So glad we didn't miss this! Just amazing how much detail and thought went into this winter home on Biscayne Bay built by millionaire, John Deering. The amazing home and massive gardens are more beautiful than pictures can describe. I was a little skeptical after reading some of the reviews on here. I was impressed and I think you will be too.
The gardens were beautiful as was the house, which was somewhat reminiscent of the Rhode Island mansions, as well as of the Biltmore near Asheville. Made for an interesting day of activity, and all the more lovely being situated on the ocean. Unfortunately the cafe was under renovation, though we were still able to have a light lunch there, which was nice. Price could be lower, but it was Miami, and the cost of continuing to maintain the property is surely not insignificant. Certainly a must see in Miami.
I was sad to see the damage that weather has caused to this historic architectural gem. Portions remain closed and there was no indication about whether they would be reopening. Crews were setting up for a big party and facilities are a bit limited as the area where the restaurant, shop and restrooms were located was affected. I wish my friends could have seen it in its former glory!
We were looking for something to do in Miami over Memorial Day weekend that was inexpensive and easy to access by public transportation. We rode TriRail which offers an all-day ticket for $5 on Sundays. We transferred to Metrorail easily which cost another $4.50 each (round trip). It’s an easy walk to the museum from the Vizcaya Metrorail stop. Once at the museum we received free admission, both being veterans. Much appreciated, thank you! We purchased the $3 ‘guide book’ (a pamphlet) that really wasn’t necessary. There are plaques throughout the house and free maps available. The setting overlooking Biscayne Bay is lovely and it was fun to imagine guests arriving by boat in the heyday. Nature has been harsh on some of the structures. We noticed some attempts to repair these using concrete. We just got the impression (like other reviewers have also noted) that they don’t have the skills, funds, or staff to properly maintain the place. I also noticed many visitors with a wanton disrespect for the furnishings inside the home...leaning, touching, opening and closing cabinets, flash photos. I said to my boyfriend that I was shocked they’d have Ming Dynasty vases so openly displayed and vulnerable. The grounds are large and the gardens are pretty and restful but also show signs of neglect. What a huge difference it would make if all the fountains were operational and the green algae was gone. All this being said, we enjoyed our visit and seeing a little of old Miami history. Two hours was plenty to cover everything. If you are using public transportation, be advised it takes a little research to coordinate schedules, particularly on a Sunday when service is limited.
Being a museum buff I was very excited coming to Vizcaya, especially after reading Welcome to Fairyland: Queer Miami Before 1940 which heavily features Vizcaya and its queer builder, Paul Chalfin.
The gardens are magnificent, the surrounding structures are also amazing. Yes, there are signs of deterioration but after a hurricane and being right on saltwater and in direct sunlight Im surprised buildings like the Tea House still stand at all.
The house is beautiful, and I enjoyed signs pointing out the conservation work done to various items. The audio guide was okay, through I felt I could not enjoy it as the house was so crowded with other visitors that I had to stop the commentary short and go to the next room. More benches would have been welcomed. It seems like everyone had a full run of the house, lean on the historic furniture, try to open all the drawers in the kitchen, swing the bird house around, climb on the pillars, etc. I wish more respect was given to the artifacts. An easy solution would be to have educators/interpreters walk around the house answering any questions and also making sure visitors did not damage the house.
Finally, I found it very disappointing how Vizcaya talks about the lives of Deering and Chalfin. Yes, assigning someone like Deering as gay is anachronistic, but at the very least he definitely added to the queer culture of Miami and was friends was open gay men like Paul Chalfin who lived with his boyfriend Mr. Koons. The audio guide talks about Chalfin in almost every stop in the greatest of detail yet does not talk about the fact he was an open gay man in the 1920s. I find it interesting that the Vizcaya will host the queer fundraiser, the White Party, every year yet will not address its own queer history.
