The aim of the article is to map the changes undergone by cogni­tive capitalism to gain an understanding of the contemporary city. First, the article takes a conceptual approach in order to perceive current urban cultural problematics. At the same time, it seeks to reconstruct the gene­alogy of leisure tourism, analyzing its transformations and exploring the complex framework of enhancement promoted to museify contemporary cities, establishing to this end a fundamental nexus between cultural con­sumption and the tourist industry. Finally, the article promotes a critical and reflexive approach to formulating possible alternatives to mitigate urban museification.