Balloon Museum
The Balloon Museum is an international travelling exhibition that utilizes inflatable and air-based contemporary art. It debuted in Rome, Italy in 2021 and has since toured to major cities across Europe, North America, and Asia.
Editions include Pop Air, which premiered in Rome and toured to Paris, Milan, and Madrid; Let's Fly, which has been staged in New York City, Miami, Austin, and Los Angeles; EmotionAir, presented in London and San Francisco; and Euphoria, which opened at the Grand Palais in Paris in June 2025.
History
Early years
The exhibition was developed in 2021 by Lux Entertainment, an Italian entertainment and experiential art company based in Rome. Founded by Roberto Fantauzzi together with his three historic partners, the company creates touring and site-specific formats that combine inflatable installations, immersive environments, and live performances. Its first project, the Balloon Museum, premiered in December 2021 in Rome with the exhibition Pop Air.Exhibition editions
Balloon Museum has been staged in Paris at La Villette in 2022, followed by editions in Milan at Superstudio Più, Madrid at Casa de Campo, London, New York City, Miami, Los Angeles, Austin, San Francisco, Paris, and Singapore.Notable stops included EmotionAir at Old Billingsgate in London, Let’s Fly at Pier 36 in New York City, and Euphoria at the Grand Palais in Paris.
In 2025, major exhibitions opened at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco and the Grand Palais in Paris.
Description
Installations combine inflatable sculptures with light, mirrors, and sound to create interactive environments. The shows have been described as an “immersive universe”.In France, shows in Paris have received positive reviews. In other European countries such as Spain and the United Kingdom, Balloon Museum has also been positively received.
Several other similar exhibitions have also been developed by Lux Entertainment. This Is Wonderland is an immersive theatrical installation in Rome that combines fairytale narratives with live performances. The Color Hotel has operated as an interactive venue in Fiumicino since December 2023. The Flat by Macan was a collaboration with Porsche Italia, staged in Milan in 2024, while Christmas World is a seasonal event at Villa Borghese in Rome.