Category: Press

HistoryMiami Museum joins forces with Rosie Gordon-Wallace and Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator to launch project that opens to public June 5

HistoryMiami Museum  and  curator  Rosie  Gordon-Wallace of Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator (DVCAI) invited the public to celebrate Caribbean-American Heritage Month by experiencing the community’s newest mural, “This is Miami.” A vibrant and bold 130-foot long panoramic piece, the mural graces the entrance of the Museum and highlights Miami’s link to five Caribbean nations, three talented local artists and a century of Caribbean impact on South Florida. The project, also known as “Esto Es Miami,” “Se Miami,” “C’est Miami” and “Dit is Miami,” reflects the diverse languages found among residents living on the more than 700 islands, islets and reefs that lie in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of the Gulf of Mexico. 

“We are honored to be working with Rosie Gordon-Wallace and WALL’N Collective on the launch of this mural. This is part of a newly-established, ongoing mural initiative at the museum to highlight diverse voices from our community,” Executive Director Jorge Zamanillo said. “We wanted to create a vehicle for artists to answer the question “What Makes Miami, Miami?” And this exciting artwork is the first of many to come, all tackling that question through artistic expression.”  

Ms. Gordon-Wallace, originally from Jamaica, is best known for curating internationally diverse art exhibitions and being the founder of DVCAI.  She selected a trio of Miami’s most talented Caribbean muralists to draw upon their own experiences in Cuba, Haiti, and Trinidad and Tobago to help inspire the final collection of painted images, woven together in a tapestry of color that will captivate the senses of any visitor. Created by WALL’N Collective, made up of Caribbean artists Asser Saint-Val, Izia Lindsay and Rosa Naday Garmendia, the mural is an answer to the question, “What Makes Miami, Miami?  

“I want people to feel the warmth of the Caribbean – to feel viscerally welcome,” said Ms. Gordon-Wallace. “’This is Miami’ offers smiles and nods and recognition that you can find yourself in the artists’ collection of memories.  As a curator, this is what inspires me.  While you can’t mandate feelings, I don’t think one can walk through the lobby without seeing a vignette that resonates and connects with Miami’s Caribbean culture.” “This is Miami” will remain through the end of 2021. The mural and Museum, located at 101 W. Flagler Street, Miami, is free to the public.

HISTORY OF CARIBBEAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH 

 In 2006, by proclamation, President George Bush announced the formal recognition of Caribbean-American Heritage Month. The campaign to designate June as National Caribbean American Heritage Month was spearheaded by Dr. Claire Nelson, Founder and President of the Institute of Caribbean Studies, to remind people of the impact Caribbean nations and immigrants have had on America’s history, past and present.   

Muhammad Ali in Miami: Training for the “Fight of the Century” opens February 25

Muhammad Ali versus Joe Frazier was billed as the “Fight of the Century” and, in preparation for the March 8, 1971 bout, Ali spent time in Miami Beach training at the famed 5th Street Gym. One-of-a-kind photos chronicling his preparations will now be on display at HistoryMiami Museum in a new exhibition titled Muhammad Ali in Miami: Training for the “Fight of the Century.” The images will be displayed from February 25 through August 29 within a new photography gallery dedicated to exhibiting selections from the museum’s extensive image collection.

With the support of the Knight Foundation, HistoryMiami Museum recently acquired the “ALI/MIA” portfolio of 20 silver gelatin photographs selected and handmade by photographer and Miami resident Andrew Kaufman. Seventeen of the images document Ali’s time training for the fight. Three additional images taken in 1981 capture Ali’s final fight, “Drama in Bahama,” against Trevor Berbick. The photographs were taken by award winning photographer Larry Spitzer and colleague Jebb Harris of the Louisville’s Courier-Journal, both of whom covered the Kentucky native for more than a decade. Kaufman’s portfolio is a portion of the work featured in the book Picture: Muhammad Ali, published by PSG.

“These photos captured a historic moment for Ali. He was just returning to boxing after his conviction for refusing to register for the draft in 1967 had been overturned,” HistoryMiami Museum Executive Director Jorge Zamanillo said. “These photos show him preparing to return to the biggest stage in sports at that time, and we hope everyone will visit the museum to view an incredible and rarely seen collection of images.”

