HistoryMiami Museum

Moderate sized, well done history museum. Located in the government center downtown, which is an iffy area so be aware of your surroundings. The museum is housed in two buildings off a large courtyard which includes the main public library. Modern decor, clean and organized. Thorough review of Miami history. There are a couple of interactive learning stations for the kids and a dominos table. There's a mini theatre with a short film of Miami history, a full sized trolley car you can walk onto, a Cuban refugee raft, and American Indian artifacts. They have history lectures by the resident historian that you can sign up for in advance. It's a separate ticket ($15).

What a great educational place, so happy we finally got to experience! A little bit for everyone, interactive fun for kids, fantastic exhibits for all! Mythic creatures is an amazing experience, go see it before its done!! Convenient parking and an easy walk to the both buildings of the Museum. Thank you!

The museum space itself os fantastic. Its not too crowded with exhibits and the supporting documentation was great. The North museum had some really cool things that were really interesting.

I had a wonderful experience at the Museum of History in Miami. While I didn’t get to complete the entire tour, what I did see left me thoroughly impressed. The option to access a guided tour by calling a number and selecting the specific exposition you’re interested in is a fantastic feature. It added depth to my visit, and I found it very engaging. One highlight to note is the second Saturday of each month when admission is free, and they offer additional activities such as art crafts and presentations for kids. On other days, the $15 entrance fee is quite reasonable for the experience you receive. For those on a budget, keep an eye out for free tickets at the main library, and you might even get a chance to bring a friend along for free. The Museum of History provides an intriguing journey into Miami’s rich history, making it a must-visit for anyone looking to explore the city’s vibrant past. I highly recommend this place for an informative and enjoyable outing.

What an experience! This hidden gem has the most attention to detail I’ve ever seen in a historic museum. The attractions are unique and innovative. You can tell a lot of work was put into the design, implementation and planning of it all. Friendly staff is always a plus. Thank you for making this experience available to the community. Culturefest 7 was amazing! Will be there next year.

We went yesterday as a group of 7. The kids had a good time. They enjoyed the displays and the arts and crafts.

We visited the museum during Miami's Culture Fest, so perhaps it was a bit more fun. But the museum has several interesting artifacts, including a raft made by Cuban refugees. It helps put their escape attempts into clearer focus.

Kinda small, but a lot of relevant information for the area and city in that space. Tons of interactive stuff for kids. Definitely worth the visit if you're interested in the area's history. I'd COMPLETELY forgotten about the original Florida land boom. I'm also prone to forget how early the Spanish were to settle parts of what is now the US. I had a similar experience in Texas. So this sort of museum visit helps put me back on track. Also, the section on the indigenous tribes is very interesting. It reminded me of the history museum in CDMX, which does a great job of demonstrating the rich diversity of unique cultures from Mexico. It is the best museum I've visited. The section here reminded me of that, but more focused in scope on the local southern Florida peoples. Which is great. Very well done. Also there is an old streetcar inside, and I love that sort of thing. You can even flip the seats facing direction. It is so cool. If you're interested in these sorts of things, then it is well worth a visit. I was pleasantly surprised.

I had the absolute time of my life here! What a relaxing way to celebrate a hardship I had just come out of before stepping into this amazing museum! The only thing I didn't like about this place was that I couldn't bring my cat. But everything was displayed so beautifully and I really felt like I was in school again coming here. So many interesting historical artifacts on display with so much history from Miami. I even saw the vintage Miami museum of science and space planetarium light projector which was used in field trips I took there in about maybe the late 80s and early 90s as a little kid obviously before Frost museum was built. I became extremely emotional to have seen it, and shocking how it's still in mint condition after all these years! Anyone who's from the military or student get $5 off admission here. Anyone who's disabled gets in free admission. I had such a blast with just SO much to see here!

I was born and raised in Miami, so this museum has a special place in my heart. I used to come here with my Mom when I was a kid, back then it was called the Historical Museum of Southern Florida. I loved all the exhibits. I also came here (and the public library next door) on field trips with my class. It's still the only museum dedicated to the history of Miami and its people. I love all the exhibits, my only complaint is that they don't have a gift shop!

Pros: WHAT A GEM! I hadn't visited in about 15 years and I was not disappointed, it's such a nicely curated museum with tons of whimsy and history. I highly recommend it! Cons: Parking in the area is difficult, you may have to walk a few blocks.

Saturday, September 9th, 2023 12:00pm-1:00pm 3 adults and 1 nine year old Park at Cultural Center Garage, museum validates for $5 Register online or on phone then scan barcode to get in ***2nd Saturday of each month is free admission between 10am-5pm*** Founded in 1940, largest history museum in the State of Florida with 4 galleries, up to 3 exhibits, archives and research center, folklife center, education center, and city tours program. 2nd & 3rd floors One hour is good

Taking an immersive cultural trip at the local museum Second Saturdays of the month is FREE You can also enjoy cultural activities by the courtyard (making handcrafts with papers, foams, sticks and other surprise items nicely packed in a back I also saw some acuarela painters having fun ( parents and kids making memories and art) Inside the museum you will find interesting findings about our city Not going to ruin the surprise... discover yourself and enjoy atrio yo our local history museum

