Miami for Arts Lovers: 10 Ways to Acquaint Yourself with Miami’s Arts

Ready to dive into Miami’s prominent yet ever-changing art scene? Check out our roundup of Miami’s major museums, galleries, and art fairs.

1. See the City-wide Contemporary Art Takeover that is Miami Art Week

Museums, private collections, arts organizations, galleries, and artist studios open their doors during Miami Art Week to present special installations, exhibitions, workshops, talks, and creative programming. Art Basel may be the star of the week (we’ll get more into that next), but countless satellite art fairs, parties, and over 1,200 participating galleries blanket the city alongside the show every December. Be sure to stop by fairs like Art Miami, Design Miami, Scope Miami Beach, and UNTITLED, ART Miami Beach when art fair season is in full swing. Check out our annual guide to Can’t Miss Miami Art Week Events.

2. Get Tickets to Art Basel

Art Basel is the catalyst that forever reshaped Miami’s stance in the art world. Every December, the multi-day festival sets up at the Miami Beach Convention Center and features hundreds of galleries from 35 countries and over 4,000 artists. The festival draws a crowd of 80,000 art dealers, artists, collectors, and enthusiasts from around the world. The significant growth of local art in Miami in the last few decades can almost entirely be ascribed to Art Basel.

3. Check out the Murals of Wynwood

Formerly known as the Warehouse District, the hip neighborhood north of Downtown was transformed by the world’s greatest graffiti and street art artists in the early 2000s to become a unique outdoor destination. Large-scale murals span multiple blocks of the district along NW 2nd Avenue between 23rd and 28th Streets and the murals of the iconic Wynwood Walls sit boldly on NW 2nd Avenue amid colorful street art and graffiti-clad eateries. The city’s only outdoor street art park features murals that cover over 80,000 square feet, with art from over 50 artists representing 16 countries. 

4. Stop by the First Ever Graffiti Museum

As graffiti is typically temporary by nature, the best way to see amazing art is by visiting a street art gallery, or, the Museum of Graffiti. The first museum of its kind, the space is dedicated to chronicling the edgy art form’s history and its emergence in design, fashion, advertising, and galleries. The museum experience includes an indoor exhibition space, 11 exterior murals, a fine art gallery, and a world-class gift shop. Save 10% on entry to the Museum of Graffiti when you book your South Beach stay with The Sagamore.

5. Explore Innovative Masterpieces at The Bass

The Bass is one of the quirkiest contemporary museums in the world and stands apart from other local institutions by incorporating design, fashion, and architecture. The museum is housed in the former Miami Beach Public Library and Art Center, a 1930s Art Deco building on the National Register. Only a 10-minute walk from Sagamore, the museum has an impressive adjacent park that is home to the iconic Miami Mountain sculpture.

6. Visit the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM)

The crowning jewel of Miami’s modern and contemporary art is the PAMM. Since its inception in 1984, the museum has focused on international art of the 20th and 21st centuries. In addition to reflecting Miami’s diverse communities through its exhibitions, PAMM offers waterfront dining at Verde restaurant, a gift shop, and spectacular views of Biscayne Bay. The bayside sculptural facade of the museum is reason enough to pay this museum a visit.

7. Browse Miami’s many Contemporary Art Galleries

Miami has some of the best ever-evolving contemporary art galleries in the world. Try Artechouse and Eden Gallery in Miami Beach, Yeelen Gallery and David Castillo Gallery in the Design District, and Bakehouse Art Complex, Fredric Snitzer Gallery, and the Rubell Family Collection in Wynwood (which is one of the biggest private contemporary art collections in the country!).

8. Wander Around the Design District

Known for its cutting edge architecture, upscale interior design stores, and luxury fashion boutiques, the Design District also has unique large scale public works dotting the streets. Conclude your visit to the Design District with a visit to the Institute of Contemporary Art. Their permanent collection and rotating exhibitions provide an important platform for the work of local, emerging, and under-recognized artists.

9. Go on a Walking Tour of the Art Deco District

Consisting of over 900 historic buildings constructed between 1923 and 1943, Miami Beach’s Art Deco District is the nation’s largest concentration of Art Deco architecture. The vivid colors, striking lines, curves, and details designed in the Art Deco, Mediterranean Revival, and Miami Modern style helped put South Beach on the map. Whether you’re an early riser or a night owl who wants to see the District lit up with striking neon lights, travel at your own pace at a time of your choosing with our free self-guided walking tour of the Art Deco District.

10. Stay at Miami’s Original ‘Art Hotel’ at The Sagamore

Sagamore Hotel is Miami’ original “art hotel” and lies in the heart of South Beach’s Art Deco District. The Sagamore continues to evolve as a place for ground-breaking content, expression, and immersive experiences. Known for rotating exhibitions of museum-quality art year-round, #SagamoreIsArt presents ambitious and innovative art programs that are on view 24/7 and completely free to the public. Explore the sculpture garden, hotel lobbies, and murals for important works of art, including Gillie and Marc’s Paparazzi Dogs and Rabbitwoman sculptures. Stay up-to-date with The Sagamore by following the Sagamore Instagram for artsy inspiration, our latest acquisitions, and specials.

Book your South Beach stay with The Sagamore Hotel, an iconic Miami Beach oceanfront destination known for its unique collection of contemporary art, spacious suites, and prime location only steps from the white sands of SoBe.