Miami Arts & Culture for Families

Family-Friendly Culture Abounds in Miami

Many of the top things to do in Miami are free. Most museums and theaters offer free admission a few days a week. Be sure to check before you go.

Family-Friendly Museums

Miami is filled with museums that appeal to kids – and parents – of all ages. Many museums are great places for children to learn about various subjects, and are among the top things to do in Miami. From hands-on science exhibits to art-based learning, here are some of Miami’s most beloved museums for the entire family to enjoy.

Miami Children’s Museum

Each exhibit at the Miami Children’s Museum aims to spark children’s curiosity and offers a variety of art and cultural experiences. The museum’s in-house theater troupe schedules regular performances. There are hands-on art and glass exhibits, as well as diversity programs that explore topics such as Black History Month and Women’s History Month. The exhibits are bilingual, which is helpful for learning new languages. The museum also offers specialized classes and camps for children to further explore their hobbies.

Mini Monday, held once a week, is dedicated to children who are infants all the way through the age of five. This hands-on program enables kids to partake in play-based activities while expanding their minds. A convenient parking lot is located on the east side of the museum that charges just $2 an hour.

Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science

The Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, located in Maurice A. Ferré Park, has both a planetarium and aquarium. Located on Biscayne Bay, this museum is one of the best places to visit in Miami for adults, as well.

This unique museum is home to six floors of interactive exhibitions, all dedicated to the ecosystem of the Everglades. The museum also features a massive Oculus, a 31-foot-wide lens that provides a vivid view of its 500,000-gallon Gulf Stream aquarium. Children under three are admitted for free.

Superblue

Superblue features 50,000 square feet of light-based displays, digital installations and a mirror labyrinth. Exhibits include digital renditions of seasonal flowers and waterfalls. Tickets can only be purchased online or onsite at the box office. It’s a great experience recommended for children of all ages. Study guides are available for children upon request.

Paradox Museum Miami

The Paradox Museum Miami, located in Wynwood, features 70 interactive exhibits that are as fun for adults as children. One room allows you to “walk on the ceiling,” while another other allows you to experience zero gravity. It’s recommended to bring your smart phone to document each illusion you encounter.

Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM)

The Pérez Art Museum Miami offers a mix of exhibits, hands-on workshops, educational programs, lectures and community events. The building was designed by Swiss architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron, and is home to a collection of 20th and 21st century art with a focus on Miami, Latin America, the Caribbean and the African diaspora.

It has two floors of galleries with both permanent collections and rotating exhibitions. Just outside the museum are great views of Biscayne Bay, as well as suspended columns of plants. Its roof features metal swings with beautiful views of cruise ships and the waterfront. Children under six get free admission.

Family-Friendly Performing Arts

Miami museums and live theater offer many options for children and teens.

The Adrienne Arsht Center

The Adrienne Arsht Center located in Downtown Miami sponsors numerous children’s events, most of which are best for children over the age of six. It also sponsors AileyCamp Miami – a free six-week camp for 100 students ages 11 to 14. The camp culminates in a free community performance on one of the Arsht Center’s main stages. Applications for campers are required. The Arsht Center also offers an annual program called Family Fest, a free, family-friendly performance series designed to introduce children to the performing arts.

Miami Children's Theater

For performances tailored for younger audiences, head to Miami Children's Theater with your littles. This theater offers a variety of shows throughout the year that are perfect for families with children. In fact, 23 members of the theater’s alumni have gotten roles on Broadway. If your child is interested in the performing arts, the theater also offers camps, classes and programs designed to help them build their skills and confidence on stage.

Outdoor Cultural Activities

Several Miami neighborhoods – including Wynwood and Calle Ocho – are full of fun street art and murals to explore. The city is also home to a number of outdoor parks and free trams to get around seamlessly. Many of these venues also provide great opportunities for selfies.