“ALI/MIA” will launch a new gallery space dedicated to exhibiting highlights from the museum’s collection of more than two million historical images. Selections will be displayed on a rotating basis. The institution’s image collection documents South Florida history from the late 1800s to the present. Notable strengths include photojournalism, aerial photography, street scenes, architectural photography, and images of everyday life.

“We want to make sure the incredible photography that lives in our collection is widely accessible, so we created a special space to help us share it with the community,” said Michael Knoll, the museum’s director of curatorial affairs/chief curator. “We’re proud to open this new gallery by featuring ‘ALI/MIA,’ and we look forward to presenting more highlights from our collection within this space in the years to come.”

Open Thursday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Sunday noon – 5 p.m., HistoryMiami Museum is currently offering complimentary admission. For more information, visit historymiami.org.

Museum will preserve local experiences, stories, photographs, and artifacts related to the COVID-19 pandemic, Black Lives Matter movement, and the 2020 elections to help remember the unforgettable year

Most people want to forget just about everything from 2020, but HistoryMiami Museum wants to remember it all. That’s why on December 30 at 10:30 a.m. the Smithsonian Affiliate, located in downtown Miami, is issuing a communitywide call to Miamians to share stories and items that capture their experiences of 2020.

The project, Collecting 2020, will focus on the events that made this year unforgettable, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the protests for racial justice, and local and national elections. The initiative aims to preserve a record of life in Miami through community submissions that highlight how Miamians have been affected by and responded to these major events. 

“The events of this year are historic moments that will never be forgotten,” said Jorge Zamanillo, executive director of HistoryMiami Museum. “Our museum is committed to this collaborative effort to document the history of Miami and Miamians during this unheralded year.”   

Collecting 2020 is already underway with headline-making items such as the Grim Reaper costume, worn by attorney Daniel Uhlfelder, whose claim to fame was walking public beaches over the summer, attempting to warn people of the dangers of public gatherings amid COVID-19. HistoryMiami also secured a Miami HEAT jersey emblazoned with “Black Lives Matter,” and a collection of materials from national and local political races, which resulted in the history-making election of Miami-Dade County’s first female Mayor. 

HistoryMiami will host a press conference from 10:30 – 11 a.m. on Wednesday, December 30, 2020, 101 West Flagler Street, to kick off the initiative. In attendance will be Uhlfelder, Jason Jackson from the Miami HEAT and Miami-Dade County Mayor Danielle Levine Cava.

As part of its longstanding Miami Stories project, the museum is also asking the public to contribute written and video stories related to the events of 2020. Now over a decade old, Miami Stories collects stories about Miami’s past, present, and future. These stories are added to the museum’s archive, and shared online and with local media outlets.  

“At HistoryMiami Museum, we value everyone’s story,” said Michael Knoll, director of Curatorial Affairs and chief curator. “Partnering with the community on this initiative is of paramount importance to preserving and sharing our city’s stories, especially with future generations.” 

Submissions of items and stories can be made through the museum’s website (https://www.historymiami.org/collecting2020. No drop-offs or unsolicited donations through mail or in person will be accepted.​  Stories and materials collected through this project will be added to the organization’s permanent collection. The museum collects, preserves, and provides access to items that document the history of the Miami region. The institution’s Archives & Research Center includes more than 2 million images, along with maps, architectural records, and more. Its object collection houses more than 30,000 items, mostly from the 20th century, and an additional 550 cubic feet of archaeological ma​terial. The museum will make the submitted stories and donated items accessible through its research center, serving researchers and the general public for generations to come. 

(September 13) MIAMI- HistoryMiami Museum, located in the heart of Downtown Miami, will open its doors free of charge on Saturday, September 22, 2018, as part of Smithsonian magazine’s fourteenth annual Museum Day Live!, a national celebration that represents a commitment to providing access, equity, and inclusion.

Smithsonian recognizes the extraordinary power of museums, and other cultural institutions, to provide visitors with insight and inspiration. The event represents a nationwide commitment to boundless curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge wherever you are. As a Smithsonian Affiliate, HistoryMiami Museum, is proud to be part of this annual tradition once again.

