Worldwide, Miami is renowned for its glamorous sunny weather and beaches, but there is more to this charming city. It’s also steeped in entertainment, sports, cultures, and art. You will find myriads of high-end art museums, including the famous Wynwood Arts District and Art Basel Miami Beach. If you are a history buff, there are galleries in this place that will allow you to explore topics of different histories and cultures from every corner of the globe. The free-entry museums in this location are not second-rate, just because they are tagged “free.” They feature some of the most extensive and interactive collections, as well as other attractions of interest. From the fascinating children’s museum to the most extensive library for Cuban culture and history, and more. Have a pleasurable adventure exploring Miami. Read on to check out these top entry-free museums in Miami, Florida.
1. Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami
This museum, set in the beautiful Miami Design District, is dedicated to freely introducing the public to the most innovative arts of the 20th and 21st centuries. The exhibitions are spread around three floors with six galleries and an ample, 15,000-square-foot (1393.5-square-meter) sculpture garden. This place is so well-designed that you should be able to explore everything in about one hour. Check out topics like art history, eroticism, and nationalism of European and American Culture. Also, look out for the humorous “The Coffin They Carry You Off In” - a group of motif arts created by William N. Copley between 1956 and 1958. When you are done with the halls and garden, don’t leave without admiring the magnificently designed facades of the Museum Garage across the street.
Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami
Address: 61 NE 41st St, Miami, FL 33137, United States
Website: Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami
Opening hours: Wed - Sun: 12pm - 6pm (closed Mon & Tue)
Price: Free
2. Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum
This museum of art, spanning periods, and cultures, including American and Latin, started in Primera Casa building within Florida International University in 1978. In 2008, as the collection grew significantly, it later moved to a state-of-the-art, 46,000-square-foot (4273.5-square-meter) building. It stayed within the same institution, Avenue of the Arts. Uncover the fantastic displays set in its nine galleries, spanning across three floors of the structure. It also has included in its most recent collections a study of Floridian artists and Haitian sculptures. Also, explore outstanding 3D arts by the famous Jack Henry, Steve Tobin, Anthony Caro, and more, situated in Sculpture Park.
Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum
Address: 10975 SW 17th St, Miami, FL 33199, United States
Website: Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum
Opening hours: Fri - Sat: 10am - 3pm (closed Sun - Thu)
Price: Free
3. Cubaocho Museum & Performing Arts Center
If you have always been curious about Cuban culture, visit this institution. Cubaocho Museum & Performing Arts Center has been safeguarding beautiful 1800 to 1960s, as well as contemporary arts from the Cuban community of Little Havana. Located in the heart of the neighborhood, this eclectic venue features the largest library of Cuban history. All in the form of artworks, newspapers, magazines, and books collected over 30 years. You can also enjoy live music and dance performances, and savor curated drinks at the full bar. Everything here is Cuban, and you can purchase most of the items on display.
Cubaocho Museum & Performing Arts Center
Address: 1465 SW 8th St #106, Miami, FL 33135, United States
Website: Cubaocho Museum & Performing Arts Center
Opening hours: Fri - Sat: 11am - 3am; Sun: 11am - 11:30pm; Tue - Wed: 11am - 12:30am; Thu: 11am - 1:45am (closed Mon)
Price: Free
You might be interested in these Airbnbs!
Museums that are free on certain days
Miami Tour Guide
Alexander Gorn
I was born in Leningrad, now St. Petersburg, in the Soviet Union, and left for the USA when I was 23 years old, just out of college. Leningrad was and still is a city with great cultural traditions. I fell in love with its world-famous museums, art galleries, theaters, and other attractions. I have been guiding tours for most of my life and began while still in high school. During the summer, Leningrad was visited by numerous youth groups from the UK and USA and English-speaking students were recruited to show them around. That is how I got my first taste of being a tour guide. I continued guiding through college and often worked with young adults. After leaving the USSR, I settled in New York City, went to graduate school, and started my own travel company in 1985. We primarily worked with international visitors showing them famous places of interest all over the country, from coast to coast. Though I had other tour guides working at my company, I continued to guide because it was rewarding and enjoyable. I traveled extensively throughout the country and that's how I first became acquainted with South Florida. I instantly fell in love with this beautiful place and eventually moved to the Miami Beach area. I love South Florida and want my tourists to feel the same way. I am exhilarated by its nature and history and I promise to get you excited as well. See you in Miami!
