These unusual museum concepts offer unconventional visitor experiences. While traditional museums can be extremely educational, not everyone finds these visits to be an enjoyable experience. These unusual galleries are designed to add a level of fun and excitement to the conventional museum experience.
While many adults are interested in visiting museums, children are often less enthusiastic about such outings. In order to make the museum experience more enjoyable for children, many galleries have sought to cater to a younger audience. These kid-friendly facilities include candy-inspired museums, cartoon dog museums and multi-sensory art museums.
Beyond catering to the needs of children, many museums have sought to draw in the types of consumers that would not usually visit a traditional gallery. In order to appeal to a different type of audience, many museums have designed unique installations and interactive exhibits that make the experience more entertaining. Some of these unusual museum features include sensory light installations, edible art exhibits and investigative museum-exploring apps.
78 Unusual Museum Concepts
From Electronic Music Museums to Candy-Inspired Children's Museums:
Katherine Pendrill — Sep 17, 2015 — Art & Design
78
Optical Art Museums
The Museum of Illusions Opens its Doors in Zagreb, Croatia
77
Antique Adult Toy Museums
See How Pleasure Toys Evolved with the Good Vibrations Museum
76
Submerged Mountain Museums
This Massive Concrete Structure is Partially Embedded in a Mountainside
75
Surreal Retail Display Museums
This Hermes Window Display is Made Using a Colorful Paper Medium
74
Surreal Digital Museums
The 'From Monet to Cézanne' Exhibit Explores French Impressionists
73
Mirrored Art Installations
Jeppe Hein Creates Large-Scale Reflective Sculptures
72
Interactive Art Museums
Manila’s Art in Island Gallery Immerses Art Lovers into Paintings
71
Elevated Museum Architecture
The National Art Museum of China by Jean Nouvel is Stunning
70
Transparent Mountainside Museums
The Aspen Art Museum Boasts a Stunning Timber Facade
69
Futuristic Cavernous Structures
The Louisiana State Museum by Trahan Architects is Icily Sci-Fi
68
Candy-Inspired Children's Museums
The Sweetness by Sports Harnesses What Kids Love Most
67
Gorgeously Sloping Architecture
Zaha Hadid's Heydar Aliyev Center Wins Design of the Year
66
Robotic Museum Guides
The De Young Museum is Making Their Tours Accessible to All
65
Lifelike Wooden Restaurant Installations
Roxy Paine Created an Entire Fast Food Joint Out of Wood
64
Electronic Music Museums
The Museum of Modern Electronic Music is to Open in Frankfurt
63
Sustainably Monolithic Museums
Museo Maya de América is the Largest Museum in Central America
62
Underwater Museums
'Underwater Museums' in the Baltic Sea Aims to Preserve Maritime Monuments
61
Interactive Art Museums
This 3D Museum in Hong Kong Lets Visitors be Part of the Anime Artwork
60
Mathematical Gallery Designs
Zaha Hadid Will Design the London Science Museum Mathematics Gallery
59
Sea Creature-Inspired Museums
The Shanghai Natural History Museum Takes After the Nautilus Shell
58
Virtual Reality Museums
Reload Studios is Bringing Famous Artwork Out of Museums and Into Homes
57
Serpentine Mountainside Museums
The Maison des Fondateurs Features a Spiraling Design
56
Distorted Experience Installations
BMW Collaborated with Barber & Osgerby to Create a Piece of Art
55
Neon Sign Art Exhibitions
This Rome Exhibition Features Showcases the Work of Maurizio Nannucci
54
Edible Art Exhibits
