Venue
1901 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, Florida, United States
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Art Basel Miami Beach guide
The December art fair at the heart of Miami Art Week.
In short
Art Basel Miami Beach fills the Miami Beach Convention Center with international galleries, and the 2026 public days run from 4 to 6 December. The Meridians sector shows large-scale works, while the wider Art Week brings satellite fairs, museum openings and free public art. Book a room on Miami Beach early, or allow time for the causeway.
Art Basel Miami Beach is the December edition of the Swiss art fair, held at the Miami Beach Convention Center and running from 4 to 6 December 2026. Galleries from North and Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa show modern and contemporary work on stands across the convention halls, and the fair anchors what locals simply call Miami Art Week.
The fair was first held in 2002, the Swiss organisers' first venture outside Basel. It arrived as Miami's own collector base was growing, and it pulled satellite fairs, museum openings and brand events into the same few days. Today the week runs well beyond the convention centre, from the Design District and Wynwood across the bay to the hotels along Collins Avenue.
Preview days are by invitation; the public days are open to anyone with a ticket. Outside the halls, much of the week is free: public art and programmes in Collins Park next door, street murals in Wynwood, and late openings at museums such as the Bass and the Pérez Art Museum Miami. More on the wider region is in our United States guide.
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Key Facts & Stats:
Ends: Sunday, 6 December 2026
Where: Miami, United States
Venue: Miami Beach Convention Center
Held: Every year
Type of event: Cultural Events, Arts Festivals, Exhibition
Currency: US dollar ($ USD)
Time zone: Eastern Time, UTC−5; UTC−4 from March to November
Language: English and Spanish
Map
Close to the venue
- Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hotel · 2.8 km
Getting around
Hotels near the venue fill up around the event dates.
Getting between the fair and other Art Week venues
Distances look short on a map but traffic changes everything during the week:
- the convention centre is walkable from most South Beach and Mid-Beach hotels
- Citi Bike docks are spread across Miami Beach
- allow extra time for any crossing to Wynwood or the Design District
- ride-hail pick-ups near the convention centre are slow at closing time; walk a few blocks first
Clothing, bags and food inside the halls
The convention centre is cool inside and warm outside, so dress in layers. Bring a small bag only; large bags slow security checks. Food stalls inside are busy at lunchtime, so eat early or late.
- start with Meridians, which fills up later in the day
- pick up a floor plan at the entrance or use the official app
- keep your digital ticket ready for re-scanning
What happens on the day
- Morning
Doors open
Meridians and the main floor are calmest early.
- Afternoon
Collins Park
Step outside to the park next to the convention centre.
- Late afternoon
Satellite fairs
Several sit within walking distance on Miami Beach.
- Evening
Wynwood and the Design District
Gallery openings and events across the bay; leave early for the causeway.
Booking a hotel early for the December 2026 fair
With the public days fixed for 4 to 6 December 2026, hotels are the first priority. Rooms on Miami Beach are scarce and expensive during Art Week; downtown Miami and Brickell offer more choice, at the cost of a longer daily crossing.
Buy tickets from artbasel.com. One day covers the convention centre; add a second for Wynwood, the Design District and one or two museums. Satellite fairs sell separate tickets and several sit within walking distance of the main fair.
How the fair came to Miami Beach in 2002
Art Basel's organisers had planned a Miami Beach debut for 2001, but postponed it after the September 11 attacks; the first edition opened in December 2002. The timing suited both sides: collectors were wintering in Florida, and Miami's own collectors were building private museums.
The fair has stayed at the Miami Beach Convention Center throughout, including after the building's major renovation completed in 2018. Around it, Art Week has grown into one of the largest gatherings of the year for the art trade, drawing satellite fairs and events from across the city.
Getting there
Flying in
Miami International Airport is about 25 minutes from Miami Beach by car outside rush hour; expect longer during Art Week.
Alternative airport
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International is around 45 minutes north by car.
Local travel
Walking, Citi Bike and local buses beat cars on Miami Beach during the fair.
Where to stay during the festival
South Beach and Mid-Beach hotels put the convention centre within walking distance but fill and reprice early.
Downtown Miami and Brickell have more rooms and suit visitors planning evenings in Wynwood.
Miami
Fontainebleau Miami Beach4-star hotel
No reviews yet
from$200.00/ night
- Internet – Wifi
- Swimming pool
- Parking
4 Rooms available
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Weather and what to pack
Miami in December averages highs of about 25°C and lows of about 18°C (1991-2020 normals), at the start of the dry season.
Showers are brief when they come; the halls are air-conditioned.
Worth packing
- Light clothing and a layer for air-conditioning
- Sunscreen and sunglasses
- Comfortable shoes
- Your ticket on your phone
Car hire in Miami
Airport transfer to Art Basel Miami Beach
Met at arrivals at Miami International Airport (MIA) and driven door to door to Miami Beach Convention Center.
- Miami International Airport (MIA) → Miami Beach Convention Center
- 23 km · 30 min
Restaurants and food in United States
Places to eat in United States before or after the celebrations.
Joe's Stone Crab
11 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139, United States
Cuisine:SeafoodAmerican
- Dine-in
- Takeaway
- Bar
Alinea
1723 North Halsted Street, Chicago, IL 60614, United States
Cuisine:ModernistAmerican
- Dine-in
- Counter seating
Franklin Barbecue
900 East 11th Street, Austin, TX 78702, United States
Cuisine:Texas barbecueAmerican
- Dine-in
- Takeaway
Commander's Palace
1403 Washington Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70130, United States
Cuisine:CreoleNew Orleans
- Dine-in
Katz's Delicatessen
205 East Houston Street, New York, NY 10002, United States
Cuisine:Jewish deliAmerican
- Dine-in
- Takeaway
- Counter seating
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Timing & weather
The public days are 4 to 6 December 2026, according to Art Basel's official site. Invitation-only preview days come earlier in the same week.
In 2002. It was the first Art Basel fair held outside Switzerland, and it was followed by Hong Kong in 2013 and Paris in 2022.
General
Yes. Day tickets are sold through artbasel.com for the public days. The previews are for invited collectors, museum professionals and press.
Miami Beach, a separate city on the barrier island across Biscayne Bay. The Miami Beach Convention Center sits a few blocks back from the ocean, near Collins Park.
The name for the run of satellite fairs, gallery openings, museum events and parties that gather around Art Basel Miami Beach each December, spread across Miami Beach, Wynwood, the Design District and downtown Miami.
Meridians is the section for large-scale works and installations, the Miami counterpart to Unlimited in Basel. It is housed inside the convention centre and covered by a normal ticket.
Yes. Collins Park, beside the convention centre, has hosted public programming during fair week, and Wynwood's street murals can be seen at any time. Several museums run free or late events that week.
Yes. Each stand is run by a commercial gallery and staff can discuss prices. Many major sales happen during previews, so expect some works to be marked sold by the public days.
Heavy. The causeways between Miami and Miami Beach slow sharply during Art Week. Staying on Miami Beach and walking or cycling to the convention centre saves a lot of time.
It is the start of the dry season, with warm days and low rainfall, which is part of the fair's appeal. It is also a high-demand week for hotels, so prices rise sharply.