These majestic museum structures are some beautiful examples of how modern day architects are using bold, futuristic designs to showcase cultural centres and historical buildings in a much more engaging manner.
While museums are often thought of as being boring or mundane, these majestic structures are here to prove that these educational spaces can indeed be just as modern and architecturally magnificent as any other structural space. A creative way to engage and attract new people to these buildings, these majestic museum structures are definitely allowing a whole new generation of individuals the opportunity to appreciate history and culture.
From graphic novel galleries to artistic outdoor museums, these creative structures are demonstrating that a contemporary exterior design can profoundly impact how people perceive that building.
50 Majestic Museum Structures
From Futuristic Historical Hubs to Indoor Forest Museums:
Tana Makmanee — Nov 7, 2013 — Art & Design
50
Glass Monument Museums
The Salvador Dali Museum is a Piece of Architecture with Many Mediums
49
Graphic Novel Galleries
The MoCCA by Alessandro Ortiz and Reid Nystrom Conceive a Built Caricature
48
Indoor Forest Museums
The Andrea Branzi Maribor Museum Takes Inspiration from the Forest
47
Sleek Spanish Galleries
The El Greco Museum Work with an Antiquated XVI Century Home
46
Bathtub-Shaped Museums
Amsterdam's Stedelijk Museum Boasts a Fixture-Resembling Extension
45
Cocoon-Inspired Galleries
The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is Distinctively Designed
44
Red-Topped Museums
The D.Gallery by Point b Design is a Nature-Surrounded Art Wonder
43
Porcelain Throne Galleries
The Mr. Toilet House Toilet Museum is Now Open to the Public
42
Fibrous Skyscraping Galleries
The Omotesando Street Fashion Museum Makes a Style Statement
41
Eco Museums
San Francisco's Academy of Sciences
40
Inhabited Modernist Museums
The Lyon Housemuseum is a Literal ‘Arthouse'
39
Golden Undulated Galleries
The Islamic Art Galleries at the Louvre Museum are Covered in Curves
38
Obtrusive Orb Museums
The Ordos Museum by MAD Architects is a Spectacle On the Outside as Well
37
Drive-In Museums
China's Automobile Museum Never Makes You Get Out of the Car
36
Quilled Cultural Centers
The Soaring Structure of Foster + Partners' Zayed National Museum
35
Refreshingly Rippled Museums
The Int'l School Museum of Flamenco is Fabulously Designed
34
Obstruction-Free Museums
The Art Museum Gosta Demonstrates Spacial Innovation
33
Buried Marine Museums (UPDATE)
The Jason deCaires Taylor Underwater Sculptures are Impressive
32
Elegant Exotic Car Museums
Porsche Panache Set in New Stuttgart Showcase
31
Floating Waterfront Museums
The Astrup Fearnley Museet is Set in Oslo's Canals
30
Futuristic Historical Hubs
The Space Race Museum Memorializes the Quest to Outer Space
29
Monolithic Museums
Diller Scofidio and Renfro Design an Epic Veiled Structure
28
Interactive Museums
The Museo Archeologico Virtuale in Italy Has Virtual Floor Dust
27
Magnificent Melodic Museums
The Daeyang Gallery and House by Steven Holl is Euphonic to the Eyes
26
Pockmarked Monolithic Museums
The Zoo Basel Ozeanium Looks Like an Eroded Underwater Boulder
25
Cliff-Hanging Cantilever Museums
The Wine Museum in Lavaux by Mauro Turin Architects is Extreme
24
Secret Lair Museums
This Mountain Museum by Zaha Hadid Architechts Burrows Through a Cliff
23
Sinuous Ribbon Museums
Winding Layers of Steel Craft the Design Museum Holon
22
Futuristic Cubed Museums
The Nanjing Sifang Art Museum by Steven Holl Architects is Eye-Catching
21
Futuristic Luxury Auto Exhibits
The Ferrari Museum in Modena is Dedicated to Enzo Ferrari
20
Cyborg Snake-Like Cultural Centers