The Art Fund is Raising Money for Exhibits with Edible Art
53
Sensory Light Installations
Liz West's Latest Art Project Features Technicolored Elements
52
Irregular Opening Museums
The Museo Juan Soriano is a Large Blocked Building
51
All-Blue Museums
The Cachaça Museum in Brazil Consists of a Steady Hue
50
Experience-Focused Museums
The Moesgaard Museum in Aarhus Incorporates Nature and Design
49
Delicately Designed Museums
The Hungarian Museum of Architecture Would Renew Budapest's City Park
48
Ridiculously Tiny Museums
Somerville, MA Mayor Joseph Curtatone Unveiled the Minuscule Museum
47
Digital Museum Experiences
The Anne Frank House Website Boasts a 3D Virtual Tour
46
Sensory Sculpture Installations
Gratitude by Ernesto Neto is Located in the Aspen Art Museum
45
Personal Trinket Museums
Nick Cave is Making a Museum of Sentimental Items of Arguable Importance
44
Animal Print Car Museums
The Design of the Petersen Automotive Museum Resembles Zebra Stripes
43
Historical Excrement Museums
The Museum of Shit in Italy Explores the History of Poop
42
Rocky Museum Installations
The Riverbed Installation Brings the Great Outdoors Inside
41
Flame-Inspired Copper Facades
The Museum of Fire in Poland is Inspired by the Natural Phenomenon
40
Mine-Converted Museums
Salina Turda Pays Epic Tribute to Salt Mining in Romania
39
Aquatic Museum Interiors
Lisbon's Water Museum Reflects Its Subject Matter in a Design That Flows
38
Geometric Museum Proposals
Comac Uses a Cubed Structure for the Berlin Natural Science Museum
37
Distorted Memory Museums
The False Memory Archive Asks Us: Have We Been Living a Lie?
36
Celebratory Bike Centers
Tokyo’s Bicycle Culture Center is Stunning and Welcoming
35
Virtual Museum Exhibits
The Virtual Reality Weekend Transports Museum Visitors to the Bronze Age
34
Palatial Baroque Museums
The New Cultural House of Pinhel is a Stunning Revamped Palace
33
Hindu Deity Exhibits
The Metropolitan's Museum Exhibit Depicts Lord Vishnu's Lion Avatar
32
Blind-Guiding Museum Exhibitions
Touch the Prado Lets the Visually Impaired Feel Art Copies
31
Giant Bird Installations
Sipho Mabona Presents Giant Avian Origami at Tropenmuseum
30
Complimentary Contemporary Galleries
The Broad Museum in Los Angeles will Open in September 2015
29
Medieval Modern Museums
The Waterford Medieval Museum Fuses a Modern Exterior with Ancient Ruins
28
Branded Toilet Museums
This Japanese Museum Showcases the Toilet History of Toto Ltd.
27
Literary Detective Exhibits
The Museum of London's Sherlock Holmes Exhibit Explores the Series
26
Contemporary Museum Interiors
The New Santo Antonio Museum in Lisbon Replaces the Original
25
Subterranean Salt Museums
This Salt Mine Has Been Converted into a Museum
24
Cartoon Dog Museums
Japan's Snoopy Museum Will Idolize a Fictive Comic Strip Dog
23
Triangular Museum Architecture
Tadao Ando Builds the Asia Museum of Modern Art
22
Gridded Patterned Architecture
The Yenikapi Project Features Complex Walkways
21
Minimalist Concrete Museums
The Fresach Diocesan Museum Complements a Nearby Church
20
Childlike Glass Museum Architecture
COORDINATION ASIA's Kids Museum of Glass is Whimsical
19
Tragedy-Commemorating Museums
The 9/11 Memorial Museum Honors the Lost Lives of Many
18
Investigative Museum-Exploring Apps
The ScopifyROM App Lets Users Explore History
17
Cheesy Museum Pop-Ups
Castello's Pop-Up Cheese Tasting Appeals to Multiple Senses
16
Green-Roofed Museums
The Shekou Museum Blends Well with Nature
15
Glass-Enclosed Museum Facades
