Sponsored by The Historical Museum of Southern Florida. Jan 31, 2009. 
Stanley and Dudley Whitman of the Whitman family, developers of landmarks throughout Miami Beach including world-renowned shopping mall, Bal Harbour Shops in collaboration with the Historical Museum of Southern Florida (HMSF) present a family collection which includes photographs, objects and oral histories of this Miami Beach pioneering family.
The Whitman family personifies the entrepreneurial spirit; from the time they arrived in South Florida in 1914 to building one of the first luxury hotels on Miami Beach in 1936, the Whitman By The Sea, through the development of world-renowned Bal Harbour Shops. The Whitman brothers, William "Bill," Stanley and Dudley Whitman have achieved many firsts in their lifetime. These achievements are celebrated and on display at the family museum in Bal Harbour Shops. The collection spans over 100 years and chronicles the innovation of the three Whitman brothers. Items on display include the first underwater movie camera case, which the Whitmans' patented; a promotional poster of the 1952 Oscar-winning documentary film, "The Sea Around Us;" a commemorative program of the ground-breaking at Bal Harbour Shops; the second hollow, wooden surf board; and, one of the first fiberglass production boats built in the Southeast U.S. by Miami's Challenger Marine.
The Historical Museum of Southern Florida, founded in 1940, is one of the largest private, regional history museums in the country, recognized for excellence in programming and management by the Florida Department of State and the American Association of Museums (AAM). "We are honored to have been selected by the Whitmans to catalog, inventory and safeguard these valuable objects to ensure that the collection is available for many generations to come," said Joanne Hyppolite, Ph.D., Chief Curator at the Historical Museum of Southern Florida.
The Whitman Family Museum is open to the public Thursday to Sunday, Noon – 4:00 p.m. and by appointment. The museum is located on the third floor of Bal Harbour Shops, 9700 Collins Avenue. All proceeds benefit the Historical Museum of Southern Florida. A cocktail reception will be held Saturday, January 31st, 2009. Limited Seating. RSVP is required.
The Whitman Family Museum
9700 Collins Avenue
Bal Harbour, FL 33154
305.375.5356
www.hmsf.org/whitman
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