Miami Beach to Rename Street After Founder of World Erotic Art Museum

The city honors Naomi Wilzig, whose museum challenged cultural boundaries and preserved global erotic art.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 1:36am

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The City of Miami Beach is set to rename a portion of 12th Street as "Naomi Wilzig Way" on Monday, honoring the late founder of the World Erotic Art Museum. Wilzig, a product of an Orthodox Jewish family, became a dedicated collector, author and lecturer, amassing thousands of pieces that explored human sexuality across cultures and centuries. She founded the museum in 2005 after facing repeated rejection elsewhere, believing erotic art was not taboo but deeply human.

Why it matters

Wilzig's influence is deeply tied to Miami Beach's identity as a city known for pushing artistic and cultural boundaries. Her work helped broaden conversations around art, sexuality and censorship, while preserving pieces that might otherwise have remained hidden or discarded.

The details

The World Erotic Art Museum (WEAM) is believed to be the only one in the United States dedicated exclusively to fine erotic art, housing more than 4,000 works spanning from 300 B.C. to the present. Wilzig founded the museum in 2005 at 1205 Washington Avenue, where it still operates today, after facing repeated rejection from other institutions and communities who misunderstood her collection and equated erotic art with obscenity rather than cultural expression.

  • The City of Miami Beach is set to rename a portion of 12th Street as "Naomi Wilzig Way" on Monday, April 7, 2026.
  • Naomi Wilzig died on April 7, 2015.

The players

Naomi Wilzig

The late founder of the World Erotic Art Museum, who became a dedicated collector, author and lecturer, amassing thousands of pieces that explored human sexuality across cultures and centuries.

Laura Dominguez

A Miami Beach Commissioner who said Naomi Wilzig was a "cultural force in the city" and supported the street naming.

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What they’re saying

“I liked the art because it showed life... what is human, what is normal.”

— Naomi Wilzig, Founder, World Erotic Art Museum

What’s next

The portion of 12th Street between Ocean Drive and Washington Avenue will officially be renamed "Naomi Wilzig Way" following approval from city leaders and a recommendation from the Miami Beach Commission for Women.

The takeaway

Naomi Wilzig's legacy as the founder of the World Erotic Art Museum will be cemented in Miami Beach's landscape, honoring her work in challenging cultural boundaries and preserving global erotic art that might have otherwise remained hidden or discarded.