Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Miami, FL

In addition to the devastation in New Orleans, the hurricane season of 2005 also brought destruction to Miami. Particularly distressing was the damage to the precious collection of European sculptures and antiquities at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens by hurricanes Katrina and Wilma. Due to the museum’s location directly on Biscayne Bay, it is particularly susceptible to high winds and storm surges. The destruction included damage to more than thirty antique columns, urns, sculptures and statuary dating from the 2nd century through the 19th century. Columns and statues were toppled and shattered by wind and falling trees, porous stones were immersed in salt water, and the Barge, a distinctive feature of the National Historic Landmark site, was partially destroyed by a twenty foot high storm surge.

Conservation Solutions, Inc. (CSI) arrived at the site immediately after each storm to assist in emergency clean-up and to document the losses. Working with the museum’s staff, conservators prepared restoration plans and cost estimates for each artifact. Upon approval of the museum’s directors and FEMA, CSI mobilized personnel and equipment to the site and began restoring the damaged works. Scaffolding was erected and fragments were salvaged. Many were hoisted directly out of the bay, cleaned, desalinated and preserved. New stone that matched the original was ordered for the carving of elements that were either lost or too severely damaged to be restored. The Barge was re-constructed, which included the re-carving of two major sculptures and replication of nine cast stone balusters. In addition, new stainless steel supports were engineered and installed behind sculptures on the Casino building’s parapet to support them during future hurricanes. All work was completed on schedule and budget with funding provided by FEMA.

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More information about the hurricane recovery effort can be found at the Vizcaya Museum and Garden website.