The Vincent Van Gogh Museum Will Soon Unveil Its New Spacious Foyer
14
Foggy Museum Installations
FOGSCAPE #47412 by Fujiko Nakaya Creates an Eerie Effect
13
Artistic Museum Renovations
The Renovations to the Clark Art Institute Have Finally Been Revealed
12
Sandstone-Inspired Architecture
The Southern Utah Museum of Art Has Natural Influences
11
Skyline-Mirroring Installations
The Dan Graham Design Sits Atop the Metropolitan Museum of Art
10
Sustainable Science Museums
Moatasem Esmat Gives the Science Museum an Upgraded Look
9
Redefined Glass Museums
MoMA's Public Geometric Glass Structure Redefines the Traditional Museum
8
Homey Museum Installations
Mauritshuis' Museum Campaign Turns a Gallery into a Home Setting
7
Lifelike Limb Installations
The Dutch Silver Museum by Tinker Features Floating Arm Sculptures
6
Pyramid Architecture Add-Ons
The Harvard Art Museum Nears the End of its Project Expansion
5
National Supercar Museums
This Corvette Museum Plans to Display Sinkhole Damaged Cars for Fans
4
Salacious Phallic Museums
The Icelandic Phallogical Museum Holds a Casting Call
3
Interactive Toy-Built Museums
Denmark's LEGO Museum Will Be Designed with Thousands of Blocks
2
Woven Timber Museums
The Aspen Art Museum by Shigeru Ban Features a Latticed Side
1
Multi-Sensory Art Museums
The Tate Sensorium Invites Guests to Experience Art in a New Way
Related Ideas
Ultra-Modern Apartment Designs
No Architects Created a Multi-Functional Modern Apartment
Venetian-Inspired Museum Designs
The Conceptual Floating Glass Museum is AI-Generated
AR Museum Eyewear Headsets
The 'MetMate' AR Glasses Concept Elevates Museum Goer Experiences
Amorous Immersive Pop-Ups
Museum of Ice Cream & Kendra Scott Partnered for Valentine's
Luxuriously Artistic Homes
Child Studio Taps Mid-Sentury Modern Sensibilities & Art Deco Motifs
Color-In Photo Cameras
The 'Potto' Toy Camera Concept Encourages Kids to Color in Prints
Art Showroom Apartments
Maison Lune Presents an Alternative to Traditional Galleries
Large Archeological Museum Complex
The Grand Egyptian Museum Prepares to Open its Doors
Human Sexuality Museums
Snøhetta Designs the Museum of Sex, Featuring Galleries, a Bar, & More
Toronto Film Exhibitions
Imposter Cities Exhibition Explores Architecture & Cinematic Authenticity
Conceptual Craft Beer Bottles
Sour Glass Encourages Thoughtful Drinking Experiences
Future Building Material Exhibitions
The Farrell Centre Debuts Its Inaugural Exhibition
Supermarket-Style Pavilions
Venice Architecture Biennale's Latvian Pavilion Has a Familiar Form
Gummy Bear Toys
Gummymals are Squeezable Toys with 20 Different Interactions
Immersive Multi-Sensory Exhibitions
Divina Dalí Combines the Genius of Dalí and Dante Alighieri
Futuristic Auto Micro Factories
Most Architecture Unveils a Modern Factory for Charge Cars
Miniature Endearing Souvenir Capsules
The Little Ghibili Museum Capsule Has Adorable Souvenies
Immersive Jewelry Exhibitions
The TIFFANY & CO. Tiffany Wonder Exhibition in Tokyo is Engaging
Three-Dimensional Art Exhibits
3D Doubt Your Eyes Exhibition Opens in Toronto
Public-Oriented Furniture Exhibits
Furnishing Utopia's Jean Lee Displays Furniture for Public Use
Kaleidoscopic Kindergarten Buildings
The Tianshui Kindergarten by SAKO Architects is Whimsical
Immersive Living Room Concepts
Moooi Presents an Immersive Journey for Milan Design Week
Cosmic-Themed Art Exhibitions
Awol Erizku’s Newest Exhibition Has Space, Basketball, and Hip Hop
French Museum-Themed Tech Accessories
The Louvre Museum and CASETiFY Join Forces on a Capsule
