Living Land, Living Memory is a digital collection of oral histories that centers on the stories of the land where Vizcaya Museum and Gardens now stand—ancestral lands shaped by centuries of human connection, culture, and care.

These personal narratives include Indigenous perspectives, the ecological and cultural significance of Biscayne Bay, and reflections on Miami’s layered history. They illuminate the often-unseen histories, foundational truths along the shores of the Bay, and Vizcaya’s journey to uncover more about the land.

Supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and FIU’s Wolfsonian Public Humanities Lab, this project represents a key step in Vizcaya’s commitment to truth-telling and land stewardship. Through this work, we established our Living Land Acknowledgement Committee, now in its third year, and we continue to co-create at least one public program annually that honors the land and its original peoples.

Living Land, Living Memory is featured as part of Beyond Vizcaya, a storytelling platform that expands the museum’s narrative to include the voices, communities, and histories that have long shaped this place.

We invite you to explore these stories—to listen, reflect and join us in recognizing the legacy of this land.