The Jeongok Prehistory Museum is Oddly Futuristic
19
Sting Ray-Inspired Floating Museums
The Pingtan Art Museum Can Only be Accessed by Bridge
18
Virtual Visual Galleries
The Adobe Museum of Digital Media Honors Talented Digital Work
17
Artistic Outdoor Museums
Brazil's ‘Inhotim' Art Zoo is a Masterpiece
16
Stark Streamlined Galleries
The Easter Sculpture Museum by Exit Architects is Sleek and Simplistic
15
Outdoor Eco-Museums
Switzerland's Tree Museum is Dedicated to Preserving Rare Trees
14
Planter-Shaped Galleries
The Taiyuan Archaeological Museum Features Pottery Formations
13
Tunneled Art Museums
The Museum Liaunig Takes Artistry Underground
12
Interactive Soccer-Themed Museums
Ajax Experience is the Next Generation of Sports Celebration
11
Multi-Color Museums
Modern Art is Somewhere Over the Rainbow at Brandhorst Museum
10
Purse-Shaped Museums
Purse Fanatics Will Go Mad for the Simone Handbag Museum
9
Monolithic Glacier Museums
The Glacarium Resembles the Very Formations it Hopes to Save
8
Temporary Scaffolding Museums
The Schaustelle Pavilion Will Be Home to Museum Installations
7
Glacier-Esque Museum Concepts
The Moscow Polytechnic Museum and Educational Centre is Icy
6
Contemporary Artist-Run Museums
Palais de Tokyo Allows Artists to Control the Space of the Museum
5
Sweet Tooth Museums
The Brendan Jamison Sugar Cube Replica of the London Tate Modern
4
Radiating Museum Redesigns
Rojkind Arquitectos Puts a Fresh Face on Mexico's National Archives
3
Curvaceous Cultural Venues
The Changsha Meixihu International Centre Boasts a Futuristic Aesthetic
2
Miniature Metropolis Museums
The National Art Museum of China by OMA Boasts Ambitious Design
1
Haute Honeycomb Museums
The Contemporary Arts Center Cordoba by Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos is Chic
Related Ideas
University Administration Buildings
Sanjay Puri Architects Complete Prestige University Project
Modern Cultural Institutions
Centre SANAAQ Opened in Montreal's Peter-Mcgill District
Industrial Office Buildings
Steel House by Morris Adjmi Architects Nods to Rino’s Warehouse Past
Playful Children's Library Designs
Studio Vapore Creates a Whimsical Children's Library
Ultra-Colorful High-Density Residential Designs
Ballistic Architecture Machine Applies Color
Historically Inspired Modern Homes
MU Architecture Balances Historic Charm & Modern Sensibilities
Shoe Craft Heritage Museums
Shoemaker’s Museum by Purcell Restores Historic Winchester Site
Adaptive Furniture Displays
The USM Haller Re-Framed Exhibition Explores Reuse and Modularity
Adaptive Paris Museums
The Fondation Cartier Opens a New Jean Nouvel–designed Space
Floating Art Museums
Tadao Ando’s Dubai Museum of Art Embraces Light, Water and Heritage
Artistically Expressive Multi-Brand Stores
Sanjay Puri Architects Has Redefined Retail Design
Biophilic Workplace Designs
Mangrove Garden Office by Bean Buro Reimagines Corporate Spaces
Cultural Civic Landmarks
The Ismaili Center Houston by Farshid Moussavi Fuse Tradition & Modernity
Contemporary Art Libraries
Espace Gabrielle Chanel is a Large Public Art Library in Shanghai
University Art Landmarks
Princeton University Art Museum by Adjaye Associates Redefines Art
Honoring Art Restoration Displays
MoMA Presents the Many Lives of the Nakagin Capsule Tower
Large-Scale Recreational Landscape Projects
XISUI Designs 'Forest Delight: Lighthouse Nature Park'
Mahogany Intergenerational Homes
The Mahogany House by R ARCHITECTURE is Chic and Contemporary
Chic Avant-Garde Restaurant Interiors
Estereotomia Architects Designs Masahouse
Curved Green Roof-Topped Museums
Atelier Alter Architects Designs the Sunner Museum in China
Rerfeshed Historic Workspaces
Daytrip’s Cloisters Interiors Boasts Modern Furniture Design
