Vizcaya, Miami: history of the Deering estate, what to see, how to get there, hours and tickets

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens in Miami is the winter estate industrialist James Deering built on Biscayne Bay, at 3251 South Miami Avenue. Today it is a museum: a Main House modeled on an eighteenth-century Italian villa and ten acres of formal gardens with fountains, a maze and a garden mound. Miami-Dade County owns it, and it is a National Historic Landmark. Below: its history, what to see, how to get there, hours and tickets.

History of Vizcaya

James Deering (1859-1925) built Vizcaya between 1914 and 1922. He spent his first winter there from December 25, 1916, when the estate was surrounded by subtropical forest along the bay.

The house was conceived as a modern, subtropical interpretation of an Italian villa. Paul Chalfin, the artistic director, assembled the rooms around objects bought in Italy and mixed Rococo and Neoclassical styles. Garden designer Diego Suarez laid out the formal gardens, which Chalfin later embellished. The gardens took almost eight years to build.

Deering died in 1925. The next year the Great Miami Hurricane of 1926 seriously damaged Vizcaya for the first time; the museum lists later storm damage in the 1930s, 1992, 2005 and 2017. Federally funded Hurricane Irma recovery work is still under way.

The museum opened in 1953, and the estate says 977 visitors came to the opening. Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II walked the gardens in 1987, Queen Elizabeth II visited in 1991, and the Main House Courtyard hosted the Summit of the Americas in 1994. On April 19, 1994, the National Park Service designated Vizcaya a National Historic Landmark. Miami-Dade County owns it; the nonprofit Vizcaya Museum and Gardens Trust runs it.

What to see at Vizcaya

The Main House. The rooms are built around furniture and art acquired in Italy, and conservation work on the interiors is ongoing. The museum's site has a virtual tour of the house.

The East Terrace and the Barge. The terrace looks over Biscayne Bay. In the water in front of the house sits the Barge, a monumental breakwater shaped as a boat, with sculpture by Alexander Stirling Calder (1870-1945).

The gardens. Look for the Garden Mound, an artificial hill that blocks the view from the house, the Secret Garden, the small Theater Garden, the Maze Garden and the Fountain Garden. The museum also points to the Orchidarium, the Rose Garden, the water lily ponds and the Sutri Fountain.

How to get to Vizcaya

Take Metrorail to Vizcaya station; the museum says the entrance is about a 10-minute walk away. Miami-Dade County's page for The Underline mentions the Vizcaya Station Plaza and a bike repair station there. Metrorail runs 5 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week; the adult fare is $2.25, the discount fare $1.10.

Metrobus routes 17 and 24 (Coral Way Limited) and the Coral Way Trolley stop at Vizcaya station. The Brickell Trolley stops on South Miami Avenue: Vizcaya is stop 39 northbound and stop 15 southbound.

By car or rideshare, turn into the Entrance Drive on South Miami Avenue. Drop-off and pick-up are at the Piazza, where Admissions is. The directions page gives no parking price. Planning your Visit says there are accessible parking spaces in the main parking lot and in the service area south of the Main House. Groups on buses should arrange it in advance.

Vizcaya hours and tickets

Hours and prices checked November 5, 2026 on vizcaya.org.

Regular tickets are sold online through "Buy Tickets" on the hours and admission page. The military, disability and Museums for All offers are handled only at the Admissions booth. The adult price is reduced while restoration lasts, so check the current amount there before you go.

Rules and tips for visitors

• Visitors must stay fully clothed; bathing suits and mesh or sheer clothing are not allowed.
• Footwear is required. The museum recommends closed-toe, low-heeled shoes over sandals and high heels.
• There is no bag check. Luggage and large bags are not allowed in the Main House, and security may inspect bags.
• Only single strollers under 25 inches wide may enter the house, and none on the second floor. Strollers are welcome in the gardens.
• No animals, except service animals under the ADA.
• Some photography, such as with a hired photographer or props, needs a paid permit.
• The Cafe and Shop are inside the paid area, so they also need admission.
• Wheelchairs are lent first come, first served; ask at Admissions.

The full rules are on Planning your Visit. For more of the city, see the Miami city page and places to see in Miami.

Questions people ask

What day is Vizcaya closed?

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens in Miami is closed on Tuesdays. On every other day the house and gardens are open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Hours and Admission page on vizcaya.org sells tickets and shows the current prices, so check it before your visit.

How much is a ticket to Vizcaya?

An adult ticket (13 and over) costs $25 while restoration work lasts, down from the usual $32. Children 6 to 12 pay $10, and children 5 and under get in free. Miami-Dade County residents 62 and over enter free on Mondays and Wednesdays with the Golden Ticket.

How do I get to Vizcaya by Metrorail?

Ride Metrorail to Vizcaya station, about a 10-minute walk from the museum entrance. Metrorail runs from 5 a.m. to midnight every day and the adult fare is $2.25. Metrobus routes 17 and 24 also stop at the station, and the Brickell Trolley stops on South Miami Avenue.

Can I bring a large bag or a dog to Vizcaya?

Vizcaya has no bag check, and luggage and large bags are not allowed in the Main House. Animals are not permitted on the property, except service animals under the ADA. Bathing suits and sheer or mesh clothing are not allowed either.