Freedom Tower at Miami Dade College

We are so incredibly fortunate to have such an amazing and beautiful historical institution available to the public like the Freedom Tower. The Freedom Tower stands in stark juxtaposition today to the shiny glass skyscrapers (although the tower itself was the original first skyscraper in Miami!) showing a glimpse of the Miami that was. It tells an amazing story of the beginning of young city creating its first journalistic publications to of course what it’s known for today as being a guiding light and community center for immigrants, namely the Cuban community, into the United States. The tower recently reopened to the public and the exhibits are incredible. I last visited over a decade ago when I was in college and unfortunately remember being a little overwhelmed by the exhibits as it was a dark and sparse space with uninspiring exhibits. It’s completely transformed today with some of the most impressively engaging exhibits creatively expressed in a variety of forms - digital media, oral history told directly by those who lived these experiences, replicas of the original facilities, interactive elements, etc. Even their gift shop is beautiful and impressive, my friend and I did not leave with a souvenir! It’s a must-do for all Miami residents and visitors and well worth the $18 general admission cost ($12 discounted ticket for students up to 18 yrs, $14 discounted ticket for seniors). We were very fortunate to have our tour personally led by Dr. Amy Galpin, who oversees the museum in her scope as Executive Director Dir and Chief Curator at MDC, who led an engaging and informative tour. It’s great to see an important institution in the hands of someone so passionate about the mission and we as residents absolutely need to support this gem of an institution in our community. Please visit the Freedom Tower and take all your family and friends!

There is that emotion while stepping into this beautiful building. What it meant to immigrants for so many years. The exhibitions, the meetings, volunteering and the office of Miami-dade College; fantastic. Gorgeous place. Means a lot to be called The Freedom Tower. Thanks also to Eduardo Padrón, Miami-dade, best College President ever. This time was a tribute to a Cuban singer, Celia Cruz and the 72nd anniversary of Diario Las Americas. Was a beautiful night with good music, great food and the talk of some local politicians of Miami.

The newly renovated Freedom Tower presents thought-provoking exhibitions that showcase how this landmark building served as the headquarters for the Miami Daily News and then as the Cuban Refugee Center for over a decade. The lobby features dioramas that tell the history of the place and a film, but also the Kislak Gallery that presents PreColumbian artifacts and historical books in dialogue with contemporary artists. The second floor features the Libertad exhibition, which tells of the Cuban Exile experience and is very moving and inspiring. Noteworthy are the Voices of Miami room and the Knight Skylight Gallery that tell the story of immigrant founded businesses in Miami; there is also a small gallery space that presents contemporary art. The 3rd and 4th floor have the FIFA Museum with a special show that was organized for the upcoming World Cup

Wonderful museum experience. Exhibits are interactive and very informative. Very well organized. They also have free tours during the day.

Freedom Tower should be more about Peter Pan kids, you miss a lot of them, and you mix Cubans with other nationality, it shoul be in different walls 🧱

Not to be missed! Learn about the Tower's interesting history; very knowledgeable lady at the desk!👍Great presentation of the Cuban immigration history gives you a feel and transparency of the vibe of Miami which is so much Cuban to me. Learn about the waves of children from Cuba who arrived here and see how they had to adapt. The second floor is part modern art and part presentation to raise environmental awareness. Unfortunately the tower is not open to the public! Imagine standing on top and view the city from there! Maybe the city will open the tower in the near future; it would be certainly an asset and magnet for the tourists! Think about it city council!

I think they should add more memorabilia from the times the Cuban refugees entered the Freedom Tower for their paperwork. The inside of the building is way too empty. I love the cleanliness though. Not worth the money if you pay full priced tickets in my opinion.

Angela is wonderfull, and we casually found Mr. Infantino en el world cup section

I have been looking at the Freedom Tower from my balcony for months now, and I've been eager to visit this famous beacon of hope to so many Cuban refugees for so long. When I arrived I was pleased to have my temperature taken first and see masks are required. They also gave me a teacher's discount. I much preferred the first floor, which is an exhibit of the Pedro Pan exodus. Even after reading so many books about the revolution and Cuban history, I never knew about this. I really didn't enjoy the art exhibit (?) on the second floor. It was pretty ... unsettling and strange, but I won't judge the MOAD on this as it changes. Just know that it wasn't at all suitable for kids, so I'd ask first.

Interesting stop to see the history of this beautiful building in the middle of modern architecture. There is only one main exhibit here, otherwise the building is pretty empty. This is there"Freedom Tower" which used to be the Ellis Island of the Southwest. Cuban immigrants came through this building, and as you can see by the pictures there is quite a story to read. There was a docent to give a little information as well. We were on a tour with Miami Tours, and this was one of the stops.