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 is devoted to 20th- and 21st-century art from the Americas, the Caribbean, and the African diaspora. It opened in 2013 in a new waterfront park, and the setting is as much of a draw as the art. 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 $18 for adults and $14 for seniors (62+ with ID), students, and youth ages 7 to 18, while children 6 and under, members, active US military and veterans, healthcare professionals, first responders, and Florida educators (with ID) get in free. The whole museum is also free to everyone on the second Saturday of each month, during regular Saturday hours. The collection lives 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
The permanent collection leans toward the city around it: 20th- and 21st-century art 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.”
Current Exhibitions
The special-exhibition lineup changes through the year. 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 each December the museum stages special exhibitions and events around Miami Art Week.
Tickets & Free Admission Days
Standard admission is $18 for adults and $14 for seniors, students, and youth aged 7 to 18, with children 6 and under admitted free. Members get in free, as do active US military and veterans, healthcare professionals, first responders, and Florida educators (with ID). The best deal is the free second Saturday of every month, during regular Saturday hours — reserve online before you go. Thursday evenings after 5 p.m. are free too. If you expect to return, an $80 annual individual membership pays for itself in five visits at the $18 adult price 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, 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. Each December the museum stages special exhibitions and events around Miami Art Week, alongside Art Basel Miami Beach and the wider art-week activity across the Design District and beyond.
Pair It With Frost Science
PAMM shares 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. The pairing makes for a natural full day. 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 easy to reach. From Brickell and downtown the simplest way is the free Metromover to Museum Park Station, which sits beside the museum and Frost Science. From South Beach or Miami International Airport, a rideshare is the easy option, though the ride time depends on traffic. If you drive, covered museum parking is $18 a visit ($11 flat for members).
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. Reserve free second-Saturday tickets online ahead of your visit. Thursday hours run until 9 p.m., which gives you late-afternoon flexibility, and entry is free after 5 p.m. Photography is allowed in most galleries as long as you skip the flash, though some special exhibitions restrict it. The Veranda café is the easy option if you just want a quick bite. The one thing to plan around: the museum is closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does PAMM cost?
Admission is $18 for adults, $14 for students and seniors, and free for children 6 and under. 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, during regular Saturday hours. Thursday evenings after 5 p.m. are free too.
How long does PAMM take to see?
Allow extra time 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?
Covered museum parking is $18 a visit ($11 flat for members). The free Metromover’s Museum Park Station is also beside the museum.
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.
A free Thursday evening at PAMM pairs well with a Heat game, because Kaseya Center is a ten-minute walk down Biscayne Boulevard. Our Miami Heat game guide explains how to find a good seat without paying lower-bowl prices, and what you can and cannot carry into the arena.
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Photo Credits
Pérez Art Museum Miami: PAMM MRD 23 by Phillip Pessar, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
PAMM across the park lawn: PAMM MRD 10 by Dan Lundberg, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Hanging gardens at PAMM: PAMM MRD 11 by Dan Lundberg, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The approach to Frost Science from the MacArthur Causeway: Frost Science museum viewed from the MacArthur Causeway by Beanjamin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The Spencer Sculpture Garden at PAMM: PAMM MRD 26 by Phillip Pessar, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
PAMM entrance terrace: PAMM MRD 17 by Phillip Pessar, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.