Tours by Alexander
4. Perez Art Museum Miami
Before the debut of this institution in 1984, there was no contemporary art museum in Miami. Perez Art Museum of Miami was established to fill this broad gap. Today, it’s dedicated to retrieving and displaying international art of the 20th and 21st centuries. These include collections of Ana Mendieta, James Rosenquist, and Robert Rauschenberg. It’s free to the public twice every month - every third Thursday and second Saturday. The venue hosts evenings of entertainment and music on Thursdays, while on Saturdays, they offer art-themed and family-friendly activities. On-site is also a waterfront eatery and a gift shop to purchase handmade products, furnishings, as well as art books.
Perez Art Museum Miami
Address: 1103 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33132, United States
Website: Perez Art Museum Miami
Price: Free
5. Miami Children’s Museum
You may have visited many kids’ museums with your young ones, but this is not like the traditional ones you have seen before. It features an interactive playground for children and aims to help them attain their maximum potential. It boasts learning materials, organized programs, exhibitions, and interaction with other children of different backgrounds. Since the institution was established in 1983, it used to be hosted on various sites. Nowadays, it’s set on an eye-catching, 56,500-square-foot (5249-square-meter) facility close to downtown, and draws about 500,000 yearly visitors. Some of the highlights include a bank with pretend checks and teller stations, a sea room, a television studio, a cultural teddy-bear display, and much more.
Miami Children’s Museum
Address: 980 MacArthur Causeway, Miami, FL 33132, United States
Website: Miami Children’s Museum
Price: Free
6. Lowe Art Museum
Formerly known as University of Miami Art Gallery, Lowe Art Museum is the first professional art exhibition spot in the city. It was established in 1950 and housed within Merrick Classroom Building of the institute. It was initially meant for researchers, scholars, and students. Nowadays, it’s freely opened to the public every first Tuesday of the month. It features an extensive collection of American, European, Native American, African, Asian, and pre-Colombian art displays in its galleries. See the Kress Collection of Renaissance and Baroque art, as well as Roman, Greek, and Egyptian antiquities. Pieces of Gauguin and Monet of European origin are on display too.
Lowe Art Museum
Address: 1301 Stanford Dr, Miami, FL 33146, United States
Website: Lowe Art Museum
Opening hours: Tue - Sat: 10am - 4pm; Sun: 12pm - 4pm (closed Mon)
Price: Free
7. Gold Coast Railroad Museum
Do you want to see a wide assortment of historic equipment, including different rail relics and exhibitions? Then plan a visit to Gold Coast Railroad Museum. It was established in 1957, within the second-biggest WWII airship in the country, Naval Air Station Richmond (NASR). It’s among the three Florida State Railroad Museums, and it focuses on preserving the state’s vibrant rail history. This institution features 3-mile (4.8-kilometer) long tracks, many exhibitions of rail equipment, and Thomas play tables. A Naval Air Station Richmond exhibit, a model railroad room, and more than 40 vintage rail cars such as the Presidential RailCar’ Ferdinand Magellan are showcased too.
Gold Coast Railroad Museum
Address: 12450 SW 152nd St, Miami, FL 33177, United States
Website: Gold Coast Railroad Museum
Opening hours: Mon, Wed, Fri: 10am - 4pm; Sat: 11am - 4pm (closed Tue,Thu, & Sun)
Price: Free
Explore Miami's art and history
With a world of interesting historical and cultural relics, as well as old and contemporary artworks to explore free of charge. Miami is an all-around fun place that’s ideal for everyone and not just history buffs. Whether you are traveling alone or with family, a memorable encounter awaits you in these entry-free museums in Miami, Florida.
History
Get Trip101 in your inbox
Unsubscribe in one click. See our Privacy Policy for more information on how we use your data
-
-
-
17 Hotels With Plunge Pools In Florida - Updated 2024Swadeep Singh -
-
-
10 Best Airbnbs Near Miami Airport - Updated 2024Plarlene Juliane -
-
-
-
-
Create an account to