Online Newsroom

Welcome to the Online Newsroom of Coral Gables Museum.

We have created this Museum online newsroom for you so that you can obtain detailed information, downloadable high- and low-res photos and logos for your media needs, and always be able to get in touch with someone who can speak for the Coral Gables Museum.  We hope you will sign on frequently, as we will be adding useful new items and news releases to the online newsroom. We welcome your comments and feedback.

November 11, 2011

Contact: Christine Rupp at this link or 305-603-80677.

CORAL GABLES MUSEUM CELEBRATES FIRST FRIDAY GALLERY NIGHT AS YOUNG ASSOCIATES LAUNCH "PARTY ON THE PLAZA"

Featuring Works by Local Miami Artists and Award-Winning Entries from FIU "Festival of the Trees"

MIAMI, FL - November 11th, 2011 - The Coral Gables Museum will celebrate the city's "First Friday" gallery night on December 2 at 7:00 p.m. with a "Party on the Plaza." The evening will mark the first event to be hosted by the Museum's Young Associates Committee, chaired by Cristina Mas. The event will feature a range of artistic works by Miami artists Alex Yanes, Natasha Otrakji, Roberto Chamorro and Alexander Mijares, as well as a live exhibition by Joseph Ferlito. Also on display will be entries from FIU's 25th Annual Festival of the Trees, a unique Christmas tree design competition.

"The Coral Gables Museum is proud to showcase the works of young Miami artists," said Arva Moore Parks, Acting Director of the Museum. "The Party on the Plaza is a wonderful way for guests to ring in the holidays and appreciate our local talent in the arts." Guests will enjoy cocktails and hors d'oeuvres with entertainment provided by DJ John Andrew. Tickets are $20 for members of the Museum and $25 for non-members, if purchased in advance. Tickets will be available at the door for $30. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Coral Gables Museum. To purchase tickets, go to www.coralgablesmuseum.org or call Christine Rupp at (305) 910-3996.

The Coral Gables Museum celebrates the civic arts of architecture, city planning, landscape architecture, historic and environmental preservation and history-the elements that define Coral Gables. It 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. The Museum opened its first exhibitions in October 2011. For more information on Coral Gables Museum, please visit www.coralgablesmuseum.org/ or call 305-603-80677.

February 7, 2011

Contact: Christine Rupp at this link or 305-603-80677.

CORAL GABLES MUSEUM NAMES ARVA MOORE PARKS

ACTING DIRECTOR

Noted South Florida historian and community leader will lead CGM as it installs its first exhibits and opens to the public.

George Kakouris, Chairman of the Board of the Coral Gables Museum, announced today that Arva Moore Parks has agreed to serve as Acting Director and Chief Curator leading up to the Museum’s official opening in May.  Parks has been a member of the museum’s Board since 2004 and currently serves as curator of the first exhibit: “Creating the Dream: George Merrick and his Vision for Coral Gables.”  She has also held leadership positions in museums including serving as the first woman president of HistoryMiami, the first chairperson of the State of Florida Governor’s Mansion Commission and the first chair of the Vizcaya Trust. 

She will be taking a leave of absence from the Board.

“Arva’s knowledge of Coral Gables history and experience with museums,” said Kakouris, “is just what we need to help us open this important new cultural institution.  We look forward to working with her as we launch our first exhibits and welcome the public.”

Arva Parks is well known in Coral Gables.  As chair of the City’s Historic Preservation Board, she led the effort for the City to purchase the Coral Gables Merrick House and to begin restoration of the Biltmore Hotel.  She was named Coral Gables Citizen of the Year 1983 and recently received the first Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce George E. Merrick Spirit of Excellence award.

She is author of many books on South Florida history including the Miami the Magic City, the City of Miami’s official history.  Recently she wrote George Merrick’s Coral Gables: Where Your Castles in Spain are Made Real.   She is currently writing a biography of George Merrick.

Parks has worked professionally as a curator and guest curator for exhibits and historic house interpretation including the Barnacle Historic State Park, Harry Truman’s Little White House in Key West, Pigeon Key and the University of Miami’s 75th Anniversary exhibit at the Lowe Museum where she also wrote the catalogue to the exhibit.  She was also the guest curator of the Coral Gables Museum’s Preview Exhibition at Old Spanish Village and authored the catalogue entitled “Celebrate.”

She has been widely honored for both her scholarship and leadership.  She held a presidential appointment to the Federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and was inducted into the State of Florida and City of Miami’s Women’s Hall of Fame. 

