The multicultural nature of Miami is shown off to the max at the city's art museum.
Art buffs shouldn't miss this small but well-thought-out collection which focuses on art from the 1930s to the present day. The museum, known as MAM, was opened in 1984 and places an emphasis on the cultures of the Atlantic Rim - the Americas, Western Europe, and Africa - as this is where most Miami residents originally come from. The museum intends to reflect the city around it perhaps more than most art museums in other cities.
The museum's collection includes works from local artists such as Leonardo Drew and Nancy Graves, and there are also regular special exhibitions throughout the year.
Excitingly, construction of a new building in a dramatic location on Biscayne Bay is underway as the museum has outgrown its current location. In December 2013, the museum will become Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM). Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects Herzog & de Meuron, the building’s most unique feature is the enormous amount of vegetation that will eventually cover all four sides of the building on the outside, and trees that are part of the structure with creeping vines wrapping themselves around the vertical supports.
The new museum will reopen named after real estate developer and founding board member Jorge Pérez who donated USD 35 million in cash and art towards its construction. The museum will kick off with a major exhibition from Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei, and other new exhibitions will highlight key Cuban, Haitian and Brazilian artists.
The current museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, and closed on local and national holidays – check the website for details. Admission is 8 dollars and children under 12 and students are free. Admission is free for all every second Saturday of the month