Reframing the Local

Bilbao and the Guggenheim Museum exemplify strategic tourism management, highlighting economic, urban and environmental benefits. The museum’s sustainability framework reflects its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals. In this chapter, we argue that the Guggenheim Effect, that is, the transformative impact of iconic cultural institutions, can inspire sustainable tourism in smaller cities through creative, culture-driven development. The chapter explores the Santo Tirso International Museum of Contemporary Sculpture (MIEC) as a case study in applying the Guggenheim Effect to a smaller-scale, sustainable tourism model, reinterpreted through a lens of cultural sustainability, slow tourism and distributed narratives. To achieve that, qualitative research is carried out, mostly through the analysis of statistical data, media, scholarly articles and first-hand sources provided by the main stakeholders. Through its integration of open-air sculpture, local identity and contemporary art, MIEC fosters a sustainable narrative where art is both embedded in and co-created with the environment. This model avoids the consequences of overtourism with a low-density, high-engagement cultural experience.