“HistoryMiami is the city’s museum. We safeguard and share Miami’s history and we want to be able to share it with all who want to come the museum,” Executive Director Jorge Zamanillo said. “We already host our Free Family Fun Day once a month offering access to the community, and this is just another way to continue developing a culture of equity.”

Currenlty at HistoryMiami Museum, visitors can view Tropical Dreams, A People’s History of South Florida, Avenues of Expression: Street Traditions in Miami, and catch the final week of Miami Rocks: The Miami Pop Festival, May 1968.

A Museum Day Live! ticket is available for download at Smithsonian.com/museumday. Visitors who present the Museum Day Live! ticket will gain free entrance for two at participating venues on September 22, 2018. One ticket per email address is permitted. For more information about Museum Day Live! 2018 and a full list of participating museums and cultural institutions, please visit Smithsonian.com/museumday.

HistoryMiami Museum is supported by the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museum, HistoryMiami is also sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.

Museum Hours & Fees:  Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00am – 5:00pm; Sunday, 12:00pm – 5:00pm; Monday, closed. Regular museum admission: $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and students with ID, $5 for children 6-12, and free for museum members and children under 6.

About HistoryMiami Museum: 

HistoryMiami Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is the premier cultural institution committed to gathering, organizing, preserving and celebrating Miami’s history as the unique crossroads of the Americas. We accomplish this through education, collections, research, exhibitions, publications and City Tours. Located in the heart of downtown Miami, HistoryMiami Museum is a 70,000 square foot facility and home to more than one million historical images and 30,000 three-dimensional artifacts, including a 1920’s trolley car, artifacts from Pan American World Airways, and rafts that brought refugees to Miami. For more information, call 305-375-1492 or visit historymiami.org. HistoryMiami Museum is located at 101 W Flagler St, Miami, FL 33130.

MIAMI (August 23, 2018) –HistoryMiami Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate in Downtown Miami, announced today the revolutionary Spitz projector that brought the galaxy to Miami audiences for decades at the former Miami Science Museum is now on view at HistoryMiami.

The beloved giant Spitz Model B Space Transit Projector is one of only 12 made and consists of 5,600 holes, many so small they are invisible to the naked eye. Its sheer size, standing nearly 14 feet high, wowed Miami audiences for years before it was retired in 2015 when the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science shut its doors and moved to its new facility in Museum Park. Now it shines bright in Miami once again.

“This projector has a fascinating history here in South Florida. For six decades it allowed Miamians to immerse themselves in outer space. We are thrilled to preserve it and shine a new light on its history,” HistoryMiami Museum Executive Director Jorge Zamanillo said. “This is a true wonder of technology and a beloved artifact in the Miami community. We know it will continue to awe audiences for years to come.”

The projector, which cost the science museum $131,825 in 1963 (more than $1 million in today’s dollars), was the first of its kind to be computer-controlled. The projector rotated on three axes and was capable of projecting the stars from any point in the solar system—giving visitors a view of the night sky that they had previously never experienced.

“The Spitz projector at our former location in Coconut Grove was beloved by those that visited and we are honored this piece of history has found a new home in Miami,” said Frank Steslow, President & CEO at the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science. “We thank the team at HistoryMiami for their support and hope the projector will continue to inspire and motivate generations to come.”

Along with the projector, visitors will view posters from the shows presented at the Space Transit Planetarium during the 1960s and 1970s.

HistoryMiami Museum is supported by the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museum, HistoryMiami is also sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.

Museum Hours & Fees:  Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00am – 5:00pm; Sunday, 12:00pm – 5:00pm; Monday, closed.

Regular museum admission: $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and students with ID, $5 for children 6-12, and free for museum members and children under 6.

MIAMI (March 21, 2018) – HistoryMiami Museum is honoring the first East Coast rock festival, which took place in Miami five decades ago,  with an exhibition titled “Miami Rocks: The Miami Pop Festival, May 1968.” The exhibition will be open to the public from Friday, May 18, 2018 until Sunday, September 30, 2018.

