Miami Art Week is not one event. It's six or seven overlapping fairs, dozens of gallery openings, museum premieres, public art installations, and parties — all happening simultaneously across the city during the first week of December.

The anchor is Art Basel Miami Beach, which runs December 4–6 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. But the week starts earlier, runs longer, and spreads much further than the convention center. Understanding the full map is the difference between a frustrating week of crowds and a genuinely great one.

Art Basel Miami Beach — The main event. 272 galleries, reconfigured floor, blue-chip and emerging side by side. Miami Beach Convention Center. Dec 4–6 public, Dec 2–3 VIP Preview.

Design Miami — Directly across from the convention center. Collectible furniture, lighting, objects. The fair that makes you rethink what a chair can be. Dec 3–7 public, Dec 2 Collectors Preview.

Untitled Art Fair — Beach tent at Collins Park. The most approachable fair of the week. Experimental, politically engaged, genuinely fun to walk. Dec 4–7 public, Dec 3 VIP Preview.

Spectrum Miami + Red Dot Miami — Mana Wynwood Convention Center. Two fairs in one building. Accessible price points, visible tags, welcoming energy. Good for first-time buyers. Dec 2–7.

Art Miami — The OG satellite fair, 30+ years running. Wynwood. Established contemporary and modern work. Dec 3–7.

NADA Miami — New Art Dealers Alliance. Emerging galleries, emerging artists, the most forward-looking fair of the week. Dec 4–7.

This is the PGM priority. You don't need a fair ticket to have a great Art Week.

James Turrell outdoor installation — The Turrell Art Foundation and Art Basel, supported by Pace Gallery, will unveil a significant new outdoor body of work by one of the most important living artists working with light and perception. Free, public, outdoors. Location TBA — watch artbasel.com for details.

Between Tides at Collins Park — Public Art Fund presents six artist-designed sculptural ping-pong tables by Moko Fukuyama, Ilana Harris-Babou, Las Hermanas Iglesias, Carlos H. Matos, Amalia Pica, and SUPERFLEX. Free. Bring a paddle or just watch.

Wynwood Walls and galleries — The neighborhood activates hard during Art Week. New murals, pop-up shows, gallery openings. All free, all walkable.

Museum openings — PAMM, The Bass, ICA Miami, and the Lowe Art Museum all open major exhibitions during Art Week. Most are free or low-cost admission.

Day 1 (Wednesday, Dec 2): Spectrum Miami + Red Dot in Wynwood. Walk the neighborhood after. Dinner in Wynwood.

Day 2 (Thursday, Dec 3): Design Miami in the morning. Art Basel VIP Preview if you have access. The Bass or PAMM in the afternoon. Art Basel Awards Night at New World Center in the evening.

Day 3 (Friday, Dec 4): Art Basel opens to the public. Go early — the first two hours are the best. Untitled Art Fair in the afternoon. Collins Park Turrell installation at dusk.

Day 4 (Saturday, Dec 5): NADA Miami in the morning. Art Miami in the afternoon. Gallery openings in the evening.

Day 5 (Sunday, Dec 6): Final day of Art Basel. Last walk through Untitled. Between Tides ping-pong at Collins Park.

The key rule: pick two fairs per day maximum. Trying to hit everything in one day produces fair fatigue and you stop seeing anything.

Art Week is when Miami's institutions step up. Build at least one full museum day into your week.

PAMM — Picasso–Klee–Matisse: Masterpieces from the Museum Berggruen. Basquiat: Figures, Signs, Symbols. John Baldessari: The End of the Line.

The Bass — Yuko Mohri: Unviolated Imperfection. Pedro y Juana: Aquí. Amalia Pica: Lecturas Posibles.

ICA Miami — Carroll Dunham and Diego Singh exhibitions. New stairwell commission by Naudline Pierre.

Lowe Art Museum — Young, Gifted, and Black: The Lumpkin-Boccuzzi Family Collection.

Norton Museum of Art — Gertrude Abercrombie: The Whole World Is a Mystery.

Most of these are free or under $20. Plan a full day and you'll cover three or four.

The local gallery scene is stronger than it's been in years. These are the Miami-based programs showing at Art Basel 2026 — worth knowing before you walk the floor.

Fredric Snitzer Gallery — One of Miami's anchor galleries, in the main Galleries sector and in Zero 10.

David Castillo — Consistently one of the most interesting programs in the city.

Gavlak — Palm Beach and Los Angeles, with deep Miami roots.

Nina Johnson — Gallery Diet's evolution. Championing artists who deserve more attention.

Spinello Projects — Making its Galleries debut this year after years in Nova. A genuine milestone for a Miami-born program.

Parking — Don't. Take Brightline to Miami Beach or use rideshare. The convention center area is gridlocked all week.

Timing — Arrive at Art Basel when it opens (11am). The last hour before close (5–6pm) is also good — less crowded, galleries more willing to talk.

Comfort — You will walk 4–6 miles per fair day. Wear shoes you can actually stand in for three hours.

Food — The convention center food is expensive and mediocre. Eat before you go or plan a proper lunch break outside. Wynwood has better options near Spectrum/Red Dot.

The parties — Art Week parties are a full parallel universe. Most require invitations or connections. Focus on the art during the day and let the evening take care of itself.

Art Basel Miami Beach — The main event. 272 galleries, reconfigured floor, Dec 4–6.

Design Miami — Collectible design fair, Dec 3–7.

Untitled Art Fair — Beach tent at Collins Park, Dec 4–7.

Spectrum Miami + Red Dot Miami — Accessible price points in Wynwood, Dec 2–7.

NADA Miami — Emerging galleries, Dec 4–7.

Art Miami — The OG satellite fair, 37 years running, Dec 3–7.

PAMM Downtown Underground — Free late-night museum party, Dec 3.

Bakehouse Art Complex Homecoming — Studio open house, free, Wynwood.

ANOTR at Watson Island Park — Electronic music, waterfront, December.