Perez Art Museum Miami (PAMM): Tickets, Hours & Guide (2026)
The Perez Art Museum Miami — PAMM to locals — is the city’s leading contemporary art museum and one of downtown’s true architectural landmarks. Designed by Herzog & de Meuron and draped in Patrick Blanc’s hanging vertical gardens, the bayfront building holds fifteen gallery spaces devoted to 20th- and 21st-century art from the Americas, the Caribbean, and the African diaspora. Since opening in 2013 in a new waterfront park, it has grown into one of the South’s most significant collections, drawing more than 250,000 visitors a year. Here’s everything you need to plan a visit: tickets, hours, the building, the collection, and how to get there.
The Essentials
PAMM sits at 1103 Biscayne Boulevard in downtown Miami. It’s open Monday and Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., stays open until 9 p.m. on Thursday, and closes Tuesday and Wednesday. Admission runs $16 for adults and $12 for students, seniors, and youth ages 7 to 18, while children under 6, members, veterans, first responders, and healthcare workers get in free. The whole museum is also free to everyone on the second Saturday of each month, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Most visitors spend 90 minutes to two hours here, working through a collection of more than 3,000 works inside a building that’s become a Miami icon in its own right.
The Building
The museum is the work of Swiss firm Herzog & de Meuron, the Pritzker Prize winners behind London’s Tate Modern and Beijing’s Olympic Stadium. Their design takes its cues from Stiltsville, the cluster of 1920s wooden houses perched on pilings out in Biscayne Bay, which is why the whole structure feels like it’s hovering just above the water. The signature flourish is Patrick Blanc’s hanging gardens, columns of living plants that cascade from steel cables across the facade. Underneath runs a vast covered veranda — an open-air ground floor that catches the bay breeze and ranks among the best photo spots downtown. It’s all LEED-certified and engineered to stand up to hurricanes and rising seas, which in Miami is less a bonus than a necessity.
The Permanent Collection
More than 3,000 works make up the permanent collection, and its center of gravity reflects the city around it: 20th- and 21st-century art with deep representation from Latin American, Caribbean, and African diaspora artists. You’ll find names like Hernan Bas, Beatriz Milhazes, José Bedia, Wifredo Lam, Frank Bowling, Nick Cave, Mark Bradford, and Olafur Eliasson. Among the recurring highlights are Carlos Cruz-Diez’s immersive color installations, Frank Stella’s “Sketch Variation” prints, and Kara Walker’s film “Eight Possible Beginnings.” Rotations on the second floor mean there’s almost always something new even if you’ve visited before.
Current Exhibitions
PAMM’s fifteen galleries turn over two or three times a year, so the special-exhibition lineup is always shifting. Recent marquee shows have included a major Jean-Michel Basquiat presentation — the largest gathering of his work shown in Florida to date — alongside “This Is America,” a collection exhibition built around the United States’ 250th anniversary, and “Get in the Game,” which looks at sport, competition, and endurance through contemporary art. Because the calendar moves, it’s worth checking what’s on before you go; the museum’s official exhibitions page always has the current schedule, and programming peaks each December around Art Basel.
Tickets & Free Admission Days
Standard admission is $16 for adults and $12 for students, seniors, and youth aged 7 to 18, with children under 6 admitted free. Members get in free, as do veterans, first responders, and healthcare workers. The best deal is the free second Saturday of every month, open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. — reserve online, because the slots fill fast. Some Thursday evenings are also free during certain months, so check the calendar. If you expect to return, a $95 annual individual membership pays for itself in two or three visits and skips the ticket line entirely.
Eating at PAMM
The museum’s signature restaurant, Verde at PAMM, turns out modern Mediterranean plates on a bay-view terrace and is one of the more enjoyable lunches downtown; reservations are smart on weekends. For something quicker and cheaper, the open-air Veranda café handles coffee, sandwiches, and light bites. And if you’d rather wander, Bayside Marketplace and its casual food-court options are a five-minute walk away.
