No matter your taste, South Florida has a museum for you!
The Stonewall Museum and Archives, originally founded in 1973, is one of the first museums dedicated to the history of the LGBTQIA+ community in America (and is certainly the first of its kind in South Florida). The museum houses over 28,000 volumes of archival materials, all of which are available online as well as in person. Notable artifacts in its collection include the gavel used by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi after the House of Representatives passed legislation ending the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy against gays and lesbians serving openly in the U.S. Military, a tennis racket used by champion Martina Navratilova, and an original copy of the Boston Globe from 2003 when Massachusetts became the first state to legalize same-sex marriage. The museum is named after the 1969 Stonewall Riots in New York City, which is generally recognized as the start of the modern “gay rights” movement. Next to the Stonewall Museum is the World AIDS Museum.
The Holocaust Documentation & Education Center in Hollywood/Dania Beach is the first South Florida Holocaust museum and archive. It was originally founded in 1980 and houses a living history of over 2,400 interviews with Holocaust survivors and witnesses. One of the key parts of its museum and archival materials is information regarding the S.S. St. Louis, a ship that was turned away from South Florida in 1939 with over 900 Jews on board who were fleeing Germany. According to the museum website, given the serious nature of the materials, the Center is appropriate for individuals aged 11 years and up, and children should have adult supervision. In addition to the Center, South Florida has a number of other museums dedicated to Jewish history and the Holocaust, including the Miami Beach Holocaust Memorial and the Jewish Museum of Florida at Florida International University.
(Photo to left is of the Holocaust Memorial in Miami Beach)
The Museum of Science and Discovery in Fort Lauderdale is one of my favorite museums. I have been coming here since I was a little kid, and even today, I still go with my friends and take my little sisters to enjoy this interactive and fun museum. Besides amazing interactive science exhibits and cool nature and marine programs, MODS also has an I-Max movie theatre where you can watch educational programming (as well as the biggest commercial movies). Combine this downtown Fort Lauderdale museum with the NSU Art Museum and lunch along the New River, and you’ll have an amazing day to remember.
There’s not much you can say about the Frost Science Museum in Miami (formerly known as the Miami Science Museum or the Miami Science Museum and Space Transit Planetarium) that hasn’t already been said. It is one of the most amazing science museums you will ever come across. It has an aquarium, a planetarium that seats over 250 people, a massive exhibit called “Power of Science” that exhibits both the past and future of scientific exploration, and a “River of Grass” interactive exhibit focusing on the Florida Everglades. Definitely plan for this to be an entire day trip (or maybe two days if you really want to get the full experience). Whether you are interested in our own natural environment, the deepest parts of the oceans, or as far away as the stars, it will take you several trips to truly experience what this museum has to offer.