Revisit the Glamorous Story of Miami Beach: America’s Tropical Resort at the Historical Museum of Southern Florida

June 23, 2006 – January 14, 2007

MIAMI, FL (May 16, 2006) – Glorious sun … miles of sandy beaches…stylish hotels … dazzling nightlife … beautiful people … this is Miami Beach, “America’s Year ‘Round Playground.” For nearly a century, millions have flocked to experience this tropical paradise. The Historical Museum of Southern Florida will revisit the glamorous story of how a mangrove-covered sandbar was transformed into Miami Beach: America’s Tropical Resort. The exhibition will open at the downtown museum on June 23.

“This exhibition will appeal to all generations, particularly travelers who over the years vacationed on Miami Beach during the height of its tourism heyday, from the 1930s to the 1970s,” says Historical Museum curator Dr. Joanne Hyppolite.

Recreating that magical tourist experience, museum visitors will “check in” to a replica of a Miami Modern hotel and begin their journey through the glamorous history of Miami Beach. Topics explored will include the beach’s early history, public relations and advertising, transportation, hotels and motels, recreation and workers including celebrities. The advantageous climate and its impact on tourist developmentwill be the central theme of the exhibition.

Over 100 artifacts will be on display, including vintage bathing suits from the late teens to the 1950s, a piece of the wooden 1913 Collins Bridge, a 1930s switchboard from the Skylark Hotel, a 1935 slot machine, a polo mallet from 1926, hotel silver and china, uniforms, swizzle sticks, matchboxes, postcards and photographs dating back to the early 1920s. Footage from the Louis Wolfson II Florida Moving Image Archive will feature home videos of vacationers and promotional films.

“This exhibition will showcase the roots of Miami Beach’s success and bring into focus why it’s known the world over,“ says George Neary, Associate Vice President, Cultural Tourism, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau.

In 1910, Carl Fisher, the original “Mr. Miami Beach,” single handedly turned a strip of swampland into one of America’s most popular destinations. He used bathing beauties, baby elephants, gondola rides, even President Harding and other smart PR stunts to lure tourists to what Jackie Gleason would later coin “the Sun and Fun Capital of the World.”

Depending on the time period and their socioeconomic means, tourists came to Miami on Henry Flagler’s railroad, the first Pan-Am flights or in their cars. They swam in the Roman Pools, shopped on Lincoln Road, gambled at the Kennel Club, played polo on the lawns of the Flamingo Hotel, dined at Joe’s Stone Crab or enjoyed the can-can follies at the Casablanca. They stayed at Art Deco hotels like the Century, Miami Modern ones like the Eden Roc or the Driftwood in Sunny Isles Beach’s more affordable “motel row” district.

Construction of this tropical paradise began with Bahamian laborers cutting down mangroves. In later years, Cuban immigrants and other local, seasonal workers provided labor. Celebrity performers like Jerry Lewis and Sophie Tucker also made up the workforce. Entertainers such as Bobby Darrin and the Beatles attracted the “secretary market,” a key segment of the tourist population. Other important tourist segments included the very well heeled, the young “live wires,” Jewish and Hispanic families and spring breakers.

The exhibition will offer several interactive activities for families. Kids will have an opportunity to see specimens of marine life such as mangrove pods, build their own Art Deco hotel puzzle, compare and contrast vintage advertisements and have their photo taken as 1956’s Miss Miami Beach. A variety of educational programs will be offered in conjunction with the Miami Beach: America’s Tropical Resort exhibition. One Thursday a month from October through January, the Historical Museum will host an evening of free cultural programming. Visitors can enjoy a free, guided tour of the exhibition, along with panel discussions and live musical performances related to Miami Beach’s history and cultural traditions. Free Family Fun Days will be offered every Saturday beginning September 9 through December 2 from 1 to 3 p.m., with hands-on activities for children related to the exhibition.

Miami Beach: America’s Tropical Resort is made possible from the generous personal and institutional contributions of the following: Seth Bramson, Antolin Carbonell, Jerry and Jane Goodman, Dr. John Nordt, Patsy West, the City of Miami Beach, the City of Sunny Isles Beach and the Jewish Museum of Florida.

Also on view June 23 – September 10 will be Stereoviews of Florida and the Caribbean. Stereoviews, two nearly identical photographs that gave the illusion of a three-dimensional image, documented the changing world of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. See stereoviews of Florida and the Caribbean’s flora and fauna, picturesque scenery and tourism, people, technology, war and natural disasters. Stereoviews is presented in collaboration with the National Stereoscopic Association.

About the Historical Museum of Southern Florida

The Historical Museum of Southern Florida is dedicated to telling the story of South Florida and the Caribbean, in order to enhance the community’s quality of life by understanding the past, linking it to the present and building a better future. The Historical Museum hosts a permanent exhibition gallery and a special gallery with several changing exhibitions each year. In addition, the museum houses the Research Center, a non-circulating library and archives open to museum visitors, and The Indies Company, the museum’s store, which offers a unique array of Florida-themed books and gifts. The Historical Museum is located in downtown Miami in the Miami-Dade Cultural Center, across the street from Metrorail’s Government Center Station at 101 West Flagler Street, Miami, Florida 33130. Hours are Monday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., and Sunday noon - 5 p.m. Admission for adults is $5, children (ages 6-12) is $2, and children under 6 are free. Saturday is free admission, and Sunday is by contribution.

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HISTORICAL MUSEUM
OF SOUTHERN FLORIDA