Ken Griffin donates $20 million to restore Miami’s historic Vizcaya Village
- Jake Nicholas
- Nov 10
- 3 min read
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens has entered a transformative new chapter with a landmark $20 million philanthropic gift from Citadel founder and CEO Ken Griffin, marking one of the most significant cultural investments in Miami’s history. The contribution will advance Vizcaya’s long-term master plan and fund the creation of a new Center for Learning and Discovery at Vizcaya Village, reimagining the historic property as a dynamic hub for education, creativity, and community engagement.
The new Center will be located within Vizcaya Village’s restored courtyard and four original structures—once home to barns and stables—and will offer educational programming for students, families, and visitors, including hands-on artmaking and urban agriculture experiences. This initiative builds on Vizcaya’s century-old legacy of connecting people with history, art, and the environment, further positioning it as one of South Florida’s most significant cultural destinations.
In addition to the $20 million capital investment, Griffin and Vizcaya are pursuing an extraordinary opportunity to relocate and open Villa Serena—the 1913 home of former U.S. Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan—to the Vizcaya Village campus. The proposal includes an additional $5 million endowment to preserve and maintain the home in perpetuity. If approved by Miami-Dade County, the City of Miami, and other regulatory entities, this move would make Villa Serena publicly accessible for the first time in 111 years, bringing together two historic estates built by contemporaries who helped define early 20th-century Miami.
“This is a transformative moment for Vizcaya,” said Joel Hoffman, Executive Director and CEO of Vizcaya. “Ken Griffin’s extraordinary $20 million gift will accelerate our vision for Vizcaya Village as a center for education, history, and community engagement. The potential to bring Villa Serena into that story makes this moment even more meaningful.” Griffin added, “Vizcaya’s vision for a vibrant Village will connect Miami to its remarkable past and inspire what’s possible for its future. Its expansion will bring history to life in new ways, sparking curiosity, creativity, and connection across our community.”
Together, Griffin’s contributions will catalyze Vizcaya’s next fundraising campaign, enabling the museum to restore and enhance historic buildings, expand public programming, and strengthen its role as an educational and cultural anchor in Miami. The planned relocation of Villa Serena would also ensure the preservation of another landmark while creating new spaces for dialogue, learning, and civic connection.
As part of its broader vision, Vizcaya has been working with renowned preservation and landscape architects Beyer Blinder Belle, Nelson Byrd Woltz, and Heritage Landscapes on a phased master plan that includes restoring historic structures and gardens, expanding community-based initiatives, and developing “The Field,” an edible garden that pays tribute to Vizcaya’s agricultural roots. These efforts reflect the museum’s renewed purpose as it enters its second century—honoring Miami’s heritage while shaping its cultural future.
If approved, Villa Serena will be relocated just blocks from its current site to a prominent entry point at Vizcaya Village, where it will serve as a new public asset owned by Miami-Dade County and managed by Vizcaya. Griffin’s $5 million endowment will fund the home’s long-term preservation, programming, and operations without relying on taxpayer dollars. The relocation will be overseen by a team of nationally recognized preservation architects, engineers, and conservators to ensure the historic structure is carefully protected and integrated into its new setting.
The unification of Villa Serena and Vizcaya would bring together the legacies of James Deering and William Jennings Bryan—two visionaries whose influence helped define Miami’s early identity. Once complete, Vizcaya Village will stand as a world-class cultural campus, inviting residents and visitors alike to explore Miami’s history through immersive experiences that blend education, preservation, and community engagement.
Originally built between 1914 and 1922 as the winter estate of industrialist James Deering, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is now a National Historic Landmark that welcomes nearly 400,000 visitors annually. The estate spans 50 acres of formal gardens, native forests, and waterfront views, with the restored Vizcaya Village across South Miami Avenue now hosting a weekly farmers market and Village Café. This new chapter—fueled by Griffin’s unprecedented commitment—cements Vizcaya’s role as one of Miami’s most cherished and forward-looking cultural treasures.
