For those who toil long hours to pay rent on a dank 500-square-foot South Beach studio, the allure of our sandy playground may be lost on you. But for the more than four million tourists who flock to our city every year, the majestic palms, Art Deco hotels, and topless sunbathers still hold some cachet. So how did this little old sandbar become a recreational wonderland for snowbirds and movie stars alike? Follow the city’s transformation from mangroves to Miami Modern architecture through a collection of more than 100 artifacts at the Historical Museum of Southern Florida. Opening today, “Miami Beach: America’s Tropical Resort” features photographs of bathing beauties from the Twenties, promotional films and home videos, postcards, and advertising brochures that were used to lure visitors to our mosquito-ridden island paradise. You can also take a 3-D gander at our developing state in “Stereoviews of Florida and the Caribbean.” Peek through stereoscopes to see dramatic captures of the Everglades, sugar-cane fields, and the first trickle of luxury hotels in the late-Nineteenth and early-Twentieth centuries (running through September 10). The museum is open Monday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Sunday noon to 5:00 p.m. Admission is just five bucks for adults, two for children ages six to twelve, and everyone gets in free on Saturdays. Call 305-375-1492, or visit www.historical-museum.org.
June 23-Jan. 14