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About

The Wolfsonian–FIU is a museum, library, and research center. The collection comprises more than 200,000 items from the period 1850 to 1950—the height of the Industrial Revolution to the end of the Second World War—and include fine arts, decorative arts, graphic design, industrial design, architectural drawings, rare publications, and ephemera.

Mission Statement

The Wolfsonian–FIU uses objects to illustrate the persuasive power of art and design, to explore what it means to be modern, and to tell the story of social, political, and technological changes that have transformed our world. It encourages people to see the world in new ways and to learn from the past as they shape the present and influence the future.

. . . And More

  • Our Focus | Farm to Factory

    Rooted in the greatest century of growth and change humanity has ever known—1850 to 1950—The Wolfsonian traces the odyssey from agrarian to urban, colonial empires to Cold War superpowers, the first spike of the Transcontinental Railroad to the advent of television.

  • Our Collection | Mundane to Monumental

    With more than 200,000 objects, our collection contains a vast universe of ideas: household appliances that sped the pace of work; designs that bridged cultures; architectural plans fueled by ambition; and propaganda that helped turn the tides of war. Our core focus is material from Europe and the United States, extending to regions of Latin America, Asia, and Africa.

  • Our History | Curiosity to Collection

    A single hotel room key launched what is now one of the largest American university art collections—a cultural cornerstone of Miami since 1995, a jewel of Florida International University since 1997, and an iconic landmark of South Beach’s historic Art Deco district. The unique collection that began with Micky Wolfson today reflects the collecting habits of many, reaching thousands of students, scholars, and lovers of art and design every year.

  • Our Home | Storehouse to Symbol

    Originally built in 1927 by Robertson & Patterson to house the Washington Storage Company, our Mediterranean Revival building on the corner of 10th Street and Washington Avenue has been a beacon of culture in Miami Beach for generations. The structure was enlarged and transformed in 1992 by architect Mark Hampton into the state-of-the-art museum it is today.

     

  • Our Founder | Connoisseur to Civic Leader

    Mitchell "Micky" Wolfson, Jr. (b. 1939, Miami), fascinated by the active role design plays in shaping human experiences, perceptions, and attitudes, established The Wolfsonian in the spirit of his international upbringing and varied collecting taste. An author, philanthropist, and former diplomat, Wolfson is also the founder of our sister museum in Genoa, Italy: The Wolfsoniana.