A very informative museum with lots of cultural information for children and adults to learn from. It makes you feel proud of being Hispanic and being part of Miami (at least that's the feeling I get when I visit it). My kids love the trolley train, the fort, and pioneer garden. BUT most of all they enjoy is the museum's monthly family day activities. We have gone for Pirate Day, mythic creature day, and Willy Chirino celebration just to name a few. For pirate day not only did they have arts and craft activities, but also someone saying stories and provided pirate hats. I have to say as much as my kids enjoy it, I enjoy it too. It really is a hidden gem like many others have mentioned in their review. I don't think it gets as much credit as it should. I'm surprised it's not as popular as other museums. Also, a big bonus is that the museum validates your parking ticket for $5, when you park in the cultural center garage. Check it out!

It's a museum all about Miami! The museum is split into 2 buildings: one houses exhibits about present day Miami and rotating exhibits, the other houses exhibits focusing on the history of Miami. Many of the items in the present day Miami section have been donated to the museum by the people of Miami and feel like something you might find in a grandma's attic or hoarder's house, but are still interesting. Previous reviews have commented on how small this museum is, which is true, but Miami isn't that old. Plus, you can get through the whole museum in about an hour and still learn a lot. There are several times throughout the year that the museum offers free admission.

Miami is known worldwide as a "fiesta city"; but although it doesn't have a lot of museums like other big cities, if you are interested in culture, you can find some good venues/events here as well. One of them if the History Miami Museum, located Downtown, in an area frequented by a lot of people not as fortunate as we all are, but frankly I never had a problem walking there (at least during the day). We found this little gem thanks to a Groupon offer, and went to Miami last month for a day trip just to see the museum. Unfortunately we found it closed, and there was no sign at all at the entrance, nothing indicated on their website, no special message on their answering machine... It was a passer-by that reminded us it was Veteran's Day: our fault for not having thought of that, but I'm still rating the museum 4 stars instead of 5 because of their lack of proper communication (potential international visitors won't know that city's offices are closed for Veteran's Day). So we took another day trip to Miami this month to go and see the museum. The museum consists in 2 buildings of 2 floors, and you start your visit in the building displaying items belonging to the most recent history of Miami. I understand that in this section they also have special exhibits, but unfortunately there was none not when we visited. I found the second building much more interesting: it goes from the old times and also has more items. The place is small, but I think we stayed in the second building for almost a couple of hours: I loved it! It's very informative, shows lots of very old pictures, a video, and makes you want to further study Miami's history. I really enjoyed my visit!

This was an amazing experience for my students! Setting up the field trip was very easy. The morning of, I called them because our bus was delayed and the museum educators were able to accommodate us. The students had a wonderful time and took many pictures. Morgan, Sabrina, and Danays gave great explanations and answered questions at differentiated levels that the students could understand. The stuffed animals were also a hit with the students. We are all excited to come back and visit with our families!

We visited this museum because other places that seem more interesting to us are outdoors and would expose us to severe summer heat, but we did learn a lot about the history of Miami.

If you're in Miami and interested in the history of the region and the city this is a great starting point. It wasn't as comprehensive of the post 1950s as I would haveiked, but it was still full of lots of cool memorabilia and factoids.

What a gem historymiami is located in downtown Miami. It consists of two buildings with two levels each. The first building contains historic Indian artifacts along with detailed history, pictures, and videos of Miami from its founding to the 80s. It's a multiple room set up with different screens and information which are interactive. I really enjoyed going through the different displays and learning about the city I love so much. The second building is more contemporary and hosts rotating exhibitions. When I went the It's A Miami Thing exhibit was going on in celebration of 125th anniversary of Miami. They offer guided tours on Saturday and have family days the 2nd Saturday of each month which is free to the public but if you can't make it tickets are still super affordable they range between $10-15 bucks. This place is a must visit for history buffs, or if your looking for something cool to do it's a great place to spend a couple of hours. I was pleasantly surprised on how much of a good time I had. Definitely will be back.

I'm a history buff and I really enjoyed my visit to this museum. Very easy to follow along. They have a chronological display of artifacts and photos and paintings relating the history of Miami and South Florida from prehistoric times to the present day. What I really love is they have staff on hand to answer questions, and there was a friendly super knowledgeable lady named Sally Rankin that took the time to chat with me about local history and even gave me a bonus history lesson about the barefoot mailman when she found out I was a letter carrier. Thank you Sally! This museum brings history to life in an engaging way.

The History Miami Museum was a nice surprise. It is definitely not one of the most celebrated museums in Miami, but it turned out to be very interesting. The best part is in the second building, north of the main ones; we spent almost 2 hours there and you can learn a lot about the history of Miami. I definitely recommend a visit but take your time in the 2nd bldg. to read what you are looking at.

I accidentally found this museum because of its free admission on a rainy day. The space is small (for anyone who has gone to things like the smithsonian or any of the field museum or NYC museums). But it's nicely locally focused. When I was there local artisans were present for a canoe carving and other activities. The gridiron hall of fame exhibit was very well done. Both the team nostalgia and interactive prices like getting to measure your hand size against pro quarterback grips or leg size against a lineman were great. Warning- you will pass a lot of homeless and a needle exchange on your way in. Park close or get dropped off.

