The Freedom Tower

The Freedom Tower

Miami Dade College’s National Historic Landmark Freedom Tower has stood as an icon on the Downtown Miami skyline since 1925. A storied location with deep connections to Miami’s Cuban American community, the Freedom Tower is home to the flagship Museum of Art and Design and MDC Special Collections, which include the Cuban Legacy Gallery, the Kislak Center, and the Exile Experience. The Freedom Tower also houses MDC’s Cultural Affairs Department and the offices of the Miami Book Fair, the Miami Film Festival, and MDC Live Arts.

Built in 1925 as a new home for the city’s oldest newspaper and a grand architectural assertion of Miami’s urban ambition, the Freedom Tower became an emblem of the ideal of America as a democratic haven for those seeking freedom and opportunity. From 1962 to 1974, it served as the Cuban Assistance Center, a crucial help center for hundreds of thousands of Cuban refugees fleeing communism and political persecution. These immigrants would transform Miami. Following several decades of neglect, the Tower was rescued by Cuban American community leaders seeking to honor the Cuban legacy in Miami, who donated it to Miami Dade College in 2005.

A new website for the Freedom Tower and MDC Special Collections will be launched soon. Stay tuned!