MDC Special Collections

MDC Special Collections

The galleries of the MDC Special Collections are located on the first floor of the Freedom Tower. Holding important historical and archival materials, as well as hosting a dynamic range of contemporary artists and discussions, MDC Special Collections promote fresh perspectives on the ongoing processes of culture and change in the Americas.

The Kislak Center exhibits rare objects from the Jay I. Kislak collection, donated to Miami Dade College in 2018. Assembled over the course of many decades, the collection is considered one of the most important of its kind in the United States and includes some of the most significant original source materials related to the history of the early Americas; it includes rare books, maps, manuscripts, pre-Columbian artifacts, and other historical materials that offer new perspectives on the events and personalities that helped shape the modern world.

The Cuban Legacy Gallery hosts dynamic exhibitions of contemporary art that reflects the impact of Cuban culture in South Florida and throughout the world. Showcasing artists of Cuban descent, these exhibitions elucidate the richness of the Cuban American experience. The exhibitions and related programs often use cultural heritage as a lens to explore history, identity, and exile.

The Exile Experience presents interdisciplinary lectures and displays that explore the diverse experiences of exiled communities. The Exile Experience considers forced displacements, diasporic movements, memory, and cultural identity to highlight the remarkable role that exile communities continues to play in the development of Miami.