From 1962 to 1974, Miami’s Freedom Tower was known as the “Ellis Island of the South,” a landing place for Cuban refugees making their way to new lives in the United States. Though originally built in 1925 as the headquarters of the Miami News, the building was taken over by the U.S. government in 1962 and used to process the scores of refugees who were escaping Fidel Castro’s Cuba. Visit to learn how it was through the Freedom Tower that Miami’s Cuban community was born, helping to transform the city from a sleepy town to the bustling metropolis it is today.
Approach the Freedom Tower through the busy streets of downtown Miami, full of skyscrapers that dwarf the building that was once one of the city’s tallest. Notice the Mediterranean Revival style of the structure, which was inspired by the Giralda Tower of the Seville Cathedral. Imagine the scenes that took place in the ‘60s, when hundreds of thousands of Cubans were processed here.
When the building is open, head to the second floor’s Grand Hall to see the New World Mural 1513, which was painted in 1988 by the collective known as the Miami Artisans based on an original from the 1920s. Stroll through the museum’s collections and exhibits, many of which celebrate Miami’s Cuban heritage and the struggle these immigrants faced to get to where they are today.
The Freedom Tower is in Downtown Miami, near the American Airlines Arena and Miami-Dade College’s Wolfson Campus. Metrorail and Metromover stops are located in the immediate vicinity, making it easy to access from many parts of the city. Take the bus from Little Havana in under an hour or drive in 15 minutes. Miami International Airport is a 20-minute drive or 30-minute rail ride away. Public parking is available in the immediate area.
The museum is open Wednesday to Sunday from early afternoon to evening and stays open until late evening on Thursdays. Purchase a ticket to enter the museum.