Retro-Inspired Workplaces
The Jungle Offices Reinterpret 1990s NY Offices Across Four Floors
Contemporary Brutalist Homes
The MS House by Studio Saransh Balances Architecture with Nature
Designer-Led Modular Furniture Systems
USM and Alexander May Produce 'The Architecture of Work'
Modern Museum Transformations
Paisley Museum Revamp Completes Main Construction with Public Spaces
Regional City Hall Restorations
Architects Tackled the Restoration of Montreal City Hall
Architecturally Stunning Cultural Landmarks
OPEN Architecture Designs the Functional Sun Tower
Architecturally Inspired Exhibition Displays
Cecilia Szalkowicz Collaborates with Studio MATER
Adaptive Design Campuses
The Eames Institute Transforms the Birkenstock Site into a Design Museum
Airport Terminal Galleries
The NOMAD Abu Dhabi Converts a Terminal into an Gallery Space
Upgraded Historic Home Designs
Veinte Diezz Arquitectos' Vistalcielo Project is Stunning & Rustic
Japan-Focused Design Exhibitions
UQAM is Hosting Built Environment: an Alternative Guide to Japan
Compact Public Art Kiosks
The Hiroshima Architecture Exhibition Kiosks Appear as Small Structures
Sustainable Educational Architecture Projects
CURA Architekten Presents a Project in Switzerland
Inclusive Museum Designs
The National Science and Media Museum Boasts Sound and Vision Galleries
Architecturally Intricate Museums
STORYN Studio for Architecture Designs a Stunning Museum
National Gallery Extensions
Kengo Kuma National Gallery Wing Expands Painting Display
Bamboo Forest Structures
This Amazon Rainforest Pavilion Explores Biomimicry in Architectural Form
Historic District Hotels
Blue Architecture Studio Converts a Yangzhou District into a Hotel
Futuristic Museum Exhibitions
The Unnatural History Museum of Singapore Shows Mechanical Creatures
Cancer Care Architecture
Maggie’s Architecture That Cares Exhibition Highlights Healing Design
Protein-Inspired Architecture
Folded Protein Molecule Research & Exhibition Rethinks Structure
Emirati-Inspired Towers
The Symphony Tower Introduces a Woven Façade to Dubai’s Skyline
Color-Shifting Art Museums
Team BLDG Designs the The Quartet – Songzhuang Z Museum
Sustainable Retail Interiors
Sheep Inc London Store Uses Sculptural Displays & Graphic Art
Curved Stadium Structures
The Xi’an International Football Centre Creates a New Urban Landmark
Village-Like Museum Complexes
The Lost Shtetl Jewish Museum is by Lahdelma & Mahlamäki
Sculptural Mall Dreamscape
Studio Proba Introduces Unbounded Sanctuary in Grand Joy City Mall
Architectural Sports Landmarks
The Xi’an International Football Centre Spotlights Civic Design
Sustainable Green-Integrated Towers
Sudameris Plaza Rises as a Office Landmark in Asunción
Upgraded Experiential Museum Experiences
Museum of Ice Cream Undergoes Significant Renovations
Reconfigurable Timber Pavilions
Arkhive is a Pavilion by Students That Uses Reversible Joinery
Rammed Earth Galleries
The Museum Ehrhardt by Kéré Architecture in Plüschow, Germany
3d-Printed Pavilion Structures
Superlimão Pavilion Features in Pátio Metrópole
Art Filled Residences
The Art House by Spaces Architects Ka Fuse Bespoke Interiors with Sculptures
Architecture Education Hubs
The Aia Global Campus for Architecture and Design Opens in Washington
Futuristic Cultural Spaces
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Arts Blends Form with Civic Imagination
Detroit Tower Redevelopments
SHOP Architects’ Hudson’s Detroit Highlights Civicr Regeneration
Timber Warehouse Museums
Cobe Designs IKEA Museum of Furniture Studies in a Converted Warehouse
Contemporary Office Design
The Rock Capital Warsaw Office Highlights Art in a Refined Workplace
Mandala-Shaped Meditation Halls