Art Museum-Inspired Campaigns
Kachorovska's Latest Campaign is Located in a Ukranian Museum
Abstract Fantasy Home Exhibitions
Fort Makers Invite Six Creatives to Design Their Dream Home
Funky Colorful Storage Units
Pavel Vetrov's Funky Storage Units Capture Attention
Content-Inspired Physical Retail Experience
Netflix House Creates a Space for Fans to Buy Merch
Kid-Envisioned Urban Environments
The Little Big Playmat Takes a Creative Path to Design Problems
AI-Generated Art Galleries
Amsterdam’s New Art Gallery Displays Artwork Made by AI
Playful Restaurant Pop-Ups
The Play-Doh Restaurant of Imagination Turns Kids' Creations Edible
Multi-Sensory Education Devices
The Conceptual 'Squashy' VR Education Device Has a Tactile Form
Kaleidoscopic Lazy Rivers
Kaleidoscope Kavern Features an Immersive Multimedia Tunnel
Playful Montessori Kindergartens
Mjölk Architekti Embraces Montessori Ideals in New Extension
Psychedelic Sculptural Art Installations
The Frank Stella: Recent Sculpture Exhibition Opens in NY
Cave-Inspired Installations
Cave Bureau Design an Installation for Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
Beautifully Sculptural Concrete Museums
Qatar Museums Unveils Official Images of the Lusail Museum
Gut Health Museums
Activia's What the Gut Museum Educates the Public
Historic Fashion Try-Ons
The Design Museum's London Fashion Exhibition Integrates AR Mirrors
Child-Friendly Camera Concepts
The Camera for Kids Concept Reimagines the Digital Camera
Creativity Time Capsules
Crayola's Campaign for Creativity Reunites Adults with Childhood Art
Multi-Sensory Art Experiences
Arcadia Earth Toronto & Benjamin Von Wong for A Sustainable Future
Stunningly Whimsical Playgrounds
XISUI Design Draws Inspiration from Natural Forms Such as Caves
Ambiance-Forward Exhibitions Settings
Paul Stolper Gallery Juxtaposes Brian Eno and Dan Flavin
Transforming Imaginative Furniture Designs
The Kiddie Couch Encourages a Sense of Play
Seoul-Themed Immersive Digital Exhibitions
London Opens the New Digital Delight Installation
Playful Furniture Exhibits
SFMOMA Presents Conversation Pieces: Contemporary Furniture in Dialogue
Orb Lighting Installations
Teamlab's Mangrove Island is an Innovative Display of Lights and Color
Vibrant Museum Foyer Renovations
Studio Besau-Marguerre Transfroms Mk&g's Foyer
Perception-Challenging Art Exhibitions
Raise the Moral Studio Presents the Becoming Familiar Show
Climate Crisis Awareness Exhibitions
Kinetic Singapore Unveils the School of Tomorrow Exhibition
Nature-Inspired Indoor Playgrounds
Sarit Shani Hay Designs a New Playground in Tel Aviv
Forgotten Theme-Park Art Exhibitions
Luna Luna Presents the Forgotten Fantasy Exhibition in LA
Town-Like Classroom Designs
Atelier Apeiron Designs the Kindergarten of Museum Forest Building
Pink-Tinted Artful Concept Stores
Isern Serra Designs the Moco Concept Store in Barcelona
Kilometer-Long Museums
Junya Ishigami Introduces the Zaishui Art Museum Along a Lake
Burgeoning Psychedelic Art Movements
The Chambers Project/PACT Embrace the Psychedelic Movement
Communication-Based Immersive Exhibitions
Intuit Mailchimp and Design Museum Present Email is Dead
Virtual Pub Museums
Heineken Pub Museums Spotlight Important Cultural Locations
Cutting-Edge Digital Art Exhibitions
Arte Museum Las Vegas Offers Exclusive Deals to Residents
Plastic-Exploring Art Exhibitions
The Everlasting Plastics Exhibition Explores Plastic Dependency
Cinematic Chocolate Experiences
Hershey's Great Candy Expedition Offers an Immersive Experience
