Mission
Coral Gables Museum celebrates the 1920’s planned community of Coral Gables and presents exhibits and programs that examine the built environment.
The Museum’s mission is to celebrate, investigate and explore the civic arts of architecture and urban and environmental design, and the visual arts, including fostering an appreciation for the history, vision, and cultural landscape of Coral Gables; promoting beauty and planning as well as historic, artistic and environmental preservation for a broad audience, including children, families, and community members, as well as local, regional, national and international visitors. The Museum optimizes its mission by cultivating effective partnerships, and providing programming that includes exhibitions, collections, educational offerings, lectures, tours, publications and special events.
History
In 2003, the non-profit Coral Gables Museum Corp. was formed under the leadership of the City of Coral Gables to direct and operate a museum in the Old Police and Fire Station. In 2008, work began in earnest on the restoration, renovation and expansion of the 1939 WPA building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The architect Jorge Hernandez together with Dooley Mack Constructors led the historic preservation project. On October 10, 2010 (10-10-10), Museum staff occupied the building and reopened it to the public. In November 2011, the Coral Gables Museum unveiled the inaugural exhibits and began its first year of full operation. In 2013, the Coral Gables Museum became the Official Visitor Center for the City Beautiful.
The Museum is a true public/private partnership between the City of Coral Gables and the Coral Gables Museum Corp., a private, not for profit 501.c.3 corporation operating an educational cultural institution within a City owned facility. The Museum raises its own operating budget to fund the exhibitions and educational programs it provides, through memberships, private and government grants, admissions, earned income and, most importantly, with contributions from community members who believe in our mission.
The museum complex
Coral Gables Museum’s facility consists of the historic site of the Old Police and Fire Station, and additional galleries and outdoor spaces that were constructed in the 2010. New spaces include the 3,000 square foot Carole A. Fewell Gallery, a beautiful 5,000 square foot Museum Plaza and Courtyard off of the main lobby.
Visitors can explore the building’s history as the Old Police and Fire Station by viewing the photography exhibit in the lobby area, or scheduling a guided tour. Inside the building, visitors can see the former jail cells, courtroom and apparatus bay/fire engine room. The building’s exterior features WPA artworks, including firefighter busts, that add striking decorative features to the building’s architecture, which is a blending of “Depression-Moderne” and Mediterranean Revival.
The Museum is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified, having been restored and constructed utilizing best environmental practices and materials. Additions to the existing building and new construction are sympathetic to the original design.
Send us a message.
CORAL GABLES MUSEUM
285 Aragon Avenue
Coral Gables, FL 33134
(305) 603-8067
MUSEUM HOURS
Monday: Closed
Tuesday – Friday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Board Of Trustees 2023-2024
CHAIRMAN
Jose Valdés-Fauli
VICE-CHAIRMAN
Raul R. Rodriguez
TREASURER
Joe Jackson
SECRETARY
Eric Gros-Dubois
IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR
Christopher Spuches
YOUNG ASSOCIATES LIAISON
Nicolas Cabrera
Diane Amado-Tate
Alexander Bucelo
Carol Damian
Ernesto Erdmann
Richard J. Heisenbottle
Adriana Meneses
June Morris
Eduardo Otaola
Alirio Torrealba
Wayne Chip Withers
Founding Chairman & Chair Emeritus 2007-2012
George Kakouris
Chairman 2012-2013
Arva Moore Parks†
Staff
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Elvis Fuentes
Elvis@coralgablesmuseum.org
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT & BUSINESS OFFICE MANAGER
Susana Soria Chapur
Susana@coralgablesmuseum.org
DIRECTOR OF CURATORIAL PROGRAMS
Yuneikys Villalonga
Yvillalonga@coralgablesmuseum.org
INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT COORDINATOR
Pamela Londono
Pamela@coralgablesmuseum.org
DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS
Gianna Riccardi
Gianna@coralgablesmuseum.org
MUSEUM EDUCATOR
Ian Melgarejo
Education@coralgablesmuseum.org
DIRECTOR OF EVENTS
Jessalyn Huertas
Events@coralgablesmuseum.org
COLLECTIONS AND EXHIBITIONS MANAGER
Fabian Peña
Fabian@coralgablesmuseum.org
FACILITIES MANAGER
Adrian Menendez
Adrian@coralgablesmuseum.org
VISITOR SERVICES
Natasha Calderon
VisitorServices@coralgablesmuseum.org
HISTORIC RESEARCHER & NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Patrick Alexander
Patrick@coralgablesmuseum.org
CURATORIAL & PUBLIC PROGRAMS COORDINATOR
Sophia Ramirez-Peralta
Sophia@coralgablesmuseum.org
*All staff can be reached at 305-603-8067
The Historic Riviera
- The Enigmatic SculptressJanuary 20, 2020 - 8:24 pm
- An Archaeological ExpeditionJuly 27, 2019 - 7:29 pm
- Murder at the PulpitJuly 27, 2019 - 7:26 pm
- Tent CityMarch 13, 2019 - 2:33 pm