Opening on the original Miami Pop Festival’s 50th anniversary, the exhibition will display rare photographs by Ken Davidoff, who’s well-known for his iconic photos of South Florida’s pop culture past. In addition, the exhibition will showcase archival footage and artifacts that illuminate the story of this groundbreaking event, as well as feature organizers Richard “Ric” O’Barry and Michael Lang, who later famously promoted Woodstock.

“Few people know that this Miami Festival is the precursor to Woodstock,” said Jorge Zamanillo, Executive Director of HistoryMiami Museum. “Our own backyard led to that pivotal moment of Woodstock that changed Rock ‘n Roll history.”

In May of 1968, Gulfstream Park hosted the first Miami Pop Festival, the East Coast’s first rock festival. More than 25,000 people attended the festival which featured bands like The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Chuck Berry, Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention, Blue Cheer, John Lee Hooker, and others.

A second Miami Pop Festival was held in December of 1968 in the same venue. This installment included well-known performers such as Fleetwood Mac, the Grateful Dead, Joni Mitchell, Marvin Gaye and others. HistoryMiami Museum’s exhibition will also include this musical occasion.

Museum Hours & Fees:

Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00am – 5:00pm; Sunday, 12:00pm – 5:00pm; Monday, closed.

Regular museum admission: $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and students with ID, $5 for children 6-12, and free for museum members and children under 6.

MIAMI (February 8, 2018) – HistoryMiami Museum’s South Florida Folklife Center, a division committed to documenting, presenting,  and supporting local traditional arts and culture, will be launching its exhibition, Avenues of Expression: Street Traditions in Miami, with the support of the National Endowment for the Arts. This one-of-a-kind exhibition will launch with an opening reception on Friday, March 16, 2018 from 6-9 p.m. in conjunction with The New Tropic. The exhibition will be on display to the public through Sunday, January 13, 2019.

The new exhibition will allow visitors to discover the street traditions that are hiding in plain sight on Miami’s avenues, where the vibrant, raw pulse that fuels this city is felt the most and where Miami’s diverse communities converge and interact. It will also highlight the people who bring creativity and meaning to these practices, all of which help to give Miami its unique mix of characteristics and identities.

The exhibition explores the streets as public spaces for expression, highlighting traditions such as street art, protests, vehicle customizing, parades, ventanitas, religious practices, and much more. Through artifacts, video interviews, interactive displays, and recreated environments, the exhibition inspires visitors to get street smart and discover the world around them.

The opening reception will take place on HistoryMiami Museum’s plaza, tucked within Downtown Miami’s skyscrapers and iconic courthouse. Guests will be treated to complimentary drinks provided by Tito’s Handmade Vodka, and food will be available for guests to purchase from vendors. In addition to tunes spun by DJ Le Spam, guests will enjoy surprise performances throughout the night including Bahamas Junkanoo Revue of Miami.

HistoryMiami Museum would like to thank the National Endowment for the Arts for its support. Community members interested in attending the opening reception are encouraged to get tickets (free for museum members, $10 for non-members) by visiting bit.ly/305-street-traditions. For more information on the exhibit, please contact Michele Reese at mreese@historymiami.org.

MIAMI (January 19, 2018) – The Miami International Map Fair, the longest continuously running map fair in the world, will return to HistoryMiami Museum February 3-4, 2018. Now in its 25^th year, the map fair draws over 35 leading map dealers from across the globe will gather to exhibit and retail an unparalleled selection of original antique maps, charts, town plans and atlases. Thousands of maps from the 16^th century to present day, ranging in price from $25 to over $250,000 offering something for the first time buyer, as well as the seasoned collector.

One of the rarest maps on display will the earliest known image of the future Miami, Florida. The map illustrates the earliest known view of Fort Dallas, at the outlet of the Miami River into Biscayne Bay, and thus the first view of any portion of the future city of Miami. The drawing was made in 1849-1850 by an unnamed soldier of F Company of the 2nd U.S. Artillery Regiment. It provides a detailed view of the area’s natural topography and the structures which made up the outpost, with each identified by a legend. Among these is the earliest known surviving structure in Miami. The structure was moved in the 1920s to Lummus Park and is the oldest extant structure in the city. The map will be shown by Boston Rare Maps and Barry Lawrence Ruderman Antique Maps Inc,.