Mahamudra Meditation Centre Anchors in Local Materials and Craft
Lunar-Based Rotating Pavilions
The Moon Pavilion by Atelier Guo Transforms an Abandoned Greenhouse
Textile Pattern Showcasings
The IKEA Museum: Magical Patterns Installation opens in Scotland
Architecture Art Exhibitions
The Eames Houses Exhibition Presents Models and Full-Scale Structures
Responsive Light Museums
teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi Turns Environment into Evolving Digital Art
Playful Futuristic Work Campuses
MAX Zone Hub in Foshan Opens as a Multi-Level Workplace Campus
Interactive Architectural Pavilions
The Folding Landscape Pavilion Turns Design into a Living Lens
Curvaceous Restaurant Interiors
4SPACE Boasts an Extraordinary Cultural & Architectural Statement
Eco-Friendly Rainforest Resorts
Wow Architects Reveals Design for Mandai Rainforest Resort
Bold Urban Hotels
Hotel Hans Introduces a New Hospitality Building with Sharp Geometric Forms
Architectural Library Furniture
The Herzog & De Meuron Reading Nooks for Own Furniture Tokyo
Modern Embassy Conversions
The Rosewood Chancery Hotel Reimagines London’s Former US Embassy
Immersive Dome Exhibit
The Lumisphere Experience Unveils a Three-Dome Climate-Focused Experience
Modern Football Museum Headquarters
Arena Liga Portugal blends Various Amenities in Porto
Bold Four-Story Cultural Complexes
The Grand Fendika Cultural Center Bridges Tradition in the City
Forested Concrete Pavilions
Miel Pavilion by Pezo Von Ellrichshausen Highlights Honey Processing
Adaptive Reuse Luxury Hotels
1 Hotel Copenhagen Transforms a 1930s Landmark into a Hygge Retreat
Restored Retail Interiors
The New MoMA Design Store SoHo Shows a Revamped Historic Structure
Timber Heritage Museums
The Museum Wegner by Cobe Honours Hans J. Wegner’s Legacy in Tønder
Exclusivity-Promoting Sophisticated Interior Designs
The Historic Club Saint-Denis is Elevated
Dark Timber Forest Houses
MORFEUS arkitekter Unveiled Solem Forest House
Sophisticated Government Office Designs
Agata Kurzela Tackles a Heritage Building in Abu Dhabi
Visitor Centre Architecture
Ightham Mote Visitor Centre by Reed Watts Architects is a New Space
Dual-Purpose Educational Facilities
Studio Link-Arc Designs the Yunlu Wetland Museum
Mushroom-Like Wooden Pavilions
The Carbon Garden Pavilion at Kew Gardens Nods to natural science
Reflective Memorial Architecture
Sanctum of Trees Reinterprets Tamil Temple Ritual in a Monolith
Education Architecture Expansions
Rainbow International School Extends with Nature Spatial Design
Pearl-Inspired Museums
Dubai Museum of Art by Tadao Ando Evokes Water, Light and Heritage
Industrial Office Designs
Steel House by Morris Adjmi Architects Rethinks RiNo Warehouse Typology
Oversized Chair Structures
Monumental Moving Furniture Turns Chairs into Walk-Through Forms
Time Capsule Pavilions
America 250: Time Capsule is a Museum Pavilion by Foster + Partners
National Cultural Museums
Foster + Partners' Zayed National Museum Roots Saadiyat Culture District
Stone Building Auditoriums
The Centre De Congrès Fuses Sculpture with Immersive Color and Light
Artful Elevated Timber Treehouses
The Secret Camp by Wiki World Turns a Forest into an Art Gallery
Ceramic Vault Structures
The Muqarnas Pavilion Shows a Modular Approach to Vaulted Form
Visually Striking Athletics Centers
NAPUR Architect Designs the National Athletics Center
Floating Science Museums
Ma Yansong Completes the Hainan Science Museum in Haikou
Industrial Landmark Stadiums
The Powerhouse Stadium Blends Heritage with Contemporary Engineering
Brutalist Hotel Transformation
Fairmont Golden Prague Alters a 70s Space into a Holistic Hotel
Culture-Celebrating Museum Experiences
The cs Transitioning
Sculptural Cultural Hubs
