Perez Art Museum Miami

This unique museum covers modern and contemporary art from the 20th and 21st centuries. Designed by the winners of the Pritzker Prize, Herzog & de Meuron, it is located in downtown Miami close to the financial district. Its design is really striking, with gardens of tropical plants juxtaposed with columns like a kind of indoor park, and the wooden roof allows plenty of light to enter. Inside, there are around 20,000 square meters of galleries and exhibitions, as well as a restaurant and a terrace. I had never heard of the museum until a friend invited me to go with her. I was lucky as she is studying for her masters in Interior Design, so she had more of an expert's perspective and could help me understand things a bit better.

Miami isn't exactly best-known for its fine culture, and this museum is quite controversial. Many visitors are disappointed by it in comparison with better collections in other cities. But it's still an interesting place to escape for a day and maybe see a good traveling exhibition. And there have been some fine works here, including the Venezuelan Carlos Cruz Diez with his exhibition: "The Embodied Experience of Color" which managed to create a sensory experience that seemed to involve the visitor in the piece.