These folks are incredibly impressive. I happened upon a tour group near Brickell that was visiting the Tequesta Indian "circles" unearthed when doing foundations for the Met Square development. Hats off to the developer for preserving Native American artifacts in such an informative and accessible way (and they changed interior decoration motifs to Native American designs). History Miami administers the artifact sites. History Miami's guide was phenomenal. It takes a lot for me to stand in the sun on a 95-degree day for more than 2 minutes in business casual clothes, and she was absolutely worth the sweaty shirt. She was better than the local PBS documentary special on the circles. As a bonus, she was very sweet in letting me randomly attach myself mid-route to her tour group. The two Tequesta circles themselves are beautifully preserved examples of foundations for the original Native American inhabitant villages in the area that is now Miami. As mentioned I had seen this on PBS, but it is incredibly cool to see in person. It adds a whole other layer of history prior to Henry Flagler, Art Deco, Vizcaya and Maseratis on Ocean Drive. Miami is not such a brand-new 21st Century creature with nothing older than 20 minutes after all... One circle is a simple glass balustrade enclosure facing the street just across the entrance from the Epic Hotel. Just look for the niche in the building corner diagonally across from the Epic entrance driveway. The other is indoors preserved beneath a glass floor. Both the tour and the visit to the circles are free. Speaking of free, take the Metromover driverless train to the Bayfront Park stop, and walk south about a block to the Tequesta Circles by the Met Square apartment and office complex. Call History Miami to find out tour times.

I really enjoy visiting museums, but unfortunately, seems like all Miami Museums constantly disappoint. I went to History Miami the first time recently, and got to see the Walter Mercado Exhibit. It was closed. From a distance I did get to see his gowns, they were really beautiful. The rest of the museum seemed a bit random, i did like the second floor where they had history of Florida, information about migration, pirates, early population, it was definitely informative, specially for me since im not from miami.. But overall the museum seemed like an old facility in desperate need for a facelift.

I recently went on a Miami History Museum tour of the Miami Cemetery. It was awesome. The tour was with Dr Paul George, who is a very well known if not the best known historian when it comes to the history of Miami. He does the tour every October around Halloween. It was fascinating and I learn so much that I didn't know about Miami history. The tour starts out with a visit to the tomb of Julia Tuttle, one of the original founders of the city of Miami. There was a reenactment where she told her history and it was just the right amount of spooky. We moved on through the tour stopping at many historic figures when it comes to Miami history. The Burdines also have their own tomb. There are many tombs of the original founders of Miami. I did not know that over half of the incorporators of Miami we're actually from Bimini and other parts of the Caribbean. Many of the graves of these incorporators are at the cemetery. I don't want to give all of the details away. I strongly suggest you take the tour yourself. Costumes are recommended but optional. :) I highly recommend ALL the tours of the Miami History Museum especially the ones by Dr. Paul George.

I visit this museum every Summer 'cause it has some truly magnificent exhibits. Last year, they had the "Street Traditions in Miami" which depicted the importance of an afternoon cafecito - to the eclectic & eye-catching murals around the city - to the folkloric fruit vendors in the (305). This year, the museum didn't disappoint with the "50 yrs. of Walter Mercado" Exhibit which with "mucho much amor" I reminisced my youthful years here in the (305) all while teaching my daughter who & why Walter Mercado is such an eminent presence in our Hispanic culture. Told my daughter as she giggled - that NYE wasn't complete 'till we heard Walter's New Year predictions & how to prepare for it....truth or not...you complied with all its floral baths, coconut rolling & incense burning details..! This museum which is comprised of 2 buildings is no small feat to visit but worth its nominal admission fee. Their permanent exhibit gives visitors in all its details, a History of Miami which if anybody thinks it's just bikinis, beautiful peeps & sunshine will quickly realize its diverse cultural richness & its persevered growth. Admission - $8/students - $10/adults but for the budget conscious, they do offer the Summer Passport Program. Basically, kids acquire a passport at the museum's front desk which gives them & up to four family members free entries during the Summer. FYI - If the Passport Program isn't your thing, the museum sponsors a free Family Fun Day on the second Saturday of every month with free admission for all. Whichever way you want to get in, it's definitely worth the visit & one of the best museums in Miami...Have fun...!

