Museums and Exhibitions

Join the Museum of Art and Design (MOAD) for an evening of embodied exploration where art, movement, and wellness converge. Performance artist and educator Smita Sens works at the intersection of sculpture, dance-based performance, and advanced technology, researching how the body internalizes its environment and the weight of lived experience. Her practice explores how the human body becomes a living document — storing tension, movement, memory, and emotion across a lifetime. Sens will lead visitors through the Abstraction as Legacy exhibition, drawing connections between the works on view and the language of her own practice, inviting us to see abstract art not as something to be decoded, but as something to be felt, moved through, and moved by. Following the tour, the evening deepens with Ressonnance, an immersive sound and wellness collective founded by YoungArts Jazz Trumpet Awardee Alum Stéphane Clément and sonic architect Nicolaus Gelin. Clément weaves his German Haitian heritage into a rich jazz foundation, while Gelin crafts soundscapes that dissolve the boundary between music and transcendence. Together, they will compose a live response to the space and the works within it. In collaboration, Sens and Ressonnance will guide guests through a performance that functions as an invitation to let the body lead, to listen, and to find in sound and motion a new way of moving through art, memory, and meaning. This program offers an alternative way of navigating abstraction, not through the mind alone, but through the body, the breath, and the resonance of sound. The Museum of Art and Design (MOAD) at MDC may document the event, including its attendees. By entering the area, and/or participating in the event, you consent to the recording and its use in any form. Image: Abstraction as Legacy installation view, May 22, 2026. Photo by Oriol Tarridas.

Celebrate the United States of America’s 250th birthday with the Libraries as Daniel Arbino and Arthur Dunkelman share some of the treasures of the Jay I. Kislak Collection of the Early Americas, Exploration and Navigation pertaining to the nation’s successes and struggles as a late colony and early republic. The presentation will explore the events and individuals that shaped the United States from the adoption of the Constitution through the acquisition of Florida, with special attention to the pivotal year 1800. Primary sources, including documents, manuscripts, books, maps, and newspapers, will bring the early republic to life. Following the presentation, there will be a Q&A with the online audience.

Join us for an evening with Cristina Soriano as she discusses her new book project, “Between Two Crowns: Trinidad and the Trans-imperial Age of Revolutions” in a presentation moderated by Jay I. Kislak Chair and Curator Daniel Arbino. In the book, Soriano explores revolutionary transformations in the Atlantic World from the perspective of a trans-imperial colony. She focuses on the island of Trinidad in the late 18th century during the transition from Spanish to British rule, analyzing the ways by which imperial forces and colonial governments implemented innovative empire-building strategies to deal with revolutionary change. “Between Two Crowns” seeks to reconstruct the history of the multiple “experiments” undertaken by the Spanish and British empires in a multiracial, multilingual, and multicultural island during the challenging period of the Atlantic Revolutions. Following the presentation, there will be a Q&A with the audience.

The Outgoing Tide Before the tide turns and our aquatic exhibition comes to an end, catch the last wave of Splash! at WMODA during September. The museum is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm At our Last Splash event on Sunday, September 27, we’ll bid farewell to our acclaimed exhibition, which celebrates world-renowned artists and talented local creators who have transformed molten glass and raw clay into mesmerizing marine life, ocean currents, and underwater wonders. Visions of the Sea Glass art takes center stage in Splash! with Dale Chihuly’s abstract Seaforms, Rob Stern’s seashells and coral sculptures, and Josh Fradis’s spectacular jellyfish and turtles installation. Floating alongside are Anna Paola Cibin’s dreamlike silk-velvet paintings capturing shoals of fish accented with Murano glass eyes. The spirit of Florida’s coastal paradise also shines brightly through contemporary ceramic art, including Alyssa Ligmont’s trays embellished with tide-pool shells, sea life vessels by British marine biologist-turned-potter Roger Cockram, and the whimsical whale and shark-riders from South Africa’s Ardmore Studio. Making a Splash at WMODA On Sunday, September 27, we’re making a splash with our local artists. Meet them at WMODA and discover how the sea has inspired their creative process. Their work is available for sale through the Museum Shop. Grace Chepenik celebrates nature, energy, and connection in blown glass. Her glass shark-teeth sculptures are exhibited in Splash, and she will wear her beautiful Sea Nymph costume, created for the Glass Art Society Fashion Show, to create memorable photo opportunities. Suzanne Barton is a fine art photographer of ethereal underwater images. Most of her limited-edition photos feature graceful, serene women in a hypnotic dance beneath the waves. Her jellyfish and turtle dancers are now on display in Splash! Luis and Nini Montanez, the creatives behind Candle Nerds and Matchless Glass, will present their award-winning Evolution wax sculptures, along with exquisite new and vintage jewelry inspired by treasures of the ocean. Dive into Action Art and conservation initiatives unite at WMODA to make a difference in our community. Meet volunteers from the Sea Turtles Oversight Protection (S.T.0.P.) initiatives and discover how to help them protect vulnerable sea turtles on our local beaches long after the tide has turned at WMODA. Meet representatives from the Ocean Rescue Alliance International (ORAI) to learn how you can support vital local coral reef restoration after Splash! closes. Find out more about the Guardians of the Reef snorkeling site offshore in Hollywood and take some souvenir photos with the mermaid tail loaned by the 1,000 Mermaids Project. One Last Splash! Guests will enjoy FREE admission to WMODA on Sunday, September 27, with pre-registration, to help us make one last splash before this exhibition sails off into the sunset!