Discover Calle Ocho’s fun roosters and vibrant art

Street Art In Wynwood And Calle Ocho

The Wynwood Walls have long been a major attraction in this trendy neighborhood, and one of the best things to do in Wynwood. Dozens of buildings are decorated with colorful murals depicting everything from graffiti to pop art.

Calle Ocho, Miami’s Cuban heart, has both street art and a number of larger-than-life roosters that decorate the neighborhood. One of the best-known Calle Ocho roosters can be found at the entrance of Little Havana, at Calle Ocho and 27th Avenue. In Cuban culture, roosters are symbols of good luck and masculinity.

Bayfront Park

Bayfront Park, originally called Royal Palm Park, is the oldest public gathering space in the Greater Miami community. Established in 1896, it was originally a pavilion and green space used for sports activities. Over the years, it expanded to include a bandshell and became a venue for various events.

Today, Bayfront Park spans 32 acres in Downtown Miami, offering stunning views of Biscayne Bay. It features open lawn spaces, a seaside path, sandy beach area, performance venues, VIP seating, a tropical rock garden and a historic waterfall from 1926.

SoundScape Park

SoundScape Park, in Miami Beach has a 7,000-square-foot projection wall that functions as an outdoor movie theater. The free 2025 cinema season runs through the end of May and features Star Wars, Top Gun, The Parent Trap and more during its complimentary 8 pm shows. Attendees should bring something comfortable to sit on.

Neighborhood Walks

Both Coral Gables and Coconut Grove offer great areas for walking, shopping, eating and selfies. Miracle Mile and Giralda Plaza in Coral Gables feature wide sidewalks and tropical landscaping. The area also has the Coral Gables Art Cinema and the Coral Gables Museum for film and history buffs alike.

In the Coconut Grove neighborhood, walks along Main Highway or Grand Avenue can be fun, as well as a trip to the CocoWalk open-air shopping center.

Miami Tours And Free Trams

Miami is as fun to take in by land as by sea.

Bus Tours

The Big Bus Tours Miami day tour goes through areas like Wynwood, the Design District and South Beach. It also offers an evening tour that shows off the city lit up at night.

Boat Tours

Cruises and speedboats offer an ideal perspective on a city that is surrounded by water from all sides.

Island Queen Millionaire’s Row Cruise

The 90-minute Island Queen Millionaire’s Row Cruise  sightseeing cruise takes you past the waterfront homes of Millionaire's Row and offers great views of the Downtown Miami skyline. Departing from Bayside Marketplace, the cruise passes PortMiami, and circles luxurious enclaves like Fisher Island, Star Island, Palm Island and Hibiscus Island. Prices start from $35, and food and drinks are available for purchase.

Thriller Miami Speedboat Experience

The fast-moving, Thriller Miami Speedboat Experience zooms around the coastline of Miami and offers a view of the mega mansions on Star and Fisher Islands, as well as South Beach’s Art Deco District. It’s undoubtedly one of the best things to do in South Beach, Miami.

Free Trolley Tours

Both the cities of Miami and Miami Beach offer a free trolley service along various routes. This complimentary service runs for roughly 15 hours a day, from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week at approximately 20- to 40-minute intervals along each route. All trolleys are bike friendly. It’s one of the best free things to do in Miami.

The trolleys are part of Miami’s extensive free – and fun to ride – transit system. The old-fashioned trolleys are fun for kids and families to experience. It’s one of the most fun things to do in Miami Beach, and routes and stops can be seen here.

Explore Art At Zoo Miami

The 750-acre Zoo Miami – officially the Miami-Dade Zoological Park and Gardens – located in South Dade, is the largest zoo in Florida and the fifth-largest in the country. Featuring the only subtropical zoo in the continental United States, this popular zoo contains large, open-air exhibits that re-create animal habitats, from Florida’s Everglades to the Amazon, Africa, Australia and Asia.

Four miles of winding walkways meander past 2,500-plus amphibians, birds, reptiles and mammals, including koalas, tigers and elephants, as well as more than 1,000 species of trees, palms and other plants.