Since last year, my boyfriend has been going on about how much he wanted to visit HistoryMiami. While I love museums, I have to say this isn't one that caught my attention simply because I tend to prefer art museums and luscious gardens. Still, I enjoy getting cultured and my boyfriend wanted to go, so when I saw tickets discounted on Groupon, I bought them and figured we would go at some point. We finally went a few weekends ago. Turns out that the museum resembled a ghost town. There was hardly anyone there. At the front desk, there was one employee and he gave us pamphlets, as well as answered questions pertaining to the museum. This museum, for those unaware, has two buildings. The main building is where the front desk is and it hosts Florida history, while the second building hosts a more interactive section that is comprised of hands on exhibits, as well as visiting ones. The main building consists of two floors. The bottom floor currently has a Jackson Memorial exhibit listing over 100 years of service. There are also plenty of exhibits, speaking of more modern events like the recent Women's March usually in newspaper form. The top floor in comparison goes further into the past, presenting the beginnings of the railroad, the highways, and other transportation in Miami. Not to mention that they also have information on old cartography, boats, and even Native Americans. The second building also has two floors, but the first floor easily resembles a playground. You can play dominos, make bracelets, and even answer questions and put them on a screen. The second floor is much the same except you see more of what is modern Miami. In this case, it's plenty of Cuban history. I found that fine except for the fact that they had some cleaning products on display. Really now? Oh well; if nothing else, I got a laugh out of it. Worth a visit if you're curious, have nothing better else to do, or get a discount. Note that Bank of America members get in free on the second weekend of the month.

So last weekend as I am on Yelp seeing where my Yelp friends are going I learn that History Miami museum has an exhibit on Hurricane Andrew. I can't believe it's been 25 years already. Just thinking about it still makes me cry as me and my family were living in Miami and are #HurricaneAndrewSurvivors. So me and my husband planned to go today. I looked forward to it all week. We parked in the Public Garage next door adjacent to the building. Get your parking ticket validated for $5. parking. We climbed the steps and went in. Not a lot of crowds. Now with Yelp you get $1 off Admission however we learn that with a Bank of America card the first weekend of the month we get in free. Wow what a pleasant surprise. We climb the steps and I find myself already holding back the tears. But as we went through the exhibit I focused on how we learned to plan better and build better because of it. Once we were done we caught another exhibit on tropical Florida in the 1990's the photographs were great and upbeat. There was even one of Dr. Brandt which was nice as he unfortunately died a couple years ago in his home in Coconut Grove. I am so glad we came and what a great place to escape to beat the heat as well as soak up Miami's history.

An cultural oculus centered in Downtown shining light on the diverse history and colorful character of Miami. The History Miami Museum is an immersive experience diving deep into the treasures of the past. Moments in time on display encompassing the space of two buildings and conveniently located next to the library for further cerebral enhancement. Explore freely and absorb the magic of Miami!

I saw the Walter Mercado advertisement and I thought I had to check out this museum for the fun of it and the uniqueness of the exhibit. We went on a weekend where the entrance was free, unbeknown to us. It is an impressive museum that really has skillfully put together what makes Miami. You go from the transition of the city, the many people who have made it, and how times have changed it. I would recommend this to anybody interested in learning about this city.

I have visited a lot of museums in South Florida but somehow missed this one. I have wanted to come ever since I paid a visit to the Miami Circle and found out that the artifacts they found in the circle are housed here. The first weekend of the month is free for Bank of America account holders so I saved my visit for today. The museum is housed in a complex that also contains the Miami Library. If you are a Miami resident you can check out a pass to visit the museum for free from the library. Parking is available in the cultural arts garage across the street. If you have your parking ticket validated at the museum then parking is only $5 no matter how long you stay. The museum is composed of two buildings. The north side contains the historical items I was most interested in, especially the top floor. The first floor offers a display on the development of Miami Beach and is also home to a large research library. The second floor provides an entire history of South Florida from the time of the first people to present day. It starts with the Tequesta and there is a display specifically on the Miami Circle. From there the museum examines the British and Spanish influence on Florida. I especially liked the items relating to the the wreck of the Atocha. Further rooms offer displays on the Seminoles and the Seminole Wars. From there Henry Flagler brings the railroad to Florida and along with it the first tourists. We move into the Art Deco Age, the Great Depression, World War I and II, and the Cold War era. You literally move in a circle through the entire history of Florida with a concentration on Miami history. The south building has the items related to things currently happening in Miami. The second floor also has room for traveling exhibits. On my visit the exhibit was called Miami Rocks and was composed of videos and photos of the Miami Pop Festival held held in May 1968. Some of the artists features were Jimi Hendrix and Frank Zappa. The exhibit is ongoing until September 30th. They even gave us a poster related to the exhibit at the front desk. If you are interested in history at all this museum is a must see. I really took the time to read the signs. For instance I did not know that by the time the US government got done forcing the Seminoles out of Florida into Oklahoma there were only 40 of them left. They fled into the Everglades where the government was unable to reach them. A very sad chapter of Florida history. This museum is not flashy or interactive but there are great stories and photographs here documenting important historical events. I enjoyed my visit immensely.

Being that I've lived in Miami practically my whole life, I cannot believe I haven't been to HistoryMiami sooner. My family and I came on a Saturday around noon to visit the museum. We were one of a handful of families visiting the museum. We started in the south building and immediately went upstairs to the Hurricane Andrew exhibit. I lived through Hurricane Andrew in southern Miami-Dade County, yet I didn't think that I would be as moved as I was by the exhibit. The Andrew exhibit has a replica family room that depicts what the wind and rain of Andrew sounded like that night (I remember it much worse than that!). There is a display of hundreds of mail received by Bryan Norcross thanking him for his efforts during Andrew. However, I have to admit, I cried seeing the military display with the MREs. It brought back a flood of memories that I haven't thought of in a long time. HistoryMiami did an outstanding job capturing it. Also in the south building is a whole area for people to play dominoes in, which I thought was cool. The museum does a great job of capturing the essence of Miami including mock Pan Am airplanes, the dresses and suits of the first same sex couples to be married in Miami-Dade county, and an actual Cuban migrant raft. In the north building is a little older history of Miami. There's a huge Seminole display upstairs, including the Spaniards' influence on Florida. You then get into a whole section on the 20th century in Miami. It was very cool to see the evolution of Miami. I foresee many more trips in the future.

