Museo Fallero de València, Valencia

The Museo Fallero de València preserves figures rescued from the flames, alongside posters, portraits and historic insignia connected with the Fallas. Its home is an old convent complex whose corridors and former cells remain part of the building; the institution has occupied it since 1971, and the structure was completed in 1831. Before becoming a museum, the building served as a prison, barracks and warehouse.

The collection’s central story began with the public choice of figures spared from burning. That practice became official in 1934, creating the tradition behind today’s museum. Children’s figures have been preserved since 1963, while winning and finalist festival posters date from 1929.

Look at the surviving figures as works that changed with their materials: early examples used wax, later artists developed full cardboard construction, and polyester and expanded cork followed. The museum reopened after major renovation in 1995, and a further reworking in 2016 brought official museum status and the Josep Alarte temporary exhibition room, devoted to retrospective displays of fallas artists’ work.