Frost Art Museum Details

• Address: Florida International University, University Park Campus, 10975 SW 17th Street, Miami
• Phone: 305-348-2890
• Web Site: http://thefrost.fiu.edu

History of the Frost Art Museum

Housed on the University Park campus of Florida International University, The Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum (formerly The Art Museum at FIU) opened in 1977. Initially a small gallery of less than 3000 square feet, the Museum grew to achieve local, national and international recognition as one of South Florida’s key cultural institutions.


The Frost Art Museum’s extraordinary programmatic growth during the 1980s and 1990s, qualified the Museum for designation as a Major Cultural Institution by both the State of Florida and Miami-Dade County. In 1999, the Museum received accreditation from the American Associations of Museums (AAM) and reaccredited in 2011. In 2001, the Museum became an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.

Following the groundbreaking for its new facilities in 2003, the Art Museum at FIU was officially renamed The Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum. The museum gained a respected reputation for its innovative exhibitions, outstanding lecture series and educational outreach programs for South Florida’s diverse audiences. Through generous support from private donations as well as state and local government agencies, the Frost Art Museum is able to offer free admission to all exhibitions and public events.

Collection & Exhibitions

The Frost Art Museum’s collection is a melding of several distinctive collections: the General Collection, the Metropolitan Museum and Art Center Collection and the Betty Laird Perry Emerging Artist Collection.

There are also a number of temporary exhibitions on view at any given time.

The General Collection holds a strong representation of American printmaking from the 1960s and 70s, photography, Pre-Columbian objects dating from 200-500 AD, and a growing number of works by contemporary Caribbean and Latin American artists.

The Metropolitan Museum and Art Center Collection was donated to the Frost Art Museum in order to ensure its intact survival in 1989, when the Metropolitan Museum and Art Center of Coral Gables closed. This collection of more than 2,300 objects includes sculptures, photographs, and paintings by major 20th century figures, an extensive collection of American prints from the 1960s; major sculptural works; important photographs; rare Japanese Netsukes and ancient bronzes from Asian and African cultures.

In support of the University’s studio arts program, the Betty Laird Perry Emerging Artist Collection is comprised of artworks obtained through purchase awards granted to selected BFA and MFA students graduating from the program since 1980. Numerous award recipients have continued to garner national and international recognition as mature artists.

Education Programs

• The Kenan-Flagler Family Discovery Gallery welcomes families, students and guests with interactive activities designed to educate and entertain.
• Guided Tours are offered for groups of ten (10) or more of the current exhibition and the Sculpture Park. Tours are geared to the appropriate age level. Special tours may be designed around a particular theme or topic. Advance reservations required.
• A map for Self-guided Tours of the Sculpture Park is available at the Frost Art Museum during regular museum hours. The Sculpture Park is free and open to the public 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Several School and Teacher Programs are also offered, including the M-DCPS Museum Educator Program, Teacher Workshops, Creative Visions Program, and ArtWorks! Art Therapy.

Museum Parking

Visitors may park in metered parking spaces conveniently located across from the Frost Art Museum in the Blue and Gold garages. The Blue Parking Garage is closed on weekends. Parking is available in the Gold Parking and Lot 4 on the weekends. Parking is free on weekends.

Learn about more of the Art Museum in Miami.