I give them five stars just because they were able to secure a full Birds of America collection from John James Audubon. I mean, I think there are three full copies in the world? I may be wrong, but these books (full) are extremely rare. They don't even have that collection at The Audubon House in Key West, although why would they? I have been here for several other exhibits, yet nothing to me has been as memorable as the Birds of America exhibit. Even the staff was excited to talk about it. I spent plenty of time with the curators talking about many many things regarding these prints. I was lucky I got plenty of information for a cheap ticket price. Other exhibits here may have been interesting but I no longer know if they took place here, or at the museum across from this one. I am not even sure if this is the Art Museum. But anyway, none of this will matter because, if my memory doesn't fail me (or maybe it does, so shoot me a message), they will be moving to the museum complex where PAMM is located. Anyway, wait for the Audubon collection to surface again and come see it.

Really liked the exhibits that are featured here. Was here for an amazing event and experience for children to share their stories with families seeking children. Families will be able to see the children featured on the Miami Heart Gallry website. Go and check it out and open your heart to one of these amazing children

I haven't been inside the museum proper since I was in college (and to be fair I'll hold off a star for that), but have taken part in various Historical Tours guided by the museum's Dr. Paul George. These tours have taken me along the Miami River, along our northern coast (from Bayside to Bal Harbour) and most recently, to Stiltsville. Check-in by another museum staffer was prompt and friendly. Our boat captain from the Island Queen boat was also courteous, and took us on a smooth route. Dr. George is the kind of teacher who makes history fun, somewhere along the lines of Billy Joel in "We Didn't Start the Fire" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFTLKWw542g going as far as surprising us with a guest lecturer, older gentleman who basically said that Miami's always been a Party and YOLO type town, and Stiltsville was the town's VIP section back in the 30's and 40's! The cruise lecture started promptly at 9AM from the Bayside Marina, and Dr. George's knowledge about Miami's History - from the Tequesta's thru the Bootleggers during Prohibition, with Richard Nixon and the wild 80's thrown in - was enlightening. Some of the items pointed out included the Devil's Punchbowl, a once flowing freshwater spring near Vizcaya, and how Coconut (nee Cocoanut) Grove was discovered with an old postal map found by Comm. Munroe from earlier settlers. We were also able to cruise and see the structure of the Powell Key Biscayne Bridge as well an extra credit tour of the Miami Marine Stadium. I'd definitely recommend this and other tours to learn more about our city. Dr. George mentioned he also teaches a South Florida History class at MDC and has some other boat and narrated walking tours planned.

Visited the Miami history Museum with the museum pass program from Miami Dade library on a Sunday and had a great time! Is located in the middle of downtown, I enjoyed the Miami history which I wasn't very familiar with, so is always great to acquire more culture of the city. They also had a super bowl exhibition which I wasn't that interested because I don't have so much knowledge about football but that's something very personal. The layout and design was very well accommodated; the staff was very nice, specially with my mom who is inn a wheelchair but I have to say that the ramp is very inclined to carry a heavy wheelchair. In general I liked the museum and hope to come back once they have another good exhibition

This is a certainly a unique treat in the middle of downtown Miami. If you like traveling, which I do, and you like the history of the places you travel to, which I do, then the History Miami is the perfect place for you. It is unassuming, uncomplicated, not that busy and a hidden gem all rolled into one. The one thing that may make unsure to visit again is that once you walk through the 'history" part, then it comes across as "been there done that" so there might be no reason to come back. That with the fact it may not be for everyone makes it more a "might" see destination for everyone. The place is a bit oddly designed. It is separated by two different buildings, the true "History of Miami" permanent section is in the main building (where admissions is located), while the traveling exhibitions are in the secondary building. When I went there, was hardly anything on the first floor (much of it cordoned off), everything from both exhibits required a walk up a long flight of stairs on the second floor. The place is old (hey vintage!) and slightly dusty (oh ignored!), it felt like the place had not been visited by a large number of people in a long time, including local school children, and that made me really sad. (C'mon discover your hometown!) I went in the middle of the week during the month of October and the place was not busy at all. I swear at times I was the only person there, and there was only the one person at the admissions desk to explain what this place is all about and maybe two employees talking and walking about. It was odd and slightly off putting for sure. But on this day, what really drew me to visit History Miami was the Beatles in the secondary exhibit, and that did not disappoint. Nor did the adjacent exhibit of the history of Latin music, which was more of a pictorial/ mural showcase than artifact showcase. Both were totally fascinating and beautifully curated. And at tickets for 8 dollars for both places, plus parking nearby garage validation, you can't go wrong! I have to hope that History Miami has something for everyone. A little historical perspective for history and geography nuts out there. And fascinating touring exhibits for people who wouldn't otherwise visit. All in all this is a "must see" for any history die hard and a "should see" for those visiting Miami with a few hours on their hands. There are parking garages nearby, which even with validation cost a pretty penny, and I after I visited I decided that I was close enough to walk to the key shopping area alongside Biscayne Blvd. Which I sure did. Totally worth the trip, glad I went. But keep in mind, it's still not for everyone.