Parks earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Florida and a Master’s in History from the University of Miami.

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ABOUT THE MUSEUM

The Coral Gables Museum is a true public/private partnership between the City of Coral Gables who owns the Museum facility and the Coral Gables Museum Corp. who operates it. Coral Gables Museum Corp., incorporated in 2003, is a not for profit corporation recognized under section 501.c.3 of the Internal Revenue Code.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Museum’s mission is to celebrate, investigate and explore the civic arts of architecture and urban and environmental design, including fostering appreciation for the history, vision, and cultural landscape of Coral Gables to promote beauty and planning as well as historic 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

The Coral Gables Museum has been the dream of many Coral Gables leaders for over a decade.  By 2005 it became evident that the Coral Gables’ historic Municipal Building, better known as the Old Police and Fire Station, had deteriorated to a point where major renovation was needed.  The building, a 1939 Deco and Mediterranean-style coral stone structure designed and constructed as a New Deal Works Progress Administration (WPA) project, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  Holding true to Coral Gables’ vision of historic preservation in The City Beautiful, City officials and the Coral Gables Museum Corp. began a partnership to renovate the building, add a state-of-the-art exhibition gallery in an adjacent parking lot and create a new museum in the heart of the City’s downtown.

On October 10, 2010 (10/10/10), upon completion of the renovation, the City and the Museum hosted a free, public, grand opening and building dedication ceremony.  The Museum, with its beautiful gallery spaces, community meeting room, courtyard and plaza, will serve as the cultural center of The City Beautiful. 

Participants will gather at the University Metrorail Station on Ponce de Leon Boulevard at 10:30am and bicycle through the Gables, with a stop and tour at the Coral Gables Museum, and then pedal on to the historic Coral Gables Merrick House at 907 Coral Way for a picnic, badminton and croquet.  The catered lunch featuring fabulous food from the Green Gables Café is $14 per person.  You can still join in the fun and ride without purchasing the picnic lunch.  For more details, and to purchase/reserve your picnic lunch, please visit coralgablesmuseum.org/seersuckersocial.php or greenmobilitynetwork.org.

Green Mobility Network is an education and advocacy group that promotes walking, running and bicycling as necessary elements of a healthy and desirable community.

The Coral Gables Museum’s mission is to celebrate, investigate and explore all aspects of architecture, landscape architecture, design and urban planning as well as historic and environmental preservation, set within the context of one of America’s first and most successful planned communities – the City of Coral Gables. 

September 22,, 2010

Contact: Christine Rupp at this link or 305-603-8067.

The City of Coral Gables and the Coral Gables Museum will host a public Open House and Ribbon Cutting Dedication on October 10, 2010 - 10 ¦ 10 ¦ 10 at the newly restored Old Police and Fire Station.  This 1939 structure, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, will be the new home of the Coral Gables Museum and the City of Coral Gables’ Historical Resources Department and Raul Valdes-Fauli Archives. 

The Open House will begin at 10:10 a.m. with coffee, juice, pastries and bagels; activities for children and families and self-guided tours. The beautiful 1939 building – whose spectacular restoration will serve as the Museum’s initial “exhibition” – will be open all day for casual visits, activities and tours.  The Museum’s Main Entrance is at 285 Aragon Avenue in Downtown Coral Gables.

At 2:00 p.m., the project’s architect, Jorge L. Hernandez, will speak on the process and inspirations he used to transform the landmark 1939 Police and Fire Station into the Coral Gables Museum.  Activities for children and families and self guided tours will continue throughout the day.  Following Mr. Hernandez’s lecture, cake and ice cream will be served in the new Museum Courtyard.

At 4:00 p.m. live music will begin in the Giralda Plaza, a newly created public space on the corner of Salzedo and Giralda, as guests arrive for the 5:00 p.m. dedication ceremonies.

At 5:00 p.m. the governing bodies of the two host organizations – the City of Coral Gables and the Coral Gables Museum – will recognize and honor all those individuals, governmental agencies, corporations and private foundations that have made this renovation and construction possible.

A symbolic ribbon will be cut at the end of the ceremonies and everyone will be encouraged to tour the beautiful new Museum and Archives. Music, hors d'oeuvres and mojitos provided by Bacardi USA of Coral Gables will continue in the plaza until 7:00 p.m.

The Coral Gables Museum is a public / private partnership between the City of Coral Gables and the Coral Gables Museum Corp., a not for profit 501.c.3 corporation. The Museum will operate this educational cultural institution within the City owned facility which will also house the Coral Gables Historic Preservation Department.  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 contributions.  

