Arts and Humanities University

The Lowe welcomes back in-person visitors

The Lowe Art Museum on the Coral Gables Campus has reopened to the general public and will now offer free admission through May 31, 2022.
Exterior of the Lowe Art Museum on the Coral Gables Campus
The Lowe Art Museum is located at the University of Miami Coral Gables Campus. 

The energy inside the Lowe Art Museum is reinvigorated. For the first time in 18 months, the museum has been able to open its doors, giving museum members, the campus community, and the general public the opportunity to experience art as it is meant to be experienced​​—in person. 

"My team and I could not be more excited about welcoming people back across our threshold. One of the many lessons that we have learned during the pandemic-related suspension of our on-site operations is just how critical visitors are to the overall museum experience,” explained Jill Deupi, director of the Lowe Art Museum. “Though we have maintained a robust digital presence since March 2020, we now understand what we intuitively suspected all along: It takes the energy, vitality, and enthusiasm of guests—from all walks of life—to make an art museum a living, breathing entity.” 

Three new exhibitions and many new gallery installations will be on view at the Lowe. 


William Wegman (United States, b. 1943) Beach Scene, 1984 Color Polaroid  24 X 20 in.  © William Wegman
William Wegman (United States, b. 1943)
Beach Scene, 1984
Color Polaroid
24 X 20 in.
© William Wegman

“William Wegman: Instant Miami,” gives a unique glimpse of Miami in the ’80s through a series of 22, 20-by-24-inch Polaroids—one of only five such experimental cameras—which explores the city through the eyes of an artist. Deupi explained that in 1984, Wegman was invited by the Lowe Art Museum to visit Miami, where he spent a week photographing iconic locations including South Beach, Grove Isle, and Les Violins, the Cuban cabaret-style lounge on Miami Beach. 

“This particular exhibition will resonate with people who lived in Miami at the time. The city has changed so dramatically, and it’s interesting to see how that is illustrated through Wegman’s compelling photographs,” said Deupi. 


Duane Michals (United States, b. 1932)  Yayoi Kusama, 1990s  Edition 1/25 Gelatin silver print with hand-applied text  © Duane Michals
Duane Michals (United States, b. 1932)
Yayoi Kusama, 1990s
Edition 1/25
Gelatin silver print with hand-applied text
© Duane Michals

Another exciting exhibition is “Duane Michals: The Portraitist,” which includes more than 125 commissioned portraits of actors, writers, musicians, and other celebrities. Deupi said Michals is widely recognized for deftly using his distinctive style to capture his subjects without extinguishing their unique identities or flattening their bold personalities. 

“He’s an incredible photographer who has the ability to capture not only a specific moment in time, but also the soul of a sitter in one static image,” she explained. “The exhibit features well-known figures from cinema, literature, music, and the art world. It’s fascinating to see celebrities captured in such an intimate way.” 


Pierre Cavalan (France, b. 1954) Brooch, ca. 1995 Corkscrew, shells, charms, and other found objects Collection of Myrna B. Palley  © Pierre Cavalan
Pierre Cavalan (France, b. 1954)
Brooch, ca. 1995
Corkscrew, shells, charms, and other found objects Collection of Myrna B. Palley
© Pierre Cavalan

The third exhibit, “FORCE OF NATURE: Highlights from the Myrna B. Palley Art Jewelry Collection,” shows Palley’s indomitable spirit and her keen eye as a collector. 

“This stunning niche exhibit makes clear that art jewelry is sculpture on a very small and wearable scale. It’s truly a beautiful show that commemorates the life of one of the city's most dynamic and philanthropic individuals,” Deupi pointed out. 


There are other exhibitions in the Ben Tobin Gallery, which features modern and contemporary works.

“I'm proud and relieved and grateful to my team, but I'm really happy and excited that the people who have been waiting to be able to come back to the Lowe can now do so. As a director, it's the happiness of others that fills me with the greatest sense of achievement,” declared Deupi. 

In addition, the Lowe will offer free general admission through May 31, 2022, according to Deupi. “We are equally thrilled that—thanks to our long-standing donor and community partner, Beaux Arts—we are able to offer complimentary general admission for all, in keeping with our renewed diversity, equity, access, and inclusion commitments and BA's parallel commitment to bringing the arts and art education to our community,” she noted. 

The museum will operate at reduced capacity to prioritize the health and safety of visitors, staff, and the campus community. It is open to visitors by reservation only on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. and will be closed Sundays through Wednesdays. Other helpful information, including additional health and safety measures, is updated regularly on the museum’s website.