Opening night of the new exhibit "Expressions of Miami" was a lot of fun. Met up with CM Diana who is was also happy to see me and Nicole and Mayla checking out all the art. Apparently her college room mate was the exhibitor responsible for tonight's venue so we were all very happy for her debut. Drinks were on the house so we had a couple and observed the outside exhibits which were featuring some black and white exposures of the Miami News' old negative archive which was given to the HistoryMuseum. A DJ was spinning songs outside when all of a sudden the Afro Caribbean band came out to dance and signaled the opening of the main exhibit hall at 7pm. Shortly before the opening a gang of double decker bikes entered the plaza as a true exhibition of Miami Expressions. It was unique! I was pleased to see more bikes on the road even tho they were mostly just for show. We ran into our beloved CM Diandra and then we were off to enjoyed the exhibits inside. We had a great time that night and look forward to our next visit to the museum.

Had the BEST time here today with my father & nieces! super entertaining for all ages. my dad got to reminisce with the Miami Pop Festival which he attended back in the 60's (think Hendrix, Zappa & more) & the girls loved the scavenger hunt & learning about all the quirky & unique things that make Miami Miami! Colorful, vibrant & full of life with a wonderful staff of young people who truly seemed happy & excited to be there. The North side is their permanent exhibition & also wonderful with interactive exhibits & activities for the kids including dress up. Absolutely loved it & can't wait to go back!

I noticed in the Where magazine an ad for the latest Beatles exhibit at History Miami. With 400 items, it sounded like it would be great to see for any Beatles fan. The location is in downtown Miami by the library. It's about a 40 minute bus ride away from South Beach or a 15 minute cab ride for about $26. There are 2 buildings for the museum. We entered the main and larger building and paid admission, $8 each, and were given stickers to put on our shirts to show we paid. We started with the Beatles exhibit and walked across the plaza to the other building. We were warmly greeted and told what exhibits were inside and up the stairs was the Beatles one. There were cool items to see from the Beatles visit to the US. There were videos, types of guitars they played, hand written set lists, contracts, newspapers articles, records, and more! There was a booth where visitors could record their memories, and my favourite was the drum set and instructional video from Ringo. There weren't many visitors so I felt like we had lots of time to look at everything with no distractions. Definitely a great attractions for Beatles fans! The other exhibit in the building showed the history of the Miami area including the influence of various cultures in the area. In the other building, the Tropical Dreams is an exhibit about the history of South Florida. It goes back hundreds of years to present day. It's an interesting history lesson to learn more about the area. A great museum to check out and giving it 4 stars with the Beatles exhibit which runs until January 18, 2015.

The place is a true gem with friendly staff as well. We got the library pass so we gave it a try during weekend. There are 2 section North and South buildings. If you're a NFL fans , don't miss the north.

The HistoryMiami museum is extremely rich with information of almost every county in southern Florida, dating all the way back to segregation when Overtown used to be called Coloured Town. For 10 dollars, you really get more than what you pay for but ONLY if you like to read. This museum is made up of two buildings right next to each other. They have huge and amazing installations such as an actual cable car from the 50s that you can get in and an art deco theatre showing historical media. Worth it.

For someone like me who is fascinated by everything Miami, a dusty exhibition about Miami's history is enough to make me happy. However, I do think this place has a lot of potential. First of all, they really need to seriously vamp up their marketing. Most young people I talk to don't even know this place exists. They do have some pretty cool exhibitions like the one about Operation Pedro Pan (the exodus of Cuban children organizes by the Catholic Church). But they could do so much more given that Miami is a place rich in history and culture. The entrance is free. My husband and I bought an membership (even though we've only gone twice in our life) in oder to support them. I would love to see this museum thrive to shut up all the haters who say Miami is free of culture and art. It is not really in best area and parking is difficult and expensive, so plan ahead!

First building awesome. Second, not so much. If I were paying money, maybe 3 stars. But for free it's worth 4. The main/real history portion is well done. Interactive, with a great guide/host, that made it even more interactive for my girls. Sending them on a scavenger hunt. I appreciated the mix of Miami history and larger world history, and how Miami played a part in it. 2 different things. The second building seems to be reserved for temporary exhibitions. It was more artistic. Perhaps it was supposed to be about street art? I wasn't impressed.