The Coral Gables Museum has been the dream of many Coral Gables leaders for over a decade.  By 2005 it became evident that the Gables’ old Municipal Building, better known as the Old Police and Fire Station, had deteriorated to a point where major renovation was needed.  The building, a 1939 Deco and Mediterranean Revival coral stone structure designed and constructed as a WPA project, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  Holding true to Coral Gables’ vision of historic preservation in The City Beautiful, City officials and the newly formed Coral Gables Museum Corp. began a partnership to restore and renovate the building, add a state-of-the-art exhibition gallery in an adjacent parking lot and create a new museum in the heart of the City’s downtown.  The Museum, with its beautiful gallery spaces, community meeting room, courtyard and plaza, will serve as the cultural center of The City Beautiful.

Construction and restoration of the new Coral Gables Museum has recently been completed.  In addition to restoring the 1939 building, the Museum has built the 3,000 square foot Robert and Marian Fewell Gallery to present major exhibitions.  Mr. and Mrs. Fewell, the project’s largest private donors, contributed the funds to build the new Gallery. 

Other funding for the project came from the City of Coral Gables, private donations to the City of Coral Gables, contributions to the Coral Museum Corp., the State of Florida Historical Preservation Program and Miami-Dade County General Obligation Bond Funds.

The Museum’s mission is to celebrate, investigate and explore all aspects of architecture, landscape architecture, design and urban planning as well as historic and environmental preservation, set within the context of one of America’s first and most successful planned communities – the City of Coral Gables. 

For more information, please contact Steven Klindt, Executive Director of the Coral Gables Museum at 305-301-6616 or at Steven@CoralGablesMuseum.org 

The Museum’s website is CoralGablesMuseum.org

Additional photographs are available.

July 12, 2010

Contact: Christine Rupp at this link or 305-603-8067.

Coral Gables Museum’s City Trekker Summer Camp is off to a Great Start

Campers enrolled in the new City Trekker Summer Camp at the Coral Gables Museum did their share of exploring the City Beautiful during Urban Masterpiece Week, the first of several one-week sessions. From residences to office towers, the campers were treated to guided tours of the City’s most distinct landmarks. Stops included The Biltmore Hotel, the Merrick House, Coral Gables City Hall and the Alhambra Towers where owner Allen Morris provided a personalized tour. After touring the City, studying works by master artists, learning about public art and crafting their own architectural creations, campers broke into teams to plan, design, construct and name their own ideal cities.
Every week at camp’s end, students will present their works and experiences to friends and family at Friday Finale. With a different theme each week, City Trekker Campers are currently enrolled in “Picture Perfect” – a week of field trips and photography projects. Next week, July 5-9, is “Garden Challenge”.

For more information about City Trekker Summer Camp visit www.coralgablesmuseum.org or call Caroline Parker, Director of Programs at 305-989-4209.
The Museum’s mission is to celebrate, investigate and explore all aspects of architecture, landscape architecture, design and urban planning as well as historic and environmental preservation set within the context of one of America’s first and most successful planned communities – the City of Coral Gables.

May 6, 2010

Contact: Christine Rupp at this link or 305-603-8067.

Coral Gables Museum Hosts Building a Dream Book Signing

The Coral Gables Museum invites the public to a very special book signing and unveiling at the Museum on Thursday, May 20 at 6:00pm. Student authors of Building a Dream, a beautiful book detailing the development and architectural heritage of the City of Coral Gables, will be on hand to sign books and discuss their contributions to the project. The students, who were participants in Shenandoah Middle Museum Magnet School Program, completed 15 hand-bound editions of the book last year. The book was so well-received that a group composed of The Villagers, Lynn Bauer, Claire-Frances Whitehurst and Robert Fewell decided to fund further production of the book. Building a Dream will be available for sale with proceeds to benefit children’s educational programs at the Museum. The book signing and sale will be the first public event to be held in the new Community Room at the Museum, 285 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables.

March 26,2010

Contact: Christine Rupp at this link or 305-603-8067.

Museum invites families to City Trekker Open House

The Coral Gables Museum invites families to attend the City Trekker Open House on April 17th, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This free event, hosted at the new Museum facilities, will offer families information on the new City Trekker Summer Camp and provide kids with educational activities.

City Trekker Summer Camp will offer eight weeks of fun, educational activities for children ages 5-12, from June 21 through August 13. Campers will explore the City of Coral Gables on foot, by bus and by water!

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