For ten days this June, the marina in Cascais will become something between an open-air cultural village, an immersive art installation, and a Mediterranean-inspired summer gathering. From June 18 to 28, the Art Explora Festival docks in Portugal with the world’s largest museum catamaran — a striking 47-meter sailing vessel that has already become one of Europe’s most ambitious traveling cultural projects.
Free and open to the public, the festival blends contemporary art, live music, performance, film, sound installations, workshops, and virtual reality experiences into a format that feels more like a creative voyage than a traditional arts festival.
At the center of it all is the museum boat itself: a sleek, futuristic catamaran designed by Axel de Beaufort and Guillaume Verdier, capable of welcoming up to 2,000 visitors a day. On board, visitors can experience immersive installations created in collaboration with major international institutions including the Louvre Museum, IRCAM at the Centre Pompidou, and Ubisoft. One exhibition explores female figures across Mediterranean civilizations through digital projections and sound design, while another transports visitors to ancient Alexandria, Athens, and Renaissance Venice through virtual reality.
But Art Explora is just as much about what happens dockside.
Expect sunset concerts, experimental performances, DJ sets, participatory dance events, family programming, artist-led workshops, open-air screenings, and community-driven installations spread throughout the marina.
Highlights of the Cascais Program
- Lula Pena — one of Portugal’s most enigmatic and captivating contemporary musicians
- A Garota Não — blending poetry, protest, and folk-inspired songwriting
- DJ Nídia — bringing Lisbon electronic energy to the marina
- Mike El Nite’s “Magical Karaoke” — an interactive participatory performance
- Sopa de Pedra — a collective polyphonic vocal performance
- Mastro Sol by Maja Escher — edible flag-making workshops and communal celebration
- Bal Moderne — an open-to-all collective dance experience
- Antiprincesas — family programming centered on Portuguese feminist pioneer Carolina Beatriz Ângelo
- Mediterranean sound journeys created with IRCAM and the Centre Pompidou
- Virtual reality experiences developed with Ubisoft
- Film screenings in collaboration with IndieLisboa
The Art Explora Festival runs June 18–28, 2026 at Cascais Marina. Admission is free, though advance online booking is recommended for certain workshops and museum-boat visits. Find out more at the Art Explora website.
Art Explora Festival
Marina de Cascais
Hours: Daily – 10:00 to 22:00
Entrance: Free (for some activities, including visits to the boat museum and workshops)
Reserving a free ticket online is recommended
(Photos courtesy of Art Explora Festival Cascais)