I have been a fan of Dr. Paul George's HistoryMiami tours for years. I've taken them on foot, by bus and by boat. One of my favorites is the Miami River Cruise, and here's why. Although Miami is known for its beaches, the river is its birthplace. The river gives the city its name - derived from the Mayaimi people who lived in the area prior to colonization. The river is home to Miami's oldest neighborhoods, its storied past, its colorful characters, its rum runners, gator wrestlers and old-time river rats. The Miami River is the heart and soul of the city. Its banks are rich with ancient artifacts, hidden neighborhoods and its history is full of lore about grit, lawlessness and persistence. Sailing along the Miami River evokes the bygone days of its pioneering past. Last Saturday night, I took the Moon Over Miami River Cruise (the evening version of the tour). The boat was full and we departed right on time at 7pm. As most Miamians know (or should know!), Dr. Paul George is our city's foremost historian. Dr. George welcomed everyone aboard and launched into the history of Miami, beginning with Bayside Marketplace and PortMiami-the largest passenger port in the world. As beautiful as Miami is, the water vantage point underscores the scope and majesty of the city's stunning skyline. As the boat cruised past Bayfront Park, Dr. George recounted the history of this bustling, 32-acre park, officially opened in 1925 and redesigned almost 40 years ago by famed landscape architect, Isamu Noguchi. Approaching the mouth of the river, the many joggers, dog walkers and strollers along the left and right bank Riverwalk point to the resurgence of Miami's urban core. As we passed under the Brickell Avenue Bridge - the perpetrator of frequent traffic delays, but quite a gorgeous sight from the river - Dr. George pointed out the 53-foot bronze "Pillar of History" monument. It chronicles the lives of the Tequesta Indians (the earliest known inhabitants of the area) along the column with the imposing sculpture, "Tequesta Family" atop. The many new developments, hotels, condominiums and restaurants which we passed speak to how rapidly life along the river is changing. The old stalwarts, Garcia's Seafood Grille & Fishmarket and Casablanca Seafood Bar & Grill are still there. Many new restaurants, Seaspice, Crust and more, have joined them and all were full of people out enjoying the sultry Miami evening. While cruising up the river, under its many bridges and lush foliage, Dr. George focused on the northern bank which is resplendent with these new eateries and towering feats of architecture. Old Miami peaks through with historic Lummus Park, home to the Wagner Homestead and Fort Dallas barracks, still standing and affording us a view of Miami's earlier days. The nearby Scottish Rite Temple, built in the 1920s is an early and imposing example of Art Deco in Miami. As the boat cruised towards historic Spring Garden, shrouded by beautiful Poinciana and fine banyan trees, Dr. George entertained us with stories of the early settlers of this charming neighborhood. Home to many frame and masonry vernacular houses as well as Craftsman, and Mission, this is the oldest, intact, single family neighborhood still remaining along the Miami River. As we headed towards the civic center area, we caught glimpses of future developments, on the cusp of breaking ground - Dr. George had the 411 on those too! Once the boat reversed course to head home, Dr. George spoke about the south bank of the river, beginning with Sewell Park, named after a former mayor of the city from the early 1920s, and home to an impressive variety of native trees. As night fell, we passed Grove Park and Riverside, two of the river's oldest neighborhoods. Dr. George spoke fondly of bygone days, sprinkling his monologue with anecdotes about such city luminaries as Julia Tuttle, Mary Brickell, Henry Flagler and Everglades champion Marjory Stoneman Douglas. He pointed out the meticulously restored Miami River Inn, built in the early 1900s. "The Ladies" which comprise the Miami River Inn are 4 cotton candy-colored wood-framed cottages that recall "Old Florida." As the twinkling lights of the city welcomed us back, Dr. George called our attention to the famed Miami Circle, the only known evidence of a prehistoric permanent settlement on the East Coast. The Miami River Tour is a relaxing and most informative tour which contrasts gleaming new Miami with Miami of yore. Dr. George is full of energy and there isn't a detail he can't recall. He is truly remarkable. He peppers his talk with fun facts and delightful details and one is entertained the entire two hours. The boat passes under several bridges along its route, Dr. George even has stories about the bridges! If you haven't taken this tour, do it - it's MARVELOUS!! Light snacks and drinks are available for purchase onboard the Island Queen and departure is from Bayside Marketplace.

On the second Saturday of the month, HistoryMiami hosts Family Fun Day and admission is free for all. They offer arts and crafts for the kiddos as well. You can ride the mover (if it's working) and it drops you off right there. If you drive, parking in the Cultural Ctr lot will only cost you $5 with museum validation. The museum is set up in two separate buildings. The permanent exhibit, Tropical Dreams, history of S. Florida, in one building. And the temporary exhibits and a couple of permanent exhibits in the other. We primarily went to see the Pedro Pan exhibit because my momma bear is a Pedro Pan kid. It is nicely presented and informative. We also really enjoyed the Tropical Dreams exhibit and learning more about South Florida in the beginning. The staff is friendly and available to answer any questions. This is a small museum and can easily be enjoyed in just a couple of hours if you're short on time. However, if you are like me and like to read everything, then you might be there a bit longer.