Mall-Based Indoor Adventure Parks
Elev8 Fun is Coming to Miami International Mall
Blocky Children's Museums
UNStudio Showcases Its Design for the Children's Museum of Qatar
Candy-Scented Sensory Toys
Sloomoo x Hi-Chew Slime Smells Like Fruity Chewlet Flavors
Copper Shell-Enclosed Museums
Wutoqpia Lab Designs the Copper Blockhouse Space in China
Playful Interactive Galleries
PLAY by American Express Platinum Reimagines Toys as Art Pieces
Lego-Themed Escape Rooms
'Lost' Invites Players to Select One of Two Immersive Storylines
Immersive Mint Pop-Ups
The Tic Tac Experience Shares a New Strawberry & Cream Flavor
Immersive Art-Technology Installations
WNDR Museum Boston Will Feature 20 Exhibitions
Greenery-Packed Museum Buildings
This Science Museum is Designed Around a Central Park
Discarded Toys-Created Homes
Wallmakers Designs the Toy Storey Home with Repurposed Toys
Experimental Biomaterial Art Exhibitions
Copenhagen Contemporary Opens the Reset Materials Show
Insect Habitat Toys
Smart Lab Toys' Insect Inspector Lab Bug Playground Encourages STEM Learning
Viewing Box Cultural Centers
The Center for Arts & Innovation Hosts Events and Education Spaces
Indoor Playground Art Exhibitions
CJ Hendry Unveils Two-Storey Indoor Playground Art Exhibition
Engaging Youth-Focused Platforms
V&A Introduces the Mused Website for Gen Z Digital Natives
Memory-Based Virtual Museums
The Museum of Memories Raises Dementia Awareness
Gummy-Studded Ice Creams
Dadu Ice Cream Puts Gummy Bears in Ice Cream
Tactile Gallery Buildings
AMAA Designs the Threshold and Treasure Art Gallery in Italy
Mass-Timber Children's Museums
O'Neill McVoy Architects Designs the Bronx Children's Museum
Ambient Atmospheric Music Exhibitions
Brian Eno Presents a New Show at the Paul Stolper Gallery
Childlike Characters Art Exhibitions
Kenny Scharf Unveil New Art Exhibition at The Journal Gallery
Natural Japanese Art Galleries
Brazil's Yayoi Kusama Gallery Features a Nature-Inspired Design
Crystalline Chinese Museum Buildings
The 'Space Crystal' Building Looks Like An Otherworldly Rock
Pickle-Flavored Candy Floss
There's Pickle Cotton Candy at the CNE 2023
Skateboard Design Museum Exhibitions
The Skateboard Exhibition Opens at London's Design Museum
Comprehensive Gallery Renovations
Carmody Groarke Releases Plans for the Dulwich Picture Gallery
Mesmerizing Fluid Art Installations
Dutch Invertuals Creates the Flow Fountain Installation
Screen-Printed Chocolate Tiled Rooms
MoMA Unveils the New Chocolate Room Exhibition by Ed Ruscha
Energy-Efficient Museum Complexes
This Museum Uses Innovative Design to Curb Energy Consumption
Burger-Inspired Ice Creams
So Cute Ice Cream's Cheeseburger Ice Cream is Served with a Pickle
Museum-Run Basketball Courts
adidas Basketball and CAMH Debuts Basketball Court in Art Museum
Revamped Monolithic Galleries
The Revamped National Portrait Gallery Emphasizes Public Space
Live-In Art Gallery Homes
Casa Galeria is a Home That Doubles as an Art Gallery
Kpop-Themed Live Exhibitions
HYBE, BIGHIT MUSIC, & Live Nation Confirm a New BTS Exhibition in LA
Galactic-Themed Sci-Fi Museums
Zaha Hadid Architects Designs the New Star Cloud Museum
Digital Audio-Visual Exhibitions
'Future Shock' by 180 Studios and FACT Magazine is Online
Medicine-Inspired Artful Shows
Beverly Fishman Presents the Something for the Pain Exhibition
Experiential Gift Registries
Nabu is a Gift Registry Platform to Give Kids Memorable Experiences
Inconspicuous Art Museums
Wang Chong Studio Designs a Beautifully Expressive Building
