Starting with a collection of 500 artworks donated by the Bass family over fifty years ago, the Bass Museum of Art in Miami Beach has now expanded to include 3000 artworks. Collection highlights include European paintings and sculpture from the 15th to the 21st centuries, tapestries, textiles, ecclesiastical vestments and artefacts from the 7th to the 21st centuries. Also included are North American, Caribbean, Asian and South American artworks, photographs, prints and drawings, contemporary architecture and design pertaining to post and pre WWII works from Miami Beach.
Spanning over five hundred years, the permanent collection of the museum covers four continents. Among its extensive European collection are renaissance and baroque paintings, rococo paintings from European courts, English portraiture, 19th and 20th century landscapes and historical paintings. Works by Rubens, several Italian masters and a rare altar piece and other works by Botticelli are among its treasured pieces as is an exceptional collection of Austrian art that is thought to be the best in the US. The museum also houses Florida’s only Egyptian gallery showcasing sixteen Egyptian antiquities among which is a sarcophagus and a mummy. Among the textile collection is a much prized 16th century Flemish tapestry that apparently was part of the collection of Henry VIII at Knole House in England.
The most recent upgrade of the museum has given it a new look, expanded its exhibition space, added a sculpture terrace, a museum café and courtyard and a museum shop. This development has made it possible for the museum to showcase its extraordinary permanent collection in a truly magnificent space. The museum also has a lab and its newly added information workshop makes it possible for aspiring artists to create masterpieces using computer graphics.
As one of the newest additions on the hospitality scene Metropolitan by COMO Miami Beach in the city’s historic heart offers guests an eclectic art deco style experience with a modern twist. The minimalist contemporary design and the cool tones of the rooms make this accommodation in South Beach Miami among the best in the city, offering a relaxing refuge from hectic lifestyles.
Nigel Walters is a travel writer, who writes under the pen name, Fritzjames Stephen. His content is based on the myriad of experiences and indulgences that the world has to offer travellers across all walks of life.