Another unique map visitors can explore is the real estate guide map for George Merrick’s newly planned city of Coral Gables, Florida, including the newly planned University of Miami. George Edgar Merrick was a real estate developer who is best known as the planner and builder of the city of Coral Gables, Florida. Beginning in 1922, on 3,000 acres of citrus groves and land covered in pine trees which his father had left him, Merrick began carving out a town along the lines of the City Beautiful movement.  The Miami International Map Fair will be the first place that it will be shown and will be offered by the Old Print Shop for $3,450.

“HistoryMiami is proud to celebrate the 25th anniversary of hosting one of the largest and most prestigious events of its kind in the world, highlighting the history and wonder of cartography,” said Jorge Zamanillo, HistoryMiami Museum Executive Director. “Each year, the Map Fair showcases a staggering amount of rare and antique maps – from important historical documents to stunning works of art – that are brilliant examples of human history. Beyond their visual beauty, these maps give collectors and map enthusiasts a profound look into the past.”

Held annually during the first weekend in February, the Miami International Map Fair provides buyers with a weekend to browse antique maps, rare books, globes and atlases from around the world, including some from Australia, Germany and United Kingdom, in addition to attending a series of special topical lectures. This is a unique opportunity to meet experts with an unrivaled depth of knowledge and scope of material.

The 2018 Map Fair speakers include:

• Saturday, February 3, 11 a.m.

Sea Monsters on Medieval and Renaissance Maps– by Chet Van Duzer, published author, map historian, speaker and National Endowment for the Humanities-Mellon Fellow at the Library of Congress

• Saturday, February 3, 3 p.m.

Why I Collect Maps and What I Have Learned by Neal Asbury, entrepreneur, published author, speaker, host of a nationally syndicated talk radio show Neal Asbury’s Made In America, CEO of The Legacy Companies, political advocate of free enterprise and avid map collector.

• Sunday, February 4, 2 pm

From the Andes to the Amazon: A Librarian’s Life in Maps- by Neil Safier, Ph.D., Beatrice and Julio Mario Santo Domingo Director, Librarian of the John Carter Brown Library, associate professor in the Department of History at Brown University, published author, researcher and historian.

Daily admission to the Map Fair is $20 for adults, $5 for children 6-12, free for children under 6, $15 for HistoryMiami and Lowe Art Museum  members and $10 for high school and university students with valid school ID (at door only).  Full Access Weekend registration is $75 per person for HistoryMiami members and $85 for non-members and includes a VIP a welcome reception with the map dealers at the Lowe Art Museum, free admission all weekend to the Dealer Marketplace, expert opinion on one map, lunch each day, all presentations and access to a Saturday night cocktail party. For the Full Access Weekend package, register here.  For event information, please call 305-375-1618 or email mapfair@historymiami.org.

Online Weekend Registration and one-day ticket sales are open until February 2, 2017. To purchase one-day tickets online, register here.  One-day tickets will be available at the door.  Fair hours are Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 10 to 4 p.m. at HistoryMiami Museum 101 West Flagler Street in downtown Miami. Discounted parking (with museum validation) is available at the Cultural Center Parking Garage, 50 NW 2 Avenue.

Sponsorship and underwriting opportunities are still available, please contact Katie Repici 305-375-1615 or email krepici@historymiami.org for more information. To register for the Miami International Map Fair or event information, please call 305-375-1618 or email mapfair@historymiami.org. For high-resolution map images and credit information, please email Michele Reese at mreese@historymiami.org.

About HistoryMiami Museum
HistoryMiami Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is the premier cultural institution committed to gathering, organizing, preserving and celebrating Miami’s history as the unique crossroads of the Americas. We accomplish this through education, collections, research, exhibitions, publications and City Tours. Located in the heart of downtown Miami, HistoryMiami Museum is a 70,000 square foot facility and home to more than one million historical images and 30,000 three-dimensional artifacts, including a 1920’s trolley car, artifacts from Pan American World Airways, and rafts that brought refugees to Miami. For more information, call 305-375-1492 or visit historymiami.org.