"Museum Night" was a huge success in Villanueva de los Infantes, featuring a wide range of activities for people of all ages

This Friday, Villanueva de los Infantes hosted another edition of “Museum Night,” a unique opportunity to explore the town’s history and heritage from a different perspective. This year, the event was expanded to include a varied program of special activities at each of the museums, organized by the Department of Culture and Tourism—coordinated by Francisco Javier Peinado—and made possible through the collaboration of various local associations.

With an extensive cultural program that began at 8:00 p.m., visitors were able to explore cultural sites during special evening hours, such as the Silo de la Diversidad, transformed by urban artist Okuda San Miguel and managed by the ADIN association; the Sala de Artes Plásticas, which features models of iconic sites in Villanueva de los Infantes created by cabinetmakers Ángel and Antonio Montalbán; or the monumental Church of San Andrés, which opened its crypt and museums, accompanying the visit with music from the 19th-century Victorian organ that, since 2022, has watched over the church at the foot of the main nave.

Another major highlight of the evening were the guided and dramatized tours of Villanueva’s museums, such as those of the exhibition “The Imprint of the Gaze. Photography and Society in Castilla-La Mancha, 1839–1936,” which is on view at the “El Mercado” Museum of Contemporary Art through September 2027; and at the Ethnographic Museum of the Hospital de Santiago, where actresses Mercedes Gutiérrez and Ana Isabel Romero stepped into the roles of two women from Castilla-La Mancha in the early 20th century.

Francisco de Quevedo himself, played by Amir Jassim, welcomed visitors who came to the cell where he died at the Convent of Santo Domingo, where hundreds of candles recreated the atmosphere of the Golden Age. Another illustrious figure, Miguel de Cervantes—this time portrayed by Jesús Alcalde—served as a guide through the writings of authors who wrote about Villanueva de los Infantes, which are projected each night onto buildings in the historic district, recounting the evocative literary past that characterizes the town.

The Casa de los Estudios also opened its doors—a Golden Age grammar school turned museum that stands as another jewel of Villanueva de los Infantes’ Historic-Artistic Complex. Its courtyard hosted the “Saudade” concert, during which attendees were also treated to a culinary tasting.

Likewise, the youngest children enjoyed a sleepover at the Casa de Rueda, where—through activities and games—they learned the secrets of the museum and the importance of the region’s archaeological heritage, with the collaboration of Pedro R. Moya Maleno; and the Parents’ Association (AMPA) of the García Bellido Archaeology School.

The initiative has garnered significant attention among residents and regular visitors, while also attracting new audiences to the city. Many activities even sold out during the advance ticket sales period. The Councilor for Culture and Tourism, Francisco Javier Peinado, expressed his gratitude for the support and involvement of all the social and cultural groups that participated. “They have made this event a magical and memorable night,” he said, highlighting the large turnout at each of the venues and scheduled events.