MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CEO
Your unwavering support has been instrumental in our mission to safeguard this treasured landmark and share its beauty and history with our community and the world. Although Vizcaya was built as a private home, it has served the public for the vast majority of its history. Today, the estate welcomes over 300,000 visitors annually through daytime admissions, community programs, educational experiences and events. Vizcaya is embedded in our community’s collective memory; it is an anchor to our shared past. But the estate also plays an active role in shaping the future of this vibrant city through relevant initiatives co-created with an array of nonprofit partners. This past year, we continued our partnerships with Black residents of Coconut Grove, whose ancestors played a formative role in the creation of Vizcaya. And we developed ties with our Miccosukee and Seminole neighbors to promote their important cultural legacy. In addition to the well-known house and gardens, there is exciting work occurring across South Miami Avenue in the historic Vizcaya Village where we are making great progress in our ongoing plans to revitalize the space. Once a functioning farm that supported the estate’s operations, the Village includes 11 historic buildings on 12 acres. The weekly Village Farmers Market has been a great success and we have launched new urban farming programs to support it. This year we are restoring buildings and re-establishing the native landscape in the Village, and we look forward to sharing new stories and experiences with the public in 2024. By uniting the bayfront house and gardens with the historic Village, we are positioning Vizcaya to be a resilient, enduring and inclusive leader in our cultural ecosystem for many years to come.
Vizcaya is also making strides with its varied environmental initiatives. We are engaged in capital projects to render the house and gardens more resilient. Our staff Environmental Sustainability Committee has spearheaded many initiatives to reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions. This past year, for example, we composted 10,589 pounds of waste, diverting these from landfill. In collaboration with partners focused on environmental science, Vizcaya actively promotes public programming that addresses climate change—and this year we launched our Teen Environmental Council, bringing together 13 students from across Miami-Dade to help us figure out new ways to motivate our community to protect the environment. None of these achievements are possible without your generous contributions, volunteer efforts and advocacy, and we extend heartfelt thanks to all of you, to Vizcaya’s dedicated Board of Directors, to Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and to the Board of County Commissioners. As we look toward to the future, we remain committed to expanding our educational initiatives, broadening our reach and deepening our engagement with the community. Together we are protecting this special piece of our community’s history while nurturing the vision for its very bright future. Thank you for your friendship and support!
GET TO KNOW VIZCAYA’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CEO
Joel M. Hoffman Dr. Joel M. Hoffman will celebrate 20 years of service as the Executive Director/CEO of Vizcaya Museum and Gardens in January 2024. His commitment to fostering enriching engagement with history and cultural resources has defined his museum career. During his tenure at Vizcaya, the organization has experienced significant growth, doubling the number of annual visitors and introducing new public and educational initiatives oriented toward innovation, inclusion, relevance and social responsibility. Prior to joining Vizcaya, Joel served as Vice Director for Education and Program Development for the Brooklyn Museum of Art in New York and before that as Associate Director for The Wolfsonian-FIU in Miami Beach. He holds a doctorate in art history from Yale University and an undergraduate degree in English from the University of Pennsylvania. Joel is thrilled to have finally completed the repair of the damage caused by Hurricane Irma and excited to undertake momentous capital and programmatic initiatives on both sides of the property in the years ahead!
Joel M. Hoffman Executive Director/CEO
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