Wolfsonian-FIU, Art and design museum in South Beach, Miami Beach, US.
The Wolfsonian-FIU occupies the former Washington Storage Company building, a three-storey structure on Washington Avenue in Miami Beach's Art Deco District. Its 1992 renovation by architect Mark Hampton, with William Kearns, added a modernist lobby, café and shop, with galleries arranged around light wells above. The collections hold about 180,000 pieces from 1885 to 1945, including furniture, glass, ceramics, rare books, posters and textiles.
The building was the Washington Storage Company facility on Washington Avenue, operating since 1926. Mitchell Wolfson Jr. began storing his collection there in the 1970s and bought the building in 1986, when his holdings filled 90% of its storage space, founding The Wolfsonian Foundation. Architect Mark Hampton, with William Kearns, converted it into a museum that opened in 1995; in 1997 the collection and building were given to Florida International University.
The collection reflects how design and decorative arts shaped society across continents during industrialization and social change. Visitors can see how similar creative movements emerged simultaneously in different countries and cultures.
The museum is located in the Art Deco District and welcomes visitors daily throughout the week. A shop inside sells publications, jewelry, and design objects for those interested in taking something home.
The museum maintains a searchable digital catalog of 75,000 objects accessible online for research and discovery. A sister location in Nervi, Italy, focuses specifically on Italian decorative arts and design traditions.
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