There are few travel stories more unique than spending the night inside a museum and this spring, one Ibiza museum is making that dream a reality. As part of its programme for International Museum Day, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Ibiza (MACE) is opening its doors for a cultural event that blurs the lines between art, symbolism and imagination.
With the spirit of the film ‘Night at the Museum‘, this event invites ten lucky guests to roll out their sleeping bags and spend the night surrounded by contemporary artworks. The question is: will the art stay still once the lights go out?
A cultural invitation from an iconic museum
Located in the heart of Ibiza’s old town, Dalt Vila, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Ibiza is one of the island’s most important cultural institutions. Its clean, modern space houses a striking collection of contemporary and abstract works from Spanish and international artists. This May, the museum becomes more than a gallery, it becomes a place of reflection, education and immersive experience.
Under the title ‘Symbolism in Visual Arts: Education, Emotion and Learning’, MACE is hosting a month-long seminar aimed at exploring how symbols in art influence our ways of thinking, feeling and learning. From talks and tours to creative sessions and group reflections, the programme offers a new way to engage with art, not just as a viewer, but as a participant.
Sleep in an Ibiza museum, for real
On Friday 23 May, the most unusual of all the activities takes place: a real-life overnight stay inside the museum. This exclusive experience is open to just ten participants, all of whom will need to bring their own dinner, breakfast, sleeping mat, sleeping bag, and a notebook, because this night is about more than just sleep. It is an invitation to immerse yourself in the silence of the space, to reflect on the power of art, and to wonder, just like in the movie, what happens when the museum goes quiet?
The activity begins at 7:30 PM and ends the following morning at 10 AM. Whether you find it relaxing, inspiring or even surreal, it promises to be an unforgettable moment of stillness in a world that moves fast.
A month of free cultural activities
This overnight stay is just one part of the Ibiza museum’s broader celebration of International Museum Day, officially marked on 18 May. The International Council of Museums (ICOM) has chosen this year’s theme as ‘The Future of Museums: Changing Communities’, an idea that resonates particularly well in Ibiza, an island in constant transformation.
The activities at MACE throughout May include:
- Tuesday 13 May, 5–7 PM: a talk titled ‘Introduction to Symbols in Art‘, presented by educator Samanta Pinya and led by MACE director Elena Ruiz.
- Saturday 17 May, 10:30 AM–12:30 PM: a guided tour of the museum’s permanent collection and temporary exhibition ‘MACE Focus VII‘, conducted by Ruiz.
- Sunday 18 May, 10 AM–2 PM: open day at MACE and other Ibiza museums, including the Puget Museum and the Broner House. At 12 PM, artists Nico Munuera and Albert Pinya will lead a special guided visit of their works on display.
- Tuesday 27 May, 5–7 PM: a closing session to reflect on everything explored during the month’s seminar.
All activities are free of charge and open to adults over the age of 25. Registration is required in advance by emailing mac@eivissa.es between 5 and 9 May.
More than just a visit
What makes this programme stand out is not only the range of activities, but the philosophy behind it. This is not about rushing through rooms of paintings or ticking off another stop on a tourist map. It is about slowing down, engaging deeply, and exploring the role of symbols in visual culture, how they communicate, how they educate and how they move us.
According to Ibiza Town Council, the seminar also aims to give teachers and cultural professionals practical tools to incorporate art and symbolism into their work. But even for visitors simply curious about art, it offers a chance to see Ibiza from a different perspective, one that values introspection, expression and connection.
A new way to experience an Ibiza museum
If you are visiting the island this May and looking for something beyond the beaches and nightlife, this programme at MACE might be your most unexpected discovery. Whether you attend a talk, join a guided tour, or pack your sleeping bag for a once-in-a-lifetime overnight stay, the experience will leave a lasting impression.
After all, how many people can say they lived their own ‘Night at the Museum‘, in Ibiza?
