformed into a luxury fashion mecca, but it’s also a destination for contemporary art. The gleaming, three-story Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami opened in 2017 and features cutting-edge exhibits by local, emerging and established artists with a mission to create no barriers for museumgoers. That is why there’s no admission fee.

Speaking of free, the Miami Design District boasts its own public art collection scattered throughout its roughly 18 blocks – including installations, sculptures and wall art you can enjoy at no cost. Insider's tip: One of the most popular selfie spots is French artist Xavier Veilhan's fiberglass bust of a suited man with a drawing pen in his right hand. The figure represents the pioneering architect Le Corbusier.

Learn more about art and culture in the Miami Design District.

Exterior lawn view of the main stone mansion at the Charles Deering Estate — Don't miss the exhibits in the main house of the Deering Estate

Cultural Wonders Abound in South Dade

Unearth Heritage and Nature at Deering Estate

Often referred to as Miami’s heartland, South Dade is home to farms and parks that grow exotic fruits and vegetables as well as historic sites and cultural wonders. The Deering Estate, set on Biscayne Bay, is a nature preserve and estate built by wealthy industrialist Charles Deering in 1913. Today, it draws visitors to its art collection and exhibits in the main house and to embark upon nature walks through its surrounding hardwood hammocks.

Limestone structure created single-handedly at Coral Castle — Marvel at a castle sculpted out of coral rock at Coral Castle

Be Inspired At Coral Castle

Farther south, in route to Homestead, Coral Castle Museum is a one-of-a-kind roadside attraction featuring 1,100 tons of coral rock mysteriously carved into a castle by a single man starting in 1923. It features a nine-ton gate that miraculously moves with the touch of a finger, rocking chairs and a Polaris telescope, all made of stone. Think of it as Miami’s Stonehenge.

Newly renovated Seminole Theatre in Downtown Homestead — Engage in Culture at Seminole Theatre

Enjoy a Show at Seminole Theatre in Downtown Homestead

Meanwhile in Downtown Homestead, the historic Seminole Theatre has been restored to its original glory and is now producing a variety of resident and touring productions, from musicals to comedy and dance, as well as youth theater programming.

Learn more about art and culture in South Dade.

Wynwood Walls Entrance — Wynwood Walls opens up a world of street art

Soak Up Wynwood's Art Scene

Bakehouse Art Complex Teems with Artistic Treasures

Have you been to Wynwood yet? Its outdoor art museum, the Wynwood Walls, draws plenty of notice. But Wynwood is also home to Bakehouse Art Complex, a nonprofit artist studio and residency complex in what’s become known as Wynwood Norte, a 35-block area that runs from Northwest 29th to 36th streets between Interstate 95 and North Miami Avenue. The building once was home to an industrial Art Deco-era bakery built in 1926, and today, it’s a dynamic arts destination featuring exhibitions, public art and programming by its resident artists.

Learn more about art and culture in Wynwood.

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