A Peek Inside The New Pérez Art Museum Miami

The new Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) finally opened yesterday with much excitement. Of course the art is staler, including a wonderful Hew Locke installation and a new exhibition by Chinese contemporary artist Ai Weiwei, the real star of the day was the building itself.

Designed by Swiss architects Herzog & De Meuron (fittingly based in Basel), the museum is a stunning example of contemporary design. Vast expanses of concrete, glass and wood characterize the building. There are many modernist touches new to Miami, like hanging gardens and theater features seats made of soft brown cork.Elements, like fluorescent dashes of light in the ceiling evoke the architect’s 1111 Lincoln building on Miami Beach.

While the building was pretty much ready to go, the landscaping and other details were still inderway as workers hurry to install the vertical gardens, attach wire to a railing, and caterpillar dirt out from future parking spaces underneath the building. Fortunately, the exhibition space was all ready to take in as journalists, PAMM members and other VIPs descended on the new museum, which was buzzing with excitement.

The event space promises to be some of the best in Miami, the cafe looks totally cute and even the gift shop is full of things you would actually want to buy as you… exit. *A word to the wise, until the structure (and parking lots) are one hundred percent finished, you might want to park at the Arsht center and take the shuttle to avoid long valet waits.