Nap at the Museum? Visitors to this Swiss art exhibition can SLEEP in one of the displays

Forget Airbnb – this is Artbnb! In Basel, Switzerland, tourists can sleep inside an art exhibit, thanks to the innovative Summer Show taking over the Fondation Beyeler museum. But you’ll have to be quick if you want to take a cultured catnap, as the exhibit closes on 11 August.

“Dream Hotel Room 1: Dreaming of Flying with Flying Fly Agarics (2024)”, created by Carsten Höller and Adam Haar, focuses on the idea of ‘Dream Engineering’ and creating lucid dreams, thanks to the artwork’s one-of-a-kind bed and projections.

Visitors to Dream Hotel Room 1 can observe spinning toadstools floating above their bed, lit by a fast-moving red light at 700 nm wavelength and 4 hz frequency, a wavelength of light that is meant to induce lucid dreams. When the exhibit has detected that the sleeper is asleep by measuring heart rate and breathing speed, the bed will begin rocking gently to give the user the sensation of flying, while the words ‘flying with flying fly agarics’ are projected into the booth. After their nap, visitors are encouraged to share their dreams with the project to see if the experiment has been successful, and lucid dreaming has been achieved.

From 10am until 6pm daily, visitors can book a 60-minute time slot for their nap, with the price included in an entry ticket to Fondation Beyeler (£22 for a regular ticket, under 25s go free). Slots are assigned on the day at the museum and cannot be booked in advance.

Fondation Beyeler’s Summer Show, running until 11 Aug 2024

For the first time in the Fondation Beyeler’s 25-year history, the entire museum and its surrounding park has been transformed into an experimental presentation of contemporary art. With contributions by Michael Armitage, Anne Boyer, Federico Campagna, Ian Cheng, Elysia Crampton, Marlene Dumas and more, Summer Show creates a “living organism” that changes forms throughout its lifespan. Expect to see paintings, sculptures, films, installations, and performances, all with connections to one another and the existing in-house collection.

Fondation Beyeler Accommodation Package

Prefer to stay outside of an art exhibit for your Basel trip? Basel offers a Fondation Beyeler package, which includes an admission ticket to the museum, an overnight stay in the accommodation of your choice and a BaselCard. The BaselCard’s benefits include free use of public transport and free access to Wi-Fi hotspots in the city, as well as discounts on numerous cultural and recreational activities.

Prices start at £57 per night.

Fast trains from London to Basel via Paris take 5h55m and start at £191.

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For more information about Basel and its art experiences, visit www.basel.com

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