-Our mission is to preserve and present the rich military heritage of south Florida to inspire and educate future Americans.
-Our Museum Building is on the National Register of Historic Places, the only remaining building of the original Richmond military base.
-The building was built as Navy Headquarters (1942) against the Nazi U-boat attacks on Florida in WWII.
-During the anti-Castro Cold War era it was the largest CIA Station south of Langley, VA, for the gallant Cuban freedom fighters.
-During Vietnam it was our Army Reserve Center, housing the 324th Army MASH (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital).
-In the 1980s it became our Marine Corps Reserve Center. From here our Marines deployed to Desert Storm in 1991.
The building saw fifty years of our local military activity. It is an illustrious heritage. From the Navy blimps who fought the Nazis; to the gallant anti-communist Cuban Freedom Fighters. From Vietnam to Desert Storm. Our award-winning restoration of this historic building is the largest artifact in our collection. Inside we tell the stories of the brave Miami-Dade County men and women who have served since Miami was born. All branches are honored. We recognize the intrepid Tuskegee Airmen who settled in the community of Richmond Heights a mile away, the first African-American GI housing built after WWII. We are a destination for young and old alike. We are located next door to the expanding Zoo Miami and Gold Coast Railroad Museum, great attractions also located on what was the original military base. Few know that our County is named for a Army officer who gave his life long ago. Marjory Stoneman Douglas, the champion of the Everglades, served in the Navy. Tuskegee Airmen settled here. Florida has had only 23 Medal of Honor Recipients. One was from Miami: Bruce Wayne Carter, Marine Corps, PFC. The former Mayor of Coral Gables served in Vietnam. Two County Commissioners served at the Bay of Pigs. We plan to build a half-size replica of the Vietnam Wall, and other destination exhibits on our grounds. You are all welcome. Come and see!
Our mission is to preserve and present the rich military heritage of south Florida to inspire and educate future Americans. Especially those of Miami-Dade County. Good Citizenship is our motto. There are 26 Junior ROTC High Schools in Miami-Dade, more than any other county in Florida. Each high school unit has 200-300 voluntary cadets. They are a key constituency and outreach of this institution. Together with the Young Marines, Naval Sea Cadets, Civil Air Patrol, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts these young people amount to nothing less than the future of America. We host a unit of Sea Cadets, the Richmond Division, in our building. Our goal is to inspire them, and all our visitors, young and old alike. Ideals such as service, sacrifice, accomplishment, respect for others, fairness, civility, equality of everyone under the law; are vital to our continued existence as a people.
Organization name
Miami-Dade Military Museum and Memorial
Tax id (EIN)
65-0791344
Mission Category
Arts & Culture
Program Site Locations
All of Miami-Dade County, Coral Gables, Homestead, Miami: All Communities, Miami Beach
Annual Operating Budget
$500,000 - $999,999
Primary Population Served
Black/African American/African, Hispanic/Latino/Latina/Latinx, Veterans
Address
12460 SW 152 Street at Zoo Miami