Art Deco

Miami’s Art Deco Historic District is all about those vibrant buildings, cool décor, and intricate details that take you back in time. The style really took off in the 1920s and 1930s, putting a modern twist on neoclassical vibes. It first popped up in Paris in 1925, and now it's known for its eye-catching colors like pastel blues and pinks, plus bright oranges, yellows, greens, and more.

Art Deco buildings often have exotic plant and animal designs inside, along with standout features like geometric fountains or statues. These playful pastel buildings come with glam touches like porthole windows, shiny curves, glass blocks, chrome accents, and terrazzo floors.

Miami Beach's Art Deco Historic District was the first 20th-century neighborhood to get a nod from the National Register of Historic Places. It’s got over 800 buildings and structures from 1923 to 1943.

Back when Miami’s Art Deco scene was almost wiped out due to neglect, Barbara Baer Capitman, a historic preservationist, stepped in. She started the Miami Design Preservation League, a non-profit focused on keeping the Miami Beach Architectural Historic District looking and feeling like its old self.

Thanks to her dedication, Miami's Art Deco got national protection, inspiring designers and developers to highlight the area’s Art Deco features and bring back those pastel boutique hotels to their former glory.

You’ll find the Art Deco Historic District on Miami Beach between 5th Street and 23rd Street, along Ocean Drive, Collins Avenue, and Washington Avenue.

Start at 5th Street and Ocean Drive, head north, and you’ll spot the charming buildings with porthole windows, curved metal rails, and flags reminiscent of the ocean liners that used to dock at the Port of Miami in the 1930s. Check out The Celino South Beach hotel between 6th and 7th Street—an Art Deco treasure that once attracted Hollywood stars like Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, and Rita Hayworth.

Nearby, the Beacon South Beach Hotel from 1936 and the 1935 Colony Hotel have neon accents and big signs you can’t miss. Across the street, a walk through Lummus Park offers stunning views of the whimsical Art Deco skyline.