Like wine and cheese, pancakes and syrup, or Ryan Gosling and V-neck shirts, some of the finer things in life are best paired with, well, some of the finer things in life. Unfortunately, most of life's finer things come with a hefty price tag, so putting two of them together can be pretty pricey.
But this month, if you like doing things in twos while getting a bang for your buck (get your mind out of the gutter, you nasty), you're in luck! May is Miami Museum Month, during which participating museums are offering "Buy One, Get One Free" admission to all visitors and locals. During this month-long program, membership at any of the participating museums will work as a free pass to any of the other museums. There has never been a better time to put some culture in your bones.
Here's a list of museum pairings specially curated for the penny-pinchers, the art buffs, and even the downright sex-crazed.
Kinkiest Deal: World Erotic Art Museum and The Wolfsonian--FIU
Everyone has a pervy side. Hell, we live in a country where the current #1 New York Times bestseller is the raunchy, "mommy porn" dream book, 50 Shades of Grey. Pervs, open-minded folk, whatever you want to call them -- they'll love The World Erotic Museum, home to the largest collection of erotic art in America. No surprise, it's on South Beach. The WEAM's collection includes paintings, tapestries, and art objects dating from to the early days of the kinky Roman Empire to the even kinkier contemporary times. Pair your visit to WEAM with a visit to the nearby Wolfsonian, where you'll be encouraged to put a rubber on it with their latest exhibit, "Graphic Intervention." Starting May 11th, the exhibit will feature International AIDS awareness posters from over the last 25 years.
World Erotic Museum: 1205 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, 305-532-9336
Price: $15 Adults
The Wolfsonian--FIU: 1001 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, 305-535-1001
Price: $7 Adults; $5 Students and children
Airplanes with a Side of Cars Combo: Wings Over Miami Air Museum and Dezer Collection Automobile Museum
Hold up. Miami is has an air museum? (We're just as shocked as you are). Located at the Tamiami Airport, Wings Over Miami functions as an educational tribute to veterans, aviators, and aircraft history. The museum hangar houses military and vintage planes, like the B-59, 1942 Boeing Stearman, 1957 Ikarus, and the GNAT, used by the British Yellowjacks and Red Arrows aerobatic team from 1964-1979. North Miami's Dezer Auto Museum will curb any engine freak's car fixation. The museum is the undertaking of Michael Dezer, who also owns the famous Dezer Collection in Las Vegas. Featuring 1,200 vehicles including original James Bond Vehicles, Hollywood Cars of the Stars, and American/European Classics, the Dezer Collection is known as America's largest eclectic automobile museum. Children of the '80s should brace themselves to marvel at the creme de la creme of all cars -- the Delorean.
Wings Over Miami Air Museum: Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport, 14710 SW 128 St., Miami, 305-233-5197
Price: $10 Adults; $7 Senior citizens; $6 Children
Dezer Collection Automobile Museum: 2000 NE 146 St., North Miami, 305-354-7680
Price: $25 adults, $15 seniors, $10 children
Worst Value: Art Center/ South Florida and The Bakehouse Art Complex
We're not saying either of these art establishments is unworthy of your time; they're two of the most respectable, invaluable organizations in advancing contemporary art in our community. But if you're hoping to cash in on some serious cultural savings with Miami Museum Month's BOGO deal, this is not the place. Admission to both is always free, duh. But that shouldn't stop you from paying them a visit. Both Art Center and The Bakehouse Art Complex house extraordinary contemporary art galleries, and the studios of resident artists are a feast for the eyes, offering a peek into the everyday life of an artist at work. So how about free T-shirts? No? Okay, moving on.
ArtCenter/ South Florida: 800, 810, 924 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, 305-674-8278
Price: Free
The Bakehouse Art Complex: 561 NW 32 St., Miami, 305-576-2828
Price: Free
Best Deal: Miami Science Museum and Miami Children's Museum
Miami Science Museum and Miami Children's Museum are two of Miami's priciest museums. Now is as good a time as any to take advantage of the BOGO deal and have some cash leftover for a decent lunch. Miami residents get 50 percent off at MCM during the May promotion. So detach your kiddos from their Playstation (AKA digital babysitter) and take them to see the Pirate Island exhibit before it ends May 13.
Miami Science Museum: 3280 South Miami Ave., Miami, 305-646-4200
Price: $14.95 adults; $10.95 seniors, students, and children (3-12). $12.70 Dade County adults, $9.30 Dade County seniors, students, and children (3-12)
Miami Children's Museum: 980 Macarthur Cswy., Miami, 305-373-5437
Price: $15 Non-Florida Resident, $12 Florida Resident, Children under 12 months are free
Art Snob Package: Miami Art Museum and Bass Museum of Art
This pairing's for the art aficionados who know the difference between impressionism and expressionism, and for the art buffs who can tell a Manet from a Monet. Both Miami Art Museum and Bass Museum of Art arguably house the finest art collections in Miami. Though it's in transition to become the future Perez Art Museum Miami, the original MAM still houses a global contemporary art collection of artists in the likes of Jose Bedia and Wangechi Mudu. Over at Bass, you can view an impressive art collection spanning more than 500 years.
Miami Art Museum: 101 West Flagler Street Miami, 305-375-3000<
Price: $8 adults; $4 seniors; children under 12 are free
Bass Museum of Art: 2121 Park Avenue Miami Beach, 305-673-7530
Price: $8 adults; $6 seniors; children under 6 are free
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