AYDC Public Art Centre by Atelier XI Integrates Nature, Art, & Community
Former Embassy Showrooms
Temp Project Renovates a Former Embassy Building into Retail Interior
Volcanic Visitor Architecture
PLAT ASIA's Volcano In Visitor Center Turn to Surrounding Landscape
Organic Form Galleries
Gaur NYC Experience Centre in India Uses Cave-Inspired Spatial Design
Art Museum Architecture
The Xiao Feng Art Museum is a Sculptural Concrete Building in China
Saucer-Shaped Nestled Galleries
Buro Ziyu Zhuang’s Prairie Ark Explores Rural Memory and Shelter
Urban Data Landmarks
Spark 761 Ai Data Centre Presents a Transparent Civic Computing Facility
Balanced Retail Atmosphere
The Capitamall Skyview Reimagines the Mall as an Immersive Urban Street
Contemporart Multi-Purpose Facilities
Alva Roy Architects Complete the Nexus House
Pavilion-Style Art Homes
Casa Galeria by BLOCO Architects Merges Living and Gallery Space
Desert-Inspired Art Museums
Las Vegas Museum of Art is a Cultural Project by Kéré Architecture
Desert Cultural Landmarks
Al Ain Museum by Dabbagh Architects Anchors Heritage and Landscape
Factory-Transformed Office Designs
Iksoi Studio Designs the New Mana Architecture Studio
Cultural Green Libraries
The Taichung Green Museumbrary by SANAA Weaves Architecture and Nature
Blooming Clustered Art Forms
The Structural Botany Installation Honors Organic Repetition and Form
Interactive Public Pavilions
The Radius Transformation Pavilion Lets Visitors Shape Space
Forest Tower Designs
The Wonderwoods Vertical Forest Rethinks Urban Living in Utrecht
Reflective Museum Conversion
The Hangzhou Empathy Museum is Transformed from an Abandoned Building
Mobile Glass Libraries
La Libreria Brings Transparent Architecture to Underserved Neighborhoods
Rock‑Like Coastal Centers
Nature Rocks Visitor Centre by MVRDV Inspired by Taiwan’s Coastline
Thoughtfully Contemporary Museum Designs
Innauer-Matt Architekten Designs the Museum Bezau
Natural History Museums
Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi Opens in the Saadiyat Cultural District
Adaptive Industrial Galleries
Spazio Leone Transforms a Victorian Factory into a Showroom
Layered Archival Apartments
Bergman Design House Renovates an Apartment Around Collectible Objects
Textured Glass Landmarks
Helsinki Design and Architecture Museum Designed as Clear Public Pavilion
Immersive Light Exhibits
Spencer Finch Exhibition Maps Time and Place Through Color and Light
Timber Research Hubs
The Anthony Timberlands Center Visualizes a New Heart for Wood Innovation
Forest Sanctuary Homes
The Sadowski House near Warsaw Showcases a Modern Forest Retreat
Cultural Exhibition Spaces
Espace Gabrielle Chanel by Kazunari Sakamoto Blends Art and Heritage
Community Western Museums
Hga’s Jackson Hole History Museum Blends Western Character
Park Library Museums
The Taichung Green Museumbrary Blends Library and Art Museum in Taiwan
Modern Museum Expansions
Kengo Kuma Associates Designs Brandywine Pennsylvania Museum Expansion
Elliptical Mushroom Pavilions
Mushroom Pavilion by OMA Organizes Cultivation and Gathering Spaces
Minimal Retail Spatial Strategies
UP2DATE Architects Debuted Messa House In Almaty
Red Concrete Museums
Vila Do Bispo Museum by Spaceworkers Adds a Bold Volume to Historic Granaries
Geometrically Inspired Office Facades
Sanjay Puri Architects designs the Magnus office building
Wave-Inspired Civic Halls
The Sail Congress Centre in Big Normandy Curves into Public Architecture
Woodland Arts Pavilions
Julia Manacas Architecte's the Waterhouse-Oyama Fuses Gallery & Forest
Commercial-Transformed Artful Galleries
New Affiliates Designs the Canyon Museum Space
Parametric Cultural Museums
The Seoul Robot & AI Museum is Designed by Melike Altınışık Architects