Taking in Local History at HistoryMiami, Miami, Florida

I’ve been plenty unkind to some of Miami’s other museums, but credit where credit is due, HistoryMiami is fantastic.

Maybe I’m biased because I’m from Miami, but HistoryMiami represents local history and culture pretty thoroughly. The museum consists of two buildings, housing several major permanent and temporary exhibits. The museum’s main exhibit chronicles South Florida history starting with prehistoric times and international wars for ownership of Florida. The immersive and informative displays include old cannons, ships, and replicas of the homes and artifacts used by Native Americans.

It gets really fun when you jump into the 19th century to learn all about the contributions of people whose names are ubiquitous in South Florida. If you’re not familiar with local Miami history, this is the place to go to find out how Julia Tuttle, Henry Flagler, George Merrick, and Carl Fisher made this city what it is today. You can even board an old tram car, similar to the trolleys you can still ride for free in Coral Gables.

Whether you’re a local or visiting, you’ll probably discover something you never even imagined. Like that Overtown used to be called Colored Town because that’s where black people were allowed to live during segregation. And that developers drummed up interest for Fisher Island with parades of elephants over the Venetian. Yeah, Miami has always been that extra. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).