The Museum
The Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is a historically preserved estate from the Gilded Age situated in the Biscayne Bay. This historic landmark is surrounded by ten acres of lush gardens, mangroves, and a rockland hammock. Museum visitors get to experience an impressive collection and architecture that provides a window into the past.
James Deering
James Deering was a wealthy businessman and socialite from Chicago who decided to build Vizcaya as a retreat from the midwestern winters. He purchased the land on a coconut grove in 1910. Subsequently, Deering traveled to Europe to collect art, furniture, and antiques to fill his new home with. The construction began in 1914 and the estate was completed in 1922.
The Estate
The estate was built as a rendition of an eighteenth century Italian Villa. Deering took inspiration from the country estates of the northern Veneto region. The builders incorporated Italian designs while taking into consideration Florida’s tropical climate and ecology. Although Vizcaya resembles the Baroque style of the past, the estate was actually constructed with the latest technology of that time. The main house has three floors with fifty-four rooms, of which thirty-four are open to the public. The interiors express the passage of time and embody memories from the places Deering visited. For example, different rooms are meant to reference various parts of Italy and the designs found in those regions.
The Gardens
The Gardens are decorated with vases, busts, statutes, and urns from the distant past to the 1920s. As a result, Vizcaya provides a unique experience as it exhibits works from different time periods in one location. Certainly, the most impressive piece is the big barge located in the water at the front of the house. It is shaped like a boat and decorated with the statues of mythological figures from the Caribbean.
The Preservation
The estate has been affected by a series of hurricanes and climate change since Deering’s death. Therefore, the restoration of the house is a continuous effort. Although it is more secure today, the gardens, statues, and ecology are still at risk. The preservation of the estate is incredibly important as its historical value and beauty transport viewers to a different time.
