Museu de les Fogueres (Bonfires Museum)

The Museu de les Fogueres is the museum of Alicante's June festival, the Fogueres de Sant Joan, on the Rambla in the city centre. It displays the “ninots indultats” saved from the flames, along with models, costumes and photos.

The museum is dedicated to the Fogueres de Sant Joan, the city's June festival when giant figures are burned in the streets. It is located right in the centre of Alicante, on the Rambla de Méndez Núñez. The first Fogueres were organised in 1928 in just three months; the festival was declared of International Tourist Interest in 1983 and listed as Intangible Cultural Heritage (Bien de Interés Cultural Inmaterial) in 2013. The highlight of the collection is the “ninots indultats”, figures spared from the fire by public vote for their artistic merit. The collection has grown over the years with figures donated by the individual festival committees (hogueras). Alongside them the museum shows models, costumes, photos and documents from the festival's history. The exhibition is arranged chronologically in three periods: the origins (1928–1936), the years of autarky and development (1940–1979) and the festival in the democratic era from 1980 onwards. Since 1932 the festival's chief representative has been the Bellea del Foc, chosen from among the representatives of the individual districts. The visit is short: one visitor writes that it takes about 20 minutes. Another praises the funny figures. The museum is fully accessible to people with disabilities. During the festival itself, the figures are burned after a large firework “palmera” is launched from Mount Benacantil, crowned by Santa Bárbara Castle. A visit to the museum is a good way to understand Alicante's biggest festival outside June.