Florida for
Culture
There’s a rich cultural life beyond the theme parks, spring break parties, and sporting events. Statewide there are arts, music, food, and heritage festivals, plus world-class performance venues. From Art Basel to jazz clubs and a wealth of museums, it’s easy to find your cultural fix.
t Rainbow Man by Judy Chicago and Circus
Awesome Artwork
The state’s artistic reputation is thanks in part to its wonderful galleries, with prestigious and unmissable highlights such as the Salvador Dalí Museum and the Ringling Museum of Art. But there’s more to the art scene beyond the brilliant institutions. The Wynwood Walls boast exciting street art, and the Art Basel event sees Miami play host to over 300 visiting galleries from over 30 countries around the world, drawing 80,000 visitors to the city every December.
Fascinating Museums
From the academic and serious to the fun and whimsical, Florida is peppered with a generous helping of great museums. The Jewish Museum of Florida is a wonderful tour through local Jewish history and culture. On the quirkier side is the Pirate and Treasure Museum in St. Augustine. To the south, the WonderWorks Orlando and Orlando Science Center are interactive educa-tional alternatives to the city’s theme parks.
Fantastic Festivals
Florida’s warm climate makes it the perfect palce to enjoy festivals at any time of year. Music lovers should visit in March, for the acclaimed Orlando Jazz Festival and Miami’s Winter Music Conference, a week of electronic music . There’s the huge South Beach Food and Wine Festival in February for foodies, and for a romantic evening the St. Augustine Night of Lights sees the city aglow November through January.
Design District
Miami has a robust art scene, and two of its neighborhoods characterize different art movements. The Miami Design District, in the Buena Vista neighborhood, is the upscale version, with a number of high-end galleries among the designer boutiques. Here, the Institute of Contemporary Art is a venue for cutting edge exhibitions. Wynwood is a hip, up and coming neighborhood that is known for its street art. Wynwood Walls, which has been evolving here since 2003, is an outdoor museum of sorts that displays huge murals.