I totally recommend that visitors, transplants and natives all take advantage of these low-cost/free tours and concerts. There is something about putting on my walking shoes and visiting the historical areas of Miami that make me feel like I can touch the pulse of this city. Take away all the flash and beautiful people shown on television and what we have left is an authentic story of heroes overcoming adversity. We have artists, writers, poets, activists, gangsters, refugees, snow-birds, silver-spoon socialites and environmentalists all competing to tell the story of Miami. But why choose one version over another? Mix them to weave a sexy, vibrant and eclectic tale of tropical wonder. For more information about History Miami -- visit: http://historymiami.org/

My son and I visited HistoryMiami specifically to view the Hurricane Andrew exhibit. We were not disappointed! The exhibit contains many interviews, TV news clips from that time, newspapers, memorabilia of all sorts, and even letters written to meteorologist Bryan Norcross at WTVJ, There's so much to take in that a one day visit won't be enough for me. It is well put together. The rest of the museum features exhibits about Florida, Miami, and US history dating back to ancient times. I learned more yesterday about Florida that I have since I moved here in 1983. The section of photographs or 'ordinary' people of Miami was fun and interesting. I wish I had time to read each and every story underneath the photos. The staff was very helpful and friendly. We will be back! A Yelp check in gets you $1 off a single ticket. We used a Groupon that admitted 2 of us for $14.

HistoryMiami is a great Museum that provides the foundation of the creation of Miami. Parking at the Miami-Dade Cultural Center Parking Garage at (50 NW 2nd Avenue) is a flat $5 if validated at HistoryMiami. They change the exhibits often. I saw Frank Sinatra in 2016 but now there is an exhibit which is part of the Art Basel event. While some exhibits are permanent I found different items on the 3 different times that I visited. Enjoy the photos.

I attended the Moonlight over Miami HistoryMiami boat tour this past weekend. As an overview of Miami River's history, it was engaging. Functionally, the tour was aggravatingly structured: the tour guide attended only to the right side of the boat going upriver, and the left side going downriver. That meant that, if you sat on the boat's left side, you missed all the details for both legs of the trip, unless you could relocate. In terms of content, there were a few troubling moments. For example, the tour guide noted that Allapattah is an "Indian word" for alligator. No more than "Africa" denotes a country does "Indian" denote a universal Native American language; there are many, and this phrasing contributes to the problematic erasure of the diversity of Native American cultures. It would be nice to enjoy a history tour without running into naive racism.

While the exhibits in the two building facility located on the campus of the Miami Public Library, hosts a bunch of exhibits, most are photos of other photos. However, the museum does a great job detailing the history of the city of Miami and is fun and entertaining for people of all ages.

Interesting museum with two building locations focusing on both the history and culture of South Florida. Reasonable admissions fee and a variety of engaging content areas. Worth a visit on a rainy day or for a break from Miami's furious heat!

I like many of you I first went to the Historical Museum of Southern Florida when I was just a buck toothed, little kid glad to be on a field trip.... ahh memories Perhaps most memorable to me was the trolley. I kept thinking We had a Trolley in Florida? Cool! And wouldn't it be cool if this city had more public transportation options, but I digress soooo.... It wasn't until last year when I was at one of MAM's (Miami Art Museum aka the Historical Museum's neighbor) JAM at MAM events that I began thinking of the old Historical Museum. Maybe it was nostalgia, maybe it was my love for Miami, or maybe it was plain boredom. Wait I was just kidding about that last one. No, really I was totally kidding. So anyways, I ended up looking up the Historical Museum and learning about their Historical Tours. These tours range from walking to buses and boats and cover many of Miami's most well known neighborhoods including arguably, the coolest, most loved, iconic neighborhood ever... Stiltsville. You can find a list of tours on the museum's website although they do take a break or hiatus during summer. Capacity varies by tour and your best bet is to reserve ahead of time especially for the more popular tours. The museum also offer private tours. A bunch of adults on a 3 hour historical tour kind of reminds me of a field trip for grownups but who doesn't love a new twist on a childhood classic? Just leave the Z Cavarichis at home this time. ;)

What a fun exhibit which introduces the viewers to characters of Miami's not so distant past. It's decidedly one of the most enjoyable exhibits at HistoryMiami. I'm sorry I did not have the time for the Hurricane Andrew exhibit.

I've visited the Historical Museum of Southern Florida a number of times. I really like history, so that's probably why I've been drawn to it time and again. The building consists of two floors. The bottom floor holds the current exhibits and the top floor holds the permanent exhibits. The top floor's permanent exhibition shows everything from the natives to the most recent residents of South Florida. The entire floor is dedicated to it. What I like most about it is that it has, and I know this is for the kiddies, replicas of forts and movie theaters, a trolley, and even a diner from the 50's. It's fun for the adults as well!!! You can undoubtedly spend the entire day studying all the artifacts. I believe a trip to the museum is an essential part of being a Miamian.

A girlfriend and I ventured into HistoryMiami on Smithsonian museum day to get while the gettin' was good. We were certainly not disappointed! Check out the Teen Exhibit. Sounds muy lame. But in reality--awesome! I will be back for a more thorough review of the Pre-History/Contact era of South Florida.

I truly enjoyed coming to this museum it was so much fun and interesting, loved everything about it! except the staff they were extremely rude and impatient. They never spoke a word besides the prices of the tickets. Although they had everything in English and Spanish once my father-in-law said one word in Spanish they acted extremely annoyed and rude.