MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CEO
This has been a terrific year for Vizcaya, thanks to our generous and committed friends and supporters. Visitation has rebounded and our programs celebrating South Florida’s rich cultural and environmental heritage have grown in content and popularity. We also have finally completed the multimillion-dollar program of Hurricane Irma repairs. If you haven’t yet seen the magnificently restored waterfront Barge, Tea House and Boat Landing, please visit us soon. Over the summer, Vizcaya secured prestigious ten-year re-accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums, with high marks for our professionalism in stewarding the estate and connecting with our community. Only about 3% of museums in the United States are accredited by AAM and we are honored by this distinction.
This year we have also mounted a celebration of our gardens’ 100th birthday! Designed by the talented Colombian-born landscape architect Diego Suarez, Vizcaya’s gardens present subtropical plants in a European-inspired setting that features figurative sculptures and sparkling fountains. Thanks to the inspiring work of our Horticulture and Sustainability Department, Vizcaya’s unique and spectacular gardens grow better every year. In conjunction with this celebration, Vizcaya launched the Garden Centennial Campaign to raise funds for three projects that will significantly enhance visitor experience. One is the comprehensive restoration of the monumental mural on the ceiling of the Garden Mound Casino. The center panel is from the studio of Venetian fresco painter Giambattista Tiepolo (1696–1770), while the remainder was created by Swiss artist Paul Thévenaz (1891–1921) for Vizcaya. The other two projects are in the Marine Garden in the estate’s southeast corner. There, we are replicating the long-missing gates by renowned ironworker Samuel Yellin (1884–1940) and the four fanciful peacock-topped columns by French sculptor Gaston Lachaise (1882–1935). We extend heartfelt thanks to our members and donors who supported Vizcaya’s general operations and specific programs or initiatives. And we are grateful to County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and the Board of County Commissioners for their commitment to Vizcaya’s survival and success. 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!
Joel M. Hoffman Executive Director/CEO
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