Confectionary Graffiti Murals
The Jolly Rancher Gummies with Vibrant Street Art Designs Debuted
Playful Design Exhibitions
Dina Adlouni and Tarlan Vaziri Farahani Presents Mushy Exhibit
Futile Material Design Exhibitions
Objective Gallery Presents Please Sit for an Alternate Ending
Gem-Like Sculptural Art Exhibitions
Fred Eversley Showcases Cylindrical Lenses in New York
Automotive Parking Lot Pop-Ups
Mercedes-Benz Turned Parking Lot Spaces into a Mini Showroom
Amorphous Public Restrooms
People's Architecture Office Designs the Amoeba Public Restroom
Painting-Immersive Photo Exhibits
Abelardo Morell Presents the New Ground Exhibition
Scientific Communal Museums
Stefano Boeri Architetti Designs the Museum of Technology in Xi'an
Destructive Nature Art Exhibitions
Keita Miyazaki Unveils the Keita Miyazaki Exhibition
Perforated Granite-Detailed Museums
The Chengdu Natural History Museum Gets a New Look
Interactive AR Galleries
Chips Ahoy's Happy By Design Campaign Spotlights Multicultural Artists
Contemporary Visitor Centers
In Situ Studio Boasts a Ceiling with a Cut-Out 'Hoop'
Color-Blocked Contemporary Museums
Studio Besau-Marguerre Designs the Foyer of the MK&G Museum
Musical-Themed Kinetic Structures
Daily tous les jours Designs the Daydreamer Structure
Modern Museum Versatile Cafes
Tate Modern Unveils a Corner Cafe Designed by Holland Harvey
Technology Connection Art Exhibitions
Design Agency Here Unveils the Code/Craft/Chaos Exhibition
Museum-Replicating Puzzle Sets
LEGO Icons Presents the New Natural History Museum Set
All-White Interior Artful Galleries
Samsøe Samsøe Highlights a Blank Canvas in New Pop-Up
Vibrant Furniture Collection Expansions
The Sight Unseen Collection Continues to Grow
Novelty Gelato Pops
Gelatys Serves Uniquely Shaped Gelato on a Stick
Sensory Explorative Art Exhibitions
Chromasonic Presents the Making Sense of Color Exhibition
Swept Roof Underground Museums
Wutopia Lab Designs the Roof of the Deep Time Palace in China
Artist-Dedicated Gallery Spaces
Instituto Inhotim Recently Unveiled Galeria Yayoi Kusama in Brazil
Immersive Spring-Themed Exhibits
Colors in Bloom Features 12 Immersive Rooms
Architectural Pottery Museums
1+1>2 Architects Designs the Bat Trang Pottery Museum
Playful Toy-Inspired Exhibits
The Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity Debuts Toys & Play Exhibit
Unconventional Foodie Magazines
Food& Magazine Explores the Weird and Wonderful World of Food
Dynamic Public Artwork Installations
NEON Creates the Born to Be Wild Installation in the UK
Unseen Artist Masterpieces
A Hidden Chamber Reveals Michelangelo's Untold Works
Bi-Culture-Inspired Art Exhibitions
Tomokazu Matsuyama Unveils 'Episodes Far From Home' Exhibition
Hopeful Design Installations
Annemoon Geurts Presents the Evolving Harmony Exhbition
Free City-Wide Museum Days
Museums Free-for-All Offers Free Admission to L.A's Museums
Slaugherhouse-Transformed Unique Museums
Cave Bureau Creates the Anthropocene Museum 9.0
Nomadic Berlin Design Galleries
Forma Presents the The Room I Walk the Line Exhibition
Locally Focused Footwear Stores
The Athlete's Foot Opened a Neighborhood Concept Store in Atlanta
Material-Accented Dreamscape Exhibits
Solidnature Displays Its Material Prowess with a New Exhibit
Football History Artful Exhibtions
The FIFA Museum Presents Designing the Beautiful Game
Renovated Zoology Museums
London's Grant Museum of Zoology is Open After a £300,000 Makeover
Computer Evolution Museums
Evolution Museum Explores Iconic Computers Through History