A free outdoor exhibit for 100 years of Miami Beach Ocean Rescue opens Nov. 5 at Galeria Ocean Drive in Lummus Park. It runs through February 2027.

A free outdoor exhibit marking 100 years of Miami Beach Ocean Rescue opens Thursday in Lummus Park. City officials unveil “Miami Beach Ocean Heroes: From Ocean Rescue to Coastal Guardians” at 4 p.m. at Galeria Ocean Drive, 1101 Ocean Drive. It stays up through February 2027.

The city announced the exhibit in a Nov. 3 news release.

A century on the beach

The then Miami Beach City Council created the city’s lifesaving service on July 9, 1926, the city said. That was a decade after Miami Beach incorporated.

“For 100 years, Miami Beach lifeguards have kept our residents and millions of visitors safe, in every kind of weather,” Mayor Steven Meiner said in the release. “They are athletes, first responders and goodwill ambassadors.”

What is in the exhibit

The exhibit is a series of weatherproof panels. According to the city, it combines:

  • historic photographs and equipment from Ocean Rescue’s history
  • large-scale graphics and educational displays
  • interactive installations
  • recognition of 13 local environmental organizations and their volunteers

Those groups work on beach cleanups, plastic pollution, marine conservation, wildlife protection and environmental education, the city said. It did not list them by name in the release.

One highlight is an interactive piece by Plastic Fisherman. It is an oversized photo frame made from thousands of recovered and recycled plastic caps and small pieces. Under the city’s “Become an Ocean Hero” campaign, visitors step into the frame and make a heart with their hands as a pledge to cut single-use plastics.

The Office of the Mayor and Commission curated the show with Miami Beach Ocean Rescue and the city’s Environment and Sustainability Department.

What it means for you

  • Where: Galeria Ocean Drive, the city’s outdoor gallery in Lummus Park, on Ocean Drive between 11th and 12th streets.
  • When: unveiling at 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5. The panels stay up through February 2027.
  • Cost: free, the city said. It is an outdoor, year-round gallery space in the park.
  • More: the city’s Galeria Ocean Drive page and calendar listing.

For accommodation or material in an alternate format, the city asks people to call 305-604-2232 and select 1 for English or 2 for Spanish, then option 6. TTY users can call through 711.

King tides are expected Friday to Monday, so low streets can flood near high tide. Check our king tides page for peak times before you go. For more on the area, see our guide to the Art Deco District and Ocean Drive and the things to do this month.