Gables Museum offers retrospective of Julio Larraz

Miami Springs Museum, the HistoryMiami Museum and Coral Gables Museum are making plans for new exhibits this winter.

The Coral Gables Museum is excited to be the first museum to unveil a retrospective of Cuban artist Julio Larraz on Dec. 1 and finishing April 30, 2022. “This is one of the biggest events we’ve held,” Executive Director John Allen said.

Larraz’s exhibit, called ‘The Kingdom We Carry Inside,’ will include art from his time as a cartoonist for the New York Times to sculptures and paintings, according to Mr. Allen. “It will be taking over three galleries of the museum.”

On Dec. 4, the museum will be hosting “Brunch with the Artist and Book Signing” as a time to celebrate Larraz’s first museum retrospective and his most recent book published by Rizzoli New York. The event will be free, but an RSVP is necessary.

“For the fall and upcoming winter, although nothing is certain yet, we are looking to open an exhibit on the history of Opa-locka and Hialeah,” said Miami Springs Museum director Dr. Jim Watson. “We want to look at the relationships of Seminoles in terms of Miami Springs and the development.”

Miami Springs is also looking to begin an exhibit called Builders of Miami Springs. “It was built in little sections. All sorts of men were involved, looking for ways for the community to be involved in building,” Dr. Watson said. “The first ten years of Miami Springs was a little more global. During the 1920s and ’30s, we saw a theme of art deco. Then some of Miami Springs looked like Santa Fe, New Mexico.”

Before the Great Depression, the South Florida Land Boom brought people from all over to further the community that aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss helped find, according to Dr. Watson. Although the opening dates are uncertain, it will be $8 for non-members to attend.

HistoryMiami Museum is excited to host in-person exhibits and tours this winter.

“We are finally opening back up since last October,” Executive Director Jorge Zamanillo said.

The museum offers guided city tours, tours throughout the museum and a favorite, the Miami River Cruise. The tour begins on Feb. 19, 2022. It is $65 for museum members and $75 for non-members. Dr. Paul George narrates the history as the boat begins at Island Queen dock at Bayside Marketplace and travels up the Miami River.

“Those cruises and boats up the river are filled with cool information about the properties, rum runners, drug smuggling and anything historical beginning in the later 19th century,” Dr. Zamanillo said. Waterkeeper Dr. Rachel Silverstein also helps narrate along the tours and explains current water issues and how the community can help.

An ongoing exhibit is coming up on its closing date, Jan. 9, 2022.

“It’s a Miami Thing is very popular because it’s an opportunity to see a little bit of everything. It’s all the highlights from Miami,” Dr. Zamanillo said. “We’re not just a historical association. We’ve expanded to music, arts and photography.” It’s a Miami Thing is a collection of artifacts that tells the history of Miami. It includes Seminole patchwork, Tequesta artifacts dating back to 800 A.D. and other artifacts. “It’s great just seeing people walking around the museum.”