The Institut Valencià d’Art Modern (IVAM) is part of Valencia’s Network of Climate Refuges—an initiative led by the City Council—and serves as an accessible, climate-controlled and comfortable public space for citizens. In this way, the museum expands its social role by providing a place for people to meet, rest and seek shelter during periods of high temperatures.
The IVAM makes its waiting and rest areas available to the public, with comfortable seating and climate control, as well as accessible public toilets and drinking fountains providing chilled, filtered water. These services help ensure appropriate conditions for well-being, particularly for people who are more vulnerable to the effects of heat.
Climate refuges are accessible spaces that provide suitable thermal comfort during heatwaves through air conditioning or shaded areas, access to drinking water, rest zones and other basic services. Being part of this network reinforces IVAM’s commitment to social well-being and to building a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient city.
The IVAM’s role as a climate refuge aligns with its fundamental nature as a public space dedicated to art, culture and thought. The museum offers an environment where people can seek shelter from the heat while also having free access to rest areas, exhibitions, activities and cultural programmes.
This cultural dimension allows the museum to be understood as a space for care and encounter, where people’s well-being is integral to its public mission. Culture thus becomes a tool for fostering coexistence, reflection and the development of more sustainable and resilient communities.
The IVAM’s commitment to sustainability also extends to its programme and its relationship with its surroundings. Through exhibitions,
installations and activities, the museum addresses issues related to the environment, the care of ecosystems and our relationship with the territory, incorporating these perspectives into the visitor experience.
Serving as a climate refuge therefore means expanding the museum’s role beyond its exhibition spaces: making the IVAM a place of welcome, protection, learning and encounter for the public.