Join us on the second Saturday of each month for a fun-filled afternoon of things to do for the whole family! Enjoy free admission as you explore the history and culture of our vibrant city through engaging highlights tours, hands-on craft activities, and a variety of interactive experiences. Come learn, create, and discover—all for free!

Join our most recent Abrams Banning grant awardee, Israel A. Ogundumila, for an online showcase moderated by Special Collections Librarian Robin Potter. Funded by the Pan Am Historical Foundation, the generous Abrams Banning grant facilitates researchers’ travel to access the Pan American World Airways, Inc. Records and related collections housed in Special Collections. Ogundumila will present on his research findings and discuss the many ways the grant and collection have contributed to his scholarly pursuits. Following the presentation, there will be a Q&A with the online audience.

Celebrate Grandparents’ Day at the Wiener Museum of Decorative Arts with a day dedicated to hands-on creativity, inspiration, and family connection. Whether throwing raw clay, stringing glass beads, or delving into our engaging scavenger hunts, guests can experience the enduring beauty of the Fired Arts while creating lasting memories with the whole family. Bring a grandparent, a grandchild, or join us on your own to explore our featured artists and interactive stations offering unique opportunities for creators of all ages. Throughout the day, guests can observe resident artist Mirela Popovici demonstrate the mesmerizing art of wheel-thrown pottery. For those eager for a more immersive experience on the wheel, Mirela is offering exclusive 30-minute mini-sessions for $30 each between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm, giving six lucky guests the chance to learn how to throw their own small bowl. Mirela will fire and glaze your “masterpiece” for you to collect from WMODA two weeks later so you can take home your very own piece of the Fired Arts! Call (954-376-6690) or email events@wmoda.com to reserve one of Mirela’s mini-sessions for $30, payable at check-in at reception on the day of the event. Starting at 1:00 pm, artist Lori Brown leads a lively, hands-on Beading Workshop designed for guests ages 8 and up. Running until 4:00 pm, this guided session invites family members to design, string, and assemble their own beaded bracelet, bookmark, keychain or suncatcher. Call (954-376-6690) or email events@wmoda.com to reserve the Beading Workshop for $15, payable at check-in at reception on the day of the event. Walk-ins are welcome for this event when space allows. Guests can also drop by our River of Glass and Light art project inspired by Dale Chihuly’s iconic Macchia forms anytime between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm to shape their own colorful paper sculptures. This family-friendly event is FREE with registration! Reservations for Mirela Popovici’s wheel-throwing mini-sessions and Beading with Lori Brown activity can be booked by emailing events@wmoda.com or by calling the museum at 954-376-6690.

Join the Museum of Art and Design for a special evening at the Freedom Tower with artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara. The evening will begin with a live performance, followed by a conversation with Alcántara, a prominent Cuban dissident artist who recently arrived in Miami in July 2026 following five years as a political prisoner in Cuba. He will be joined by film director Ernesto Fundora, whose recent documentary Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara: Estamos conectados, highlighted the artist's plight and his role as co-founder of the San Isidro Movement. Recent works by the artist will be on view. A reception in the Knight Skylight Gallery will follow the talk. This event is free and open to the public. Event attendees may park for free in the MDC garage at 500 NE Second Avenue, between NE Fifth and NE Sixth Streets. The Museum of Art and Design (MOAD) at MDC may document the event, including its attendees. By entering the area, and/or participating in the event, you consent to the recording and its use in any form.

Known for his evocative depictions of architecture, memory, and place, famed Cuban American artist and University of Miami alumnus Humberto Calzada (1944-2025) created a body of work that continues to resonate across generations. Join us for a conversation celebrating Calzada’s life, artistic achievements, and lasting influence. FEATURING Carol Damian, Florida International University School of Art and Art History Katrin Hansing, Baruch College Weissman School of Arts and Sciences Eduardo Montes-Bradley, Independent scholar, filmmaker, and author MODERATED BY Victor Deupi, University of Miami School of Architecture _____________ Humberto Calzada (1944-2025) nurtured his childhood dream of becoming an architect by sketching houses he encountered on his daily journey to his elementary school, the Saint George School in El Vedado, Cuba. After his family relocated to Miami, Florida, in 1960 following the Cuban Revolution, he attended Coral Gables Senior High School. Calzada then pursued engineering studies at the University of Miami, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering in 1966 and an M.B.A. in 1968. While working at IBM in Boca Raton, his passion for architecture and design continued to grow. Transitioning to become a general contractor, he constructed several homes in Miami-Dade County, including his own residence in South Miami. Concurrently, he delved into painting as a hobby, seeking to capture the opulence of Colonial and Neoclassical Havana homes and the vivid colors and textures of the Caribbean, pieced together from memories and the sketches from his childhood that he had brought with him.

On view July 8 - Oct. 4, 2026 Join us on Wednesday, July 8 for the Opening Reception of "Sites of the Self," a group exhibition organized by Oolite Arts in collaboration with the Bakehouse Art Complex. The exhibition is curated by Bakehouse Senior Curatorial Fellow René Morales featuring works by our current Studio Residents: Diego Gabaldon, Gonzalo Hernandez, Sepideh Kalani, Bex McCharen, Lucía Morales, Genesis Moreno, Ana Mosquera, Nadia Wolff, Ricardo E. Zulueta, Shayla Marshall, Sheherazade Thénard, Pangea Kali Virga, and José Delgado Zuñiga. "Sites of the Self" explores how identity is shaped by personal experience, memory, relationships, social codes, and power structures. The opening reception will take place alongside Open Studios, offering visitors the opportunity to experience the exhibition and meet the artists. Wednesday, July 8, 2026 6–9 p.m. 924 Lincoln Rd. Miami Beach, FL 33139