Museums and Exhibitions

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

Join us for the second of two webinars this spring that explore how scholars, journalists, and artists are recovering a more complete picture of the Angolan Civil War’s legacy. Half a century after the start of Cuba’s military involvement in Angola, the war remains one of the most consequential yet least discussed experiences of the revolutionary period. For the tens of thousands of Cubans who served overseas between 1975 and 1991—as soldiers, teachers, doctors, and technicians—the conflict left lasting personal and social scars that have often been overshadowed by triumphalist official narratives. Our second event features political scientist María de los Ángeles Torres, currently at work on a book provisionally titled “Democratizing the Past: Cuban Memories of the Angolan Civil War.” She will be joined by Ivette Leyva-Martínez, creator of the blog “La última guerra,” a pioneer in asking Angola veterans to share their experiences. Cuban independent film director Carla Valdés León will discuss clips from her 2016 documentary “Days of December,” which explores the hidden toll of the war on veterans and their families. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A with the online audience. This conversation will be conducted in both English and Spanish languages. ABOUT THE PRESENTERS María de los Ángeles Torres, Ph.D., is a distinguished professor of Latin American and Latino studies at the University of Illinois Chicago. She has written extensively on Latinos, Cuba, Cuban exile politics and identity, immigration, and culture. She is the author of “In the Land of Mirrors: The Politics of Cuban Exiles in the United States,” “The Lost Apple: Operation Pedro Pan, Cuban Children in the U.S., and the Promise of a Better Future,” and “Time and Democracy in Cuban Thought: The Elusive Present;” co-author of “Citizens in the Present: Civically Engaged Youth in the Americas;” and co-editor of several works, including “By Heart/De Memoria: Cuban Women’s Journeys in and Out of Exile” and “Borderless Borders: Latinos, Latin America and the Paradoxes of Interdependence.” She is currently working on the book “Democratizing the Past: Cubans Remember the Angolan Civil War,” supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities and research funding from the University of Illinois Chicago. Ivette Leyva is a journalist and independent researcher of the Angolan War. In 2009, she created the blog “La última guerra” (“The Last War”) to explore her lifelong interest in the conflict. Carla Valdés León is a filmmaker and curator. She has directed the short documentaries “Los Puros” (2021), Coral Prize at the 42nd Havana Film Festival, and “Días de Diciembre” (2016), awarded at Muestra Joven Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry. Her feature film “La línea del ombligo” (“Navel Line”) premiered in December 2024 at the 45th Havana Film Festival. Her films have been shown at festivals in Europe, Latin America, and the United States. She is currently co-director and film curator for the INSULARIA Film Festival in the Canary Islands.

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!

Move Like an Athlete Sundays at Vizcaya Village is a free, family-friendly summer series that brings together wellness, play, and community in an outdoor setting. Held alongside the Vizcaya Village Farmers Market, this weekly experience features yoga, fitness classes, soccer activities, hydration stations, and interactive programming for all ages. With rotating activities, local vendors, and a focus on staying active and cool, it’s the perfect Sunday outing to move at your own pace, connect with others, and enjoy a vibrant community atmosphere.

Join research fellow of the Jay I. Kislak Collection, Jamie McGhee, for an online showcase and presentation moderated by Jay I. Kislak Chair and Curator Daniel Arbino. During her month-long residency, McGhee worked extensively with the Kislak Collection to advance her research on the history and legacy of maroon communities in the Americas—societies formed by people who escaped enslavement and established independent settlements across the Caribbean, Central America, and South America—to strengthen a novel she is writing set in 1760 Jamaica. McGhee will share her recent findings and discuss how the collection has supported her creative endeavors. Following the presentation, there will be a Q&A with the online audience.

Take a summer break on campus with the faculty and staff of the Kislak Center at the University of Miami, the University Libraries’ home of Special Collections and University Archives at the Otto G. Richter Library. Join us in the Kislak Center Reading Room, where we will showcase a selection of rare and unique treasures from our holdings. Special Collections Coordinator Robin Potter will lead a presentation of our “staff picks”—favorite, hand-selected items—with our team available to answer any questions you may have about our resources and services. Whether you’re a returning visitor or discovering us for the first time, we look forward to sharing these marvelous materials with you! ABOUT THE KISLAK CENTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI In 2017, the University of Miami opened the Kislak Center at the University of Miami as a dedicated home for Special Collections and University Archives. The facility is named in recognition of a landmark gift from Jay I. Kislak: the Jay I. Kislak Collection of the Early Americas, Exploration and Navigation. Conveniently located on the ground floor of the Otto G. Richter Library, the Kislak Center brings together the departments that steward the Kislak Collection and other rare books, manuscripts, and archival materials in a space designed for research and discovery. Open to the public, it features a gallery for exhibitions and a grand reading room that welcomes researchers from around the world. Throughout the year, the Kislak Center hosts public programs, welcomes research grant recipients, and supports artist residencies—creating opportunities for scholars, students and the broader community to engage with the collections.

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