The Historical Museum of Southern Florida in Miami
Think of Southern Florida and you might conjure images of palm trees, the Keys, or the Art Deco District, South Beach, and a boutique Miami hotel . But what about cattle ranching? That’s an image we more typically associate with the Old West, with Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. It might be hard to picture a cattle drive past marshes and swamps, yet Florida has had five centuries of cattle ranching, beginning with Spanish explorers in the 16th century when they introduced cattle and horses to the area.
If you travel to Miami from September 16th, 2010, to January 23rd, 2011, you’ll be able to learn about cattle ranching in this state from the Historical Museum of Southern Florida , an institution designed to preserve and celebrate the history of Miami through exhibits, tours, education and research. The museum began in 1962, moving to its present location in 1984, in the Miami-Dade Cultural Center, an imposing building designed by internationally known architect, Phillip Johnson, who created a Spanish fortress-like structure to house not only the Historical Museum, but also the Miami-Dade Main Public Library and Miami Art Museum .
The exhibit, “Florida Cattle Ranching: Five Centuries of Tradition,” will trace this activity from its start in Colonial Florida through contemporary cattle ranching, covering Colonial Florida, Seminole cattle ranching, Cracker cowboys, auctions, cow dogs, rodeos, and oral traditions. There will be artifacts, archival photographs, paintings by cowboy artists, and even cowboy poetry.
Other exhibits you’ll have a chance to explore include “Portraits of the Nicaraguan Caribbean,” on display from September 16th to January 23rd, which follows the work of award-winning documentary photographers, Maria Jose Alvarez and Claudia Gordillo. Over 35 photographs will examine the region of Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast, taking a look at various cultural practices of Creoles, Garifunas, Miskitos, and Sumos.
The museum is closed on Mondays, but you’ll be able to see these exhibits and more from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m, Tuesday through Friday, and from noon to five p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Every third Thursday of the month, the museum remains open until nine at night.
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