Culture of Miami. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

Miami is a scenic urban boasting numerous entertaining establishments, upscale restaurants and shopping centers. At the same time the city features many landmarks and sights. Miami will turn to the favorite destination for the fans of tours and excursions.

Among the architectural landmarks and sights the Villa Vizcaya is of the highest interest. This is a luxurious Italian Renaissance palace built in 1916. Though the building is not ancient, it still fuses the best traditions of Late Middle Ages and resembles the palaces built in Italy in the 16th century. Nowadays the Villa houses the Museum of Contemporary Art which will be of great interest to all the guests. The palace is surrounded with large park area with beautiful fountains and wild greenery.

Tourists travelling with kids will love the Miami children's museum. The opening of the museum was held as far back as 1983 however the museum got its own building only in 2003. The museum presents hundreds of unique showpieces which can be tried in operation as by adults so by kids. The museum features fine playing rooms, miniature models and small copies of the city with banks and stores, cruise liners and plenty of other attracting showpieces. Kids will get a chance to play educational games in the museum and to try a real adult life for a short period of time. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The heart of the city hosts the Historical Museum of South Florida which is among the largest and most significant museums of the country. This is exactly the place where the priceless archeological exhibits are kept. All of the showpieces were found within the boundaries of the state. The age of some exhibits exceeds ten thousand years. Apart from the comprehensive collection of archeological pieces the museum keeps the exhibitions of objects of art, historical records and ancient back files as well as priceless jewels and household items.

The entire hall is dedicated to the collection of the black and white photos with politicians and public figures captured, as well as with city districts and different ages of the city history. Coral Castle is a unique landmark. The castle was built from coral limestone by the famous architect Edward Leedskalnin who moved to Miami from Latvia. The construction of the castle lasted for 28 years.

Miami is also interesting for those wishing to have a cultural time enjoying theater performances. For this, you can visit the Olympia Theater, and it's worth noting that not only the show itself but also a magnificent interior is admirable here. It seems as if visitors were transferred to a fabulous country with beautiful castles. It often hosts interesting events, and one of them is the Miami Film Festival. No less interesting for fans of cultural pastimes is the Florida Grand Opera where exciting classical music concerts and operas take place.

The city has many interesting museums for every tourist, thanks to which you can expand your horizons and learn more about the local culture, history, and indigenous people. Since it is home to many immigrants from Caribbean countries - Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Mexico - separate museums are dedicated to their cultures (the American Museum of the Cuban Diaspora, the Haitian Heritage Museum). The most colorful area of the city is Little Havana where the music never stops, streets are always filled with the aroma of Cuban cigars, and a relaxed atmosphere of holiday hangs in the air. Amazingly painted walls of houses where you can find a souvenir shop with unique gifts or a cafe with incredibly delicious food are another good reason to visit this area.

Fans of street art would be happy to visit another Miami's neighborhood - Wynwood, which attracts hundreds of tourists in the same way as Little Havana. All thanks to stunningly graffiti-painted walls, which can be safely be called real works of fine art. Most of the houses located here are one- or two-story, with the ground floor occupied by a store or a restaurant. In this neighborhood, you can find several beautiful museums with magnificent collections of works of fine and sculptural art - the Rubell Family Collection, The Peter Tunney Experience, as well as the Gary Nader Fine Art.

Little Haiti cannot boast lots of beautiful graffities (although there are still some good drawings in the area), but in turn, it offers an amazing atmosphere typical of one of the Caribbean islands. Here you can discover picturesque parks (Little Haiti Soccer Park, Athalie Range Park), as well as taste some fine Caribbean dishes. You can also find several excellent cultural institutions, thanks to which you can plunge even deeper into the rich Creole culture - Yo Space Gallery, Little Haiti Cultural Center, as well as the already mentioned Haitian Heritage Museum.

During colonial rule, Spain had a great influence on the culture of Florida. The local population is known for its Spanish roots, and a separate museum is dedicated to this culture - this is Centro Cultural Espanol, which also often hosts concerts with Spanish artists and cultural festivals. To learn the detailed history of the city and the region, head to the HistoryMiami Museum where you will find many interesting exhibits such as historical documents, installations, photographs. One more good place to can get acquainted with the history of the city is the Deering Estate, a Victorian building featuring a well-preserved 1920s interior decoration. Check out the upcoming events to get to an interesting one - they are pretty frequent here.

Connoisseurs of everything original will love the Miami Design District. The area is famous for its shops and cafes, which deserve a visit even if you are not really fond of shopping - all because of unique sculptures, installations, beautifully decorated walls. Fans of fine art should think about visiting the Miami Art Museum with its interesting exhibition of paintings in various genres - from expressionism to contemporary art. The Lock & Load Museum stores an amazing collection of weapons from different eras and countries. Before visiting the museum, visitors can also try themselves as a shooter in an on-site shooting gallery.

The unique World Erotic Art Museum (or simply WEAM) is worthy of tourist attention too. Among its exhibits are interesting works of fine and sculptural art. However, as evident from the museum's name, it is not the best place to visit with children. A much better place to visit as a family is the Gold Coast Railroad Museum located near Zoo Miami. In the covered pavilion, you can find out the history of railway transport during the Second World War, and on the open-air site, you can find models of trains, as well as a huge collection of wagons, steam and diesel locomotives from different times. The only Theodore Roosevelt’s wagon in the United States is considered the most valuable relic.

The tallest building in the city and state of Florida is the skyscraper where the Four Seasons Hotel is located. It was designed and built in 2003 by Handel Architects. Striking not only with its scale but also with magnificent interior decoration, the building is a true masterpiece of modern architecture. Another wonderful structure striking in its height is the Miami Tower that was completed in 1987. In the evening, it is worth taking a walk around the tower's area - the matter is that it is incredibly beautifully illuminated, creating an enchanting atmosphere.

Well, Miami has not only modern buildings - there are quite enough of sacred attractions in the city. The most important religious monument is Gesu Church dating back 1896. It is considered to be the oldest Catholic shrine in Miami. Besides its attractive architecture, the building is also fascinating with its rich interior decoration. Another noteworthy shrine is Trinity Episcopal Cathedral that was completed back in 1925. The architect was Harold Hastings Mundy, who combined Romanesque and Byzantine elements with the Renaissance style to create a unique work of architectural art.

Miami City Hall is also interesting for tourists as an architectural monument. Built in 1934, it has served as a terminal of the International Pan American Airport until 1954. Due to the destruction of the old city hall, it was decided to reequip the terminal for the government's needs. The Venetian Causeway, a picturesque bridge with two drawbridges connecting Miami and Miami Beach, gives the city a unique charm. It was built in 1925 and restored in 1999. The Brickell Avenue Bridge opened in 1929 is of interest too. Its main attraction is The Pillar of History that was erected by the Cuban sculptor Manuel Carbonell. The monument depicts scenes from the pre-colonial past of Miami.