De la Cruz Collection
The de la Cruz Collection was a landmark contemporary art museum located at 23 NE 41st Street in Miami's Design District that operated as a free public institution from 2009 until its permanent closure in 2024. Founded by Cuban-born businessman Carlos de la Cruz and his wife Rosa, the museum housed an extraordinary collection of approximately 1,000 contemporary artworks spanning multiple decades and artistic movements, featuring pieces by renowned artists including Christopher Wool, Mark Bradford, Félix González-Torres, Ana Mendieta, Peter Doig, and Isa Genzken. The 30,000-square-foot facility, designed by architect John Marquette, emerged from the couple's passion for collecting that began in the late 1980s from their home and evolved through their stewardship of Moore Space, a nonprofit kunsthalle they founded and chaired from 2001 to 2007. Since 1998, ArtNews consistently recognized Rosa and Carlos de la Cruz among the worldwide survey of Top 200 Collectors, cementing their status as influential tastemakers in the global contemporary art world. The museum closed following Rosa de la Cruz's death in February 2024 after a lengthy illness, with her family subsequently selecting Christie's auction house to sell the collection over several sales for an estimated total of $30 million. Rosa's visionary leadership transformed the de la Cruz Collection into an essential cultural institution that shaped Miami's artistic identity during the city's emergence as a major international art hub, while her educational initiatives sent hundreds of Miami students on study trips to premier art centers in Europe and New York City.
Miami Connection
The de la Cruz Collection served as a transformative cultural anchor for Miami's Design District and broader contemporary art ecosystem, providing free access to world-class contemporary artworks that attracted international visitors and solidified the city's reputation as a serious contender in the global art market. Rosa de la Cruz's leadership created significant educational impact through scholarship programs and student travel initiatives that exposed hundreds of Miami-Dade public schoolchildren to major art institutions and fostered the next generation of arts professionals and informed citizens. The museum became an integral component of Miami Art Week celebrations, with the de la Cruz family hosting annual VIP galas and artist events at their Key Biscayne residence that established Miami as a destination for collectors and art professionals worldwide. The collection's presence in the Design District contributed to the neighborhood's transformation into a thriving cultural destination, generating economic activity through tourism, attracting other cultural institutions and galleries, and enhancing property values while maintaining the family's commitment to philanthropic accessibility through free museum admission for 15 years.
Key People
Quick Facts
- Industry
- Contemporary Art Museum and Collection
- Headquarters
- Miami, Florida
- Founded
- 2009