What to Do During Miami Art Week?
Satellite fairs, museums, private collections, dinners and beaches: the week that surrounds Art Basel Miami Beach, day after day.
Last updated 5 October 2026 · 4 min read
During Miami Art Week, beyond Art Basel Miami Beach (VIP Days on 2 and 3 December 2026, public days from 4 to 6), you can visit satellite fairs — Design Miami, from 1 to 6 December in Miami Beach; Art Miami and CONTEXT Art Miami, on the bayfront in downtown Miami, from 1 December; and others, such as NADA or Untitled Art. Add the museums and private collections — The Bass, the Pérez Art Museum Miami, ICA Miami, the Rubell Museum, for illustration — the open-air exhibition in Collins Park, the murals of Wynwood, then the dinners, often by invitation, and the beaches. The key: group your days by shore.
One week, several fairs
Art Basel Miami Beach is the centre of gravity of the week, but not its only address. Several satellite fairs open at the same time, each with its own dates, tickets and character. The table below lists a few of them, for illustration; each fair publishes its own calendar.
| Fair | 2026 dates | Where | What you will see |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art Basel Miami Beach | VIP Days 2–3 December; public 4–6 December | Miami Beach Convention Center | Modern and contemporary art, 272 exhibitors |
| Design Miami | 1–6 December | Miami Beach | Collectible design: furniture, lighting, objects |
| Art Miami and CONTEXT Art Miami | Preview 1 December; public until the 6th | One Herald Plaza, downtown Miami | Modern and contemporary art, on the bayfront |
| NADA, Untitled Art and others | Dates published by each fair | Miami and Miami Beach | Emerging galleries and new scenes |
Museums and private collections
Miami has built up a network of museums and private collections that often open exhibitions for the week. In Miami Beach, The Bass, on the edge of Collins Park, sits right next to the Convention Center. On the mainland, the Pérez Art Museum Miami overlooks the bay downtown; ICA Miami and the de la Cruz Collection are in the Design District; the Rubell Museum is in Allapattah. These places are cited for illustration; their opening hours and visiting conditions are checked for each edition.
Some collections host visits or breakfasts reserved for their guests during the week. We request private visits where possible, subject to availability, without guarantee.
Collins Park, Wynwood, Design District: art in the city
A short walk from the Convention Center, Collins Park hosts in 2026 an open-air exhibition presented by Art Basel, freely accessible. It is a natural pause between two sessions at the fair.
On the mainland, Wynwood is known for its murals and galleries; the Design District for its museums, boutiques and architecture. A well-composed afternoon links the two before returning to Miami Beach for the evening — avoiding the causeways at peak hours.
Dinners, receptions, evenings
In the evening, the week takes on another face: gallery dinners for their collectors, private receptions, brand evenings in the hotels or on the beach. These gatherings are usually by invitation. We pass on requests where possible, after reviewing the client's profile, without any guarantee, and tell you early what is realistic.
When no invitation comes, we create the evening: a private dinner in a villa with a chef, a table held facing the bay, a private terrace, or a crewed yacht for dinner on the water, conditions permitting. Art direction, a sommelier and discreet security can complete the format.
Beaches and breathing space
Early December falls in the dry season: the beach remains a true breathing space between two fair days. A morning facing the ocean, lunch by the water, a hotel spa before dinner: we keep these quiet moments in your programme, because a week of art is better savoured well rested.
For a day further afield, Biscayne Bay can be discovered by boat, and Key Biscayne offers quieter beaches, to be arranged according to the weather and your mood.
A typical week, day by day
An indicative example, to be adapted to your dates: arrival on Monday or Tuesday, a quiet first evening in Miami Beach; the mainland satellite fairs and the Design District on Tuesday; Design Miami and Collins Park on Wednesday; the fair on Thursday or Friday depending on your access; museums and collections on Saturday; the beach and a final dinner on Sunday. Each day stays on a single shore as far as possible.
Our guide How to Attend Art Basel Miami Beach? explains what each type of access allows, and our guide Where to Stay During Art Basel Miami Beach? helps you choose the address that makes this week flow.
Frequently asked questions
The week is organised around Art Basel Miami Beach, whose VIP Days take place on 2 and 3 December 2026 and public days from 4 to 6 December. Several satellite fairs open from 1 December, such as Design Miami and Art Miami.
Yes, each sells its own tickets, on its own terms; an Art Basel ticket does not give access to the other fairs. We arrange their purchase in your name where possible.
They are by invitation, sent by the gallery. We can pass on a request where possible, after reviewing the client's profile, without guarantee — and create your own private dinner if you wish.
For illustration: The Bass in Miami Beach, the Pérez Art Museum Miami downtown, ICA Miami and the de la Cruz Collection in the Design District, the Rubell Museum in Allapattah. Their exhibitions and opening hours are checked for each edition.
Four to six days let you see the fair, several satellite fairs and a few museums without rushing. A shorter stay remains possible by focusing on the fair and one or two addresses.
Yes: a villa dinner with a chef, a private table facing the bay, a crewed yacht, conditions permitting. The format, date and venue are composed with you; each evening is the subject of a quote, with conditions confirmed before any commitment.
Take it further
Let us compose your Miami Art Week
Tell us what matters to you — the fair, design, museums, dinners, the beach — and we sketch out the week day by day, with the address, journeys and evenings to match, on a bespoke quote and subject to availability.