Programs & Events
Beyond the galleries, PAMM keeps a busy events calendar. Free Second Saturdays pair open admission with family programming and live music. PAMM at Night extends Thursday hours to 9 p.m., with periodic late events. There are occasional Saturday-morning yoga sessions on the veranda, and free curator-led tours run most days with admission. The biggest stretch of the year comes each December, when the museum’s programming ramps up alongside Art Basel Miami Beach and the city’s wider art-week activity across the Design District and beyond.
Pair It With Frost Science
PAMM shares the 21-acre Maurice A. Ferré Park with the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, and the two sit a short walk apart on the same downtown bayfront. Combo passes save about 15 percent versus buying tickets separately, and the pairing makes for a natural full day — figure four to five hours across both. The aquarium and planetarium next door are a different kind of experience entirely, so it’s an easy sell for mixed groups; our Frost Science Museum guide covers what to expect.
Getting There
PAMM is genuinely easy to reach. From South Beach it’s about 15 minutes by Uber or Lyft ($20–25); from Brickell and downtown it’s five minutes by car or a free ride on the Metromover; and from Miami International Airport, count on roughly 20 minutes by rideshare. The free Metromover’s Museum Park Station drops you right at the front door, and Brightline riders can walk over from MiamiCentral Station in about 15 minutes. If you drive, the park’s garage charges $10 a visit.
A Sample Half-Day at PAMM
If you want a loose plan, start around 10:30 a.m. with a walk through the bayfront park (and a free yoga session if one’s scheduled). Head inside at 11 and give the second-floor permanent collection until about 12:30, then break for lunch at Verde — book ahead. Spend the early afternoon with the special exhibitions on the first floor, then walk over to Frost Science around 3 p.m. on a combo ticket for the aquarium and planetarium. Cap it off, if you like, with a sunset loop on the Metromover around 5:30.
Tips for Your Visit
A few things worth knowing before you go. Book free second-Saturday tickets early — they’re often gone a week out. Thursdays tend to be the quietest, and the 11 a.m.–9 p.m. hours give you late-afternoon flexibility. Photography is allowed in most galleries as long as you skip the flash, though some special exhibitions restrict it. The Veranda café is far cheaper than Verde if you just want a quick bite. Combining with Frost Science saves around 15 percent, and Florida residents get in free on some Sundays, so check the schedule. The one thing to plan around: the museum is closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does PAMM cost?
Admission is $16 for adults, $12 for students and seniors, and free for children under 6. The museum is free for everyone on the second Saturday of each month.
Is the Perez Art Museum Miami worth it?
For anyone who enjoys contemporary art, yes. The building is one of the most architecturally significant in Miami, the bayfront setting elevates the whole visit, and free second Saturdays make it accessible to everyone.
When is PAMM free?
Every second Saturday of the month, all day from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The calendar also lists periodic free Thursday evenings.
How long does PAMM take to see?
Most people spend 90 minutes to two hours. Allow three if you want to linger over the permanent collection or join a curator-led tour.
Can I take photos at PAMM?
Yes — most galleries allow non-flash photography. A few special exhibitions restrict it, and signage will let you know.
Is PAMM accessible?
Fully wheelchair accessible, with free wheelchair loaners available at the visitor center with ID.
Where do I park at PAMM?
There’s a paid garage in Museum Park for about $10 a visit. The free Metromover’s Museum Park Station also drops you right at the entrance.
Make a Day of It Downtown
PAMM is the anchor of a great downtown day. Slot it into a wider tour of the city’s arts and culture scene, see where it ranks among the best museums in Miami, and explore the rest of downtown Miami while you’re here. Since the second-Saturday admission is free, it also earns a spot on any list of free things to do in Miami — and as an indoor, climate-controlled afternoon, it’s a reliable pick for rainy-day activities too.
For the official exhibitions schedule and ticket booking, see the official PAMM website.