Vizcaya Museum & Gardens

I have a lot of issues with this museum, but most of them are with the outdoor section. They really haven't put any money into maintaining the gardens, and you can see that because there's pond scum all through the lily pad area, The fountains are not running, and if they are running, then they are in disrepair and disgusting, and they just haven't made any effort really to take care of this like a botanical garden. While they trim the trees and tend the bushes, it hasn't been cared for properly or updated in any way other wise.... No and don't bother with the outdoor maze, it's kind of a joke. I also find it kind of surprising that they can't make the small effort to put placards by the statues to show their names or some kind of history about them. Honestly that would take very little effort to do that, and the only reason I can see for not doing it is because they simply just don't care. That's basically the takeaway from the outdoor area, they keep it with the grass cut and the trees trimmed but they just don't care enough to maintain it the way it should be cared for. Oh, also, it's a nightmare because of the uneven ground and my son actually fell in front of a guard and was bleeding a lot and visibly and the guard looked at him and proceeded to look away. They really just don't care. They didn't suggest that we go to the bathroom to help him clean up or offer ice or anything...

Now, the indoor area is acceptable and I was particularly impressed by the tour guide and her knowledge of the area and everything related to the museum. There are a lot of intricate details there and she seemed to know all about every little detail in the museum. That is not an easy task because there's a lot there. My favorite item is a 2000 year old table they have from when Mount Vesuvius erupted! The premises inside are generally cared for properly, it is clean and taken care of, and while it should be updated more and refinished and refurbished in keeping with the time period, it is acceptable for the most part.

It's a very interesting historical place, and I would recommend going but don't go outside because it's just not worth any time or the risks.