Explore Culture In Miami

Greater Miami and Miami Beach’s cultural scene never slows down. From galleries and arts districts to performing arts hubs and best-in-class music, we’ve got it all. Here’s the scoop on notable neighborhoods that are sure to inspire your cultural exploration. Get ready to unearth some gems along the way.

Miami Beach

Art Deco District

The Art Deco District in South Beach is perhaps the most distinctive symbol of Miami. Spanning Ocean Drive, Collins Avenue and Washington Avenue, from roughly 5th to 23rd streets, Art Deco architecture is recognized for its overall symmetry, ziggurat (stepped) rooflines, decorative friezes, eyebrow window overhangs, relief facades, porthole windows and neon lights. For a deeper dive into Art Deco architecture and Miami Beach’s fascinating cultural history, the Miami Design Preservation League leads regular Art Deco Walking Tours at the Art Deco Welcome Center on Ocean Drive.

The Wolfsonian-FIU and The Bass

Explore more culture in Miami Beach with an afternoon at a museum. The Wolfsonian-FIU focuses on artifacts, photographs, design objects and artworks centered on the Industrial Revolution through mid-century America, while The Bass is a destination for contemporary art at the picturesque Collins Park. 

SoundScape Park

A favorite local cultural pastime in Miami Beach 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.

Jewish Museum Of Florida-FIU

There is a strong Jewish community in Miami that dates back to 1913, when Jewish immigrants started settling in Miami Beach’s South of Fifth neighborhood. Learn more about it when you explore the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU, which is housed in the first synagogue in Miami Beach.  Visitors can also pay their respects at the Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach, discover local history on the Miami Design Preservation League’s Jewish Miami Beach Walking Tour or enjoy Israeli cuisine at Abbalé Modern Mediterranean Kitchen.

Little Havana

Calle Ocho

Little Havana  is the heartbeat of Cuban Miami. Start along famed Calle Ocho, lined with bakeries, coffee “ventanitas” (little windows), restaurants, fruit markets and cigar shops, many of which have been around for generations. On the last Friday of every month, Viernes Culturales is a lively cultural celebration centered around art, music and food throughout Little Havana. Be sure to visit the Futurama 1637 Art Building, an epicenter of the arts and cultural scene, home to 12 working artist studios and dynamic exhibits by local artists in its gallery spaces. Music also pulses through the streets during the annual Calle Ocho Music Festival in March, part of Carnaval Miami.

Domino Park

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

Wynwood Arts District

Must-See Art

With its mural-splashed walls and gallery-lined streets, Wynwood is a hub for Miami’s cultural arts scene. From exploring the neighborhood’s murals to visiting the Wynwood Walls outdoor museum dedicated to street art, the neighborhood is a feast for the eyes. Home to the Bakehouse Art Complex, a nonprofit artist studio and residency, this dynamic arts destination features exhibitions, public art and programming by resident artists. While you’re in the neighborhood, be sure to stop by Gary Nader for its impressive collection of Latin-American art, including a vast collection of Boteros.

Downtown Miami

Museums To Explore

Downtown Miami is an arts and cultural hub with 2 prominent institutions sharing a bayfront park. The Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) is dedicated to international art of the 20th and 21st centuries from the perspective of the Americas, while Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science is one of the only science museums in the world to house both an aquarium and planetarium under one roof. Nearby, HistoryMiami Museum, a Smithsonian affiliate institution, highlights historical moments of interest in Miami through both permanent and visiting exhibitions.

Performing Arts

A cornerstone of Miami’s cultural arts scene, the Adrienne Arsht Center in Downtown Miami is a destination for the performing arts, home to the Ziff Ballet Opera House, Knight Concert Hall and Carnival Studio Theater. Here, you can experience the latest touring Broadway shows, symphony orchestras and dance companies as well as productions by local companies like Zoetic Stage, Miami City Ballet, New World Symphony and the Florida Grand Opera.

Historic Overtown

Entertainment

Historic Overtown is steeped in Miami’s Black cultural heritage, which can be explored today through the neighborhood’s arts and music scene. A vibrant entertainment district in the 1930s, stars like Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday performed on its stages. Today, you can visit the Black Archives Historic Lyric Theater Cultural Arts Complex to catch a music, dance or comedy show at the newly restored, 1913-era theater, and explore the photographic Black history of Miami through its extensive archives.

Historic Churches And Soul Food

The Overtown Historic Folklife Village is an entertainment district and tourist destination along Northwest 3rd Avenue, where you’ll find Purvis Young murals, crosswalks painted in colorful designs, Gibson Park and the Culmer/Overtown Public Branch Library. Nearby, you’ll also find historic churches, including St. John Baptist Church and the Historic Mount Zion Baptist Church, where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once spoke. For a bite to eat, take your pick from classic Jackson Soul Food or innovative Red Rooster by celebrity chef, Marcus Samuelsson. 

Miami Design District

Art Galleries And Installations

The Miami Design District is a luxury fashion mecca and a destination for contemporary art, making it an exciting cultural destination. The 3-story Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami is home to galleries and a sculpture garden displaying cutting-edge exhibits by local, emerging and established artists. Reserve your free admission in advance.

The Miami Design District is home to its own public art collection scattered throughout its roughly 18 blocks – including installations, sculptures and wall art. 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. You can also stop by the neighborhood’s acclaimed art galleries, including David Castillo, Swampspace and more.

Haitian Culture

For insight into Miami’s Haitian diaspora, the Miami Design District is home to the Haitian Heritage Museum. Committed to highlighting and preserving Haiti’s rich cultural heritage through art, historical artifacts, music, film and literary works, it’s a hub for educational and community programming.