HistoryMiami Summer Exhibitions

TROPICAL DREAMS: A PEOPLE’S HISTORY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Explore 12,000 years of South Florida history as you wander through the permanent exhibition. Visit a re-creation of the Miami Circle and view a sea turtle shell and other artifacts from this 2,000 year-old settlement at the mouth of the Miami River.

Climb aboard a 1920s trolley and take a video tour of historic Downtown Miami, Miami Beach and Coral Gables. View photographs of various communities and neighborhoods and learn the diverse ways that they arrived to the Magic City. Also on permanent display are original prints from John James Audubon’s The Birds of America.

AVIATION IN MIAMI: THE FIRST 100 YEARS

On July 20, 1911, all of Miami gathered to witness an extraordinary event. Hired by Mayor Everest Sewell, aviator Howard Gill climbed into the cockpit of a wood and cloth-winged biplane furnished by the Wright Brothers and flew it up, up and away into the blue skies above the Miami Golf Links – performing the very first flight in the area. The rest, as they say, is history. Aviation in Miami: The First 100 Years goes behind-the-scenes to explore the extensive engagement Greater Miami and its residents have had with the industry since this historic first flight. The exhibition addresses the evolving concerns of the aviation industry throughout the twentieth century and how they were tackled by the developers, the promoters, the pilots and the hundreds of thousands of Miamians who were employed or participated in the development of the field.  On view are artifacts from famous aviators such as Glenn Curtiss, Charles Lindbergh, Eddie Rickenbacker and Amelia Earhart and airlines such as Pan American World Airways and Eastern Airlines.

SOUVENIR MAPS AND PLATES OF FLORIDA

For more than a century, tourists have visited Florida attractions and admired our sub-tropical landscapes. Many returned home with a souvenir plate or pictorial map as a keepsake. Souvenir maps and plates often feature a picturesque scene and often boast tiny and often whimsical drawings of people, animals and landmarks. Popular during the twentieth century, some have become highly collectible antiques, while others are simply fun kitsch – mementos of a vacation in the sun. Be prepared to be charmed. This exhibition features a selection of maps and plates from the museum’s extensive collection – many on display for the first time.

HistoryMiami
101C West Flagler Street
Miami, FL 33130
305.375.1492
www.historymiami.org

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.