Miami’s Freedom Tower set to reopen as Cuban exile museum

Miami’s historic Freedom Tower, once known as a beacon for Cuban exiles, is reopening next month as a museum after a major renovation.

The 14-story Spanish Revival building, built in 1925, originally served as the headquarters of the Miami Daily News. But from 1962 to 1974, it became a lifeline for nearly 400,000 Cubans fleeing Fidel Castro’s communist rule. At the tower, the U.S. government provided medical services, English lessons, and basic supplies — including peanut butter, a first for many refugees.

Dubbed the “Ellis Island of the South,” the tower welcomed new arrivals with vaccines, job postings, and financial aid. For exiles, it became a place of safety and hope. Over time, Cuban Americans transformed Miami into one of America’s most vibrant cultural and economic centers.

After decades of neglect, the building was saved from demolition in 1997 and later donated to Miami Dade College. Even in disrepair, it remained a powerful symbol for the Cuban diaspora. It hosted vigils for singer Celia Cruz in 2003 and served as the backdrop when Marco Rubio launched his 2015 presidential campaign.

Now, following a $65 million restoration funded by Florida state support, federal grants, the college, and private donors, the Freedom Tower will reopen with immersive exhibits. Designed by the same team behind New York’s 9/11 Memorial & Museum, the galleries trace the Cuban exile journey, from the Bay of Pigs invasion to Operation Peter Pan, when thousands of children were sent to the U.S. alone.

The museum also looks beyond Cuba, with stories of migrants from Venezuela, Haiti, and Nicaragua who later sought refuge in Miami. Visitors can hear over 300 oral histories, including voices like Gloria Estefan, or record their own memories in a studio.

The final gallery celebrates the resilience and culture of Miami’s immigrant community, filled with sunlight, salsa, and color.

“Miami and the world would not be what it is today without them,” said Miami Dade College President Madeline Pumariega, whose Cuban parents also came through the exile program. “This shows what immigrants contribute — and will continue to contribute — to America.”