Jay -- How many employees/staff do you manage?
Dr. Hoffman -- Vizcaya has 66 employees. This includes our maintenance, horticultural, and security staff—which is necessarily more substantial than that of our peer museums. I have seven direct reports who oversee different areas of the museum’s preservation, interpretation and financial operations.
Jay -- How long have you been at Vizcaya?
Dr. Hoffman -- I have been at Vizcaya since January 2004, more than 10 years.
Jay -- What has been your greatest accomplishment, to date, at Vizcaya?
Dr. Hoffman -- Overseeing the replacement of the skylight in the Courtyard of the Main House was a great accomplishment. I also take tremendous pride in the fact that we have protected and digitized thousands of architectural drawings, conserved 150 outdoor sculptures, and resuscitated the educational heart of this spectacular place.
Jay -- What is your personal favorite program at Vizcaya, and why?
Dr. Hoffman -- I most enjoy our collaborations with contemporary artists, which result in site-specific projects, exhibitions and performances. It is thrilling to participate in someone else’s adventure of discovery with Vizcaya, and contemporary artists remind us of Vizcaya’s creative roots while challenging us to look at the estate in new and different ways. I also am partial to our “Viewing Vizcaya” film series, because it compellingly captures the historic spirit of Vizcaya with the screening of silent films in the Courtyard, just as was the case in James Deering’s [Original owner] day. The fact that these films are accompanied by live performances on our dramatic historic pipe organ only adds to the over-the-top historicity of the experience!
Jay -- What is your personal favorite event at Vizcaya, and why?
Dr. Hoffman -- The annual Vizcaya Ball, which has taken place for almost 60 years on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, is a wonderful event. I feel honored every year to welcome our guests at Vizcaya’s front door—for being the host at this stunning National Historic Landmark house is still a thrill even after a decade of doing so! But, without bias, I will say that the Vizcaya Ball is unlike any other charitable gala I have attended: the setting is magical, with the balmy late autumn breezes on the terraces overlooking Biscayne Bay; and the crowd is magnetic and joyous, with a genuine passion for having fun while doing a good deed.
Jay -- What country do most of your guests/visitors come from?
Dr. Hoffman -- They come from around the world and reflect the demographics of Miami’s tourist market. We have many visitors from Canada, South America, and Europe.