Begoña Rovira, an associate dean at Northeastern’s Miami campus, recommends a modern art museum with waterfront views.
Begoña Rovira started as associate dean at the Miami campus this past summer, coming in to welcome the first cohort of graduate students to the new program. But she’s lived in the city for 20 years. “When people think of Miami, they think of the party life and all the opportunities to be outdoors,” she says. “The beaches, the easy access to the Everglades and the Keys.”
But the city is also a fine arts hotspot, filled with what Rovira touts as “world class” galleries and museums. (You can trust her on this; she grew up in Madrid.) Her must-see destination: The Pérez Art Museum Miami, or PAMM, about two miles from Northeastern’s campus in the city’s Wynwood neighborhood.
Situated downtown and overlooking Biscayne Bay, PAMM is focused on contemporary art, with a permanent collection that includes works from Dan Flavin, Kehinde Wiley (who painted Barack Obama’s official portrait) and Kiki Smith. The museum also features a large assortment of art from the Americas, including paintings from Cuban and Mexican artists like Jose Bedia Valdes and Diego Rivera. And you still won’t miss out on the best of the Miami outdoors: Biscayne Bay is on full view from Verde, the bar and restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating on PAMM’s first floor. “It’s in such a beautiful spot with amazing views, and it has a great, great restaurant,” Rovira says.