Browse the Collection
Click on the headers to view the online exhibits.

Aerial Views

This section of aerial photographs includes several views of downtown Miami, as well as Coconut Grove, Biscayne Bay, and Normandy Isles at the northern end of Miami Beach.  Also included in the photographs are several different types of aircraft including Army bombers, Pan American Airways Clipper Ships, U.S. Navy dirigibles, and the Goodyear Blimp "Defender".

Air Mail

This section shows the arrival of the first air mail flights to Miami in 1926.  The photographs show the pilots, crew, post office personnel, and others present at the airport to observe the flights.  Also included are photographs of the Florida Airways planes that operated on these air mail routes. 

Air Meets

This section includes photographs of aircraft and events from the Miami All American Air Races.  These races were held annually in January beginning in 1929.  There are pictures of various types of aircraft including racing planes, Army bombers, and the Goodyear Blimps.  A photograph of a parachuting demonstration is also included. 

Airports

This section includes early photographs of Miami airports.  Views of Municipal Airport at Opa-Locka, 36th Street Airport, Dinner Key, and Viking Airport are exhibited.

Goodyear Blimps

This section shows the Goodyear Blimps "Defender" and "Puritan" on visits to Miami circa 1930.

Graf Zeppelin

This section includes photographs of the German Airship Graf Zeppelin on its visit to Miami en route to the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago.

Military Aircraft

This section shows early photographs of military aircraft in Miami.  Included are pictures of the U.S. Navy dirigibles "Los Angeles", "Akron", and "Macon";  as well as Army bombers.

Pan American Airways

This section includes photographs of Pan American's Brazilian Clipper, China Clipper, and American Clipper.  Passengers are shown boarding and disembarking at the Dinner Key seaplane base.  There are two photos of Charles Lindbergh getting ready to pilot the American Clipper on its maiden voyage to the Panama Canal Zone.

Pilots

This section includes photographs of pilots and their planes.  Most of these photographs were taken of pilots attending the Miami All American Air Races.  Included are photographs of air racers, military pilots, and women pilots.

Seaplanes

This section exhibits early photographs of seaplanes on Biscayne Bay.  Included are photographs of the German Dornier Do-X seaplane, a Chalk's Flying Service seaplane, and Consolidated Commodores belonging to the New York, Rio, and Buenos Aires Air Lines.