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
Venetian-Inspired Museum Designs
The Conceptual Floating Glass Museum is AI-Generated
Nest-Inspired Urban Houses
This Vietnamese Dwelling Offers Respite From the Concrete Jungle
Artful Doghouse Design Exhibitions
The Architecture for Dogs Exhibition Opens at ADI Design
Creativity-Forward Offices
Urban Office, 'Corporativo M601', Caters to Function and Recreation
Eco-Friendly Offices
Office@27 by Sanjay Puri Architects is Enhanced by Ancient Indian Principles
Sustainable Airport Terminal Designs
This Lush Green Terminal is Powered By Renewable Energy
Futuristic Auto Micro Factories
Most Architecture Unveils a Modern Factory for Charge Cars
Discreet Architectural Polish Homes
Mobius Architekci Designs the Loop House in Rural Poland
Historic Mill-Transformed Vineyards
CMA Wraps a Winery Around a Mill at the Wine Storefront
Arts and Crafts-Inspired Homes
Rural Office Designs the Middle Avenue House in Surrey
Colorful Educational Art Installations
Mario Cucinella Architects Displays Sparking Change
Family-Friendly Interactive Museums
LEGO's Superpower Studios is Devoted to Hands-On Play
Beautifully Sculptural Concrete Museums
Qatar Museums Unveils Official Images of the Lusail Museum
Historic Fashion Try-Ons
The Design Museum's London Fashion Exhibition Integrates AR Mirrors
Artful Wooden Pavilions
Centro de Colaboración Arquitectónia Designs the Orchid Pavilion
Visual Museum Campaigns
MoMA’s New Museum Campaign Transforms NYC into an Art Lover’s Paradise
Rejuvenated Chinese Train Stations
MAD Architects Breathed New Life Into a Century-Old Station
Transparent Climate Classrooms
Forma Transforms a Century-old Glasshouse in Copenhagen
Everyday Material Colorful Pavilions
Foster + Partners and NEON Create Two Pavilions in London
Paper-Inspired Artful Museums
Bjarke Ingels Group Designed the Museum for Papirkunst
Vibrant Multi-Level Office Designs
Gensler Reimagines the Accenture Office Space in Chicago
Virtual Pub Museums
Heineken Pub Museums Spotlight Important Cultural Locations
Perception-Challenging Art Exhibitions
Raise the Moral Studio Presents the Becoming Familiar Show
Vibrant Museum Foyer Renovations
Studio Besau-Marguerre Transfroms Mk&g's Foyer
Revamped Museum Brand Identities
The Brooklyn Museum Has Updated Its Branding Aesthetic
Energy-Efficient Office Buildings
This Czech Office Complex is Outfitted With Eco-Friendly Designs
Kilometer-Long Museums
Junya Ishigami Introduces the Zaishui Art Museum Along a Lake
Gallery-Like Elevated Retail Designs
Format Architecture Office Designs the Leica Store & Gallery
Futuristic Hospital Designs
Renzo Piano Building Workshop Designs Jawaher Boston Medical District
Architecture-Inspired Furniture Capsules
SeungBum Ma Designs the Form-Functional Archi-Furniture
Swooped Museum Roof Planes
BIG Designs the Waterfront Suzhou Museum of Contemporary Art
Modern Office Environments
The MOL Campus Project Was Designed by Architecture Firm Kinzo
Striking Glass Canopy Designs
Heatherwick Studio is Redeveloping Olympia in London, United Kingdom
Sustainably Built Public Attractions
National Geographic Society Unveils the Museum of Exploration
Transformed Historic Bank Buildings
Ivy Studio Overhauls the Interior of a Historic Building
Bamboo-Inspired Cultural Buildings
This Cultural Center Seamlessly Blends Into its Surroundings
Vaulted Glass Structure Additions
A Vaulted Roof is Added to the Domino Sugar Refinery
Exploratory Art Exhibits
The Saga of the Department Stores Exhibit Explores Shopping’s Evolution
Subterranean Courtyard Galleries
Buzz Designs the Hermit Space Yards in Beijing Park
Immersive Art-Technology Installations
WNDR Museum Boston Will Feature 20 Exhibitions
Shed-Like Storage Facilities
Lahznimmo Architects Designs the Powerhouse Castle Hill
Viewing Box Cultural Centers
The Center for Arts & Innovation Hosts Events and Education Spaces
Dynamic Immersive Play Museums
LEGO Group Presents the Superhero Studios Initiative in Paris
Sustainable Visitor Pavilions
NU Architectuur Atelier Designs the Green Arc in a Garden
Nature Blending Modern Homes
MODU Designed the Mini Tower One Residence in Brooklyn
Robust Monolithic Walled Homes
H Arquitectes Completes the Casa 1736 in Barcelona
Weightless Pavilion Museum Wings
Snøhetta and Alley Poyner Macchietto Expand the Joslyn Art Museum
Rustic Ruin-Inspired Aquariums
Tatiana Bilbao Estudio Designs The Sea of Cortez Research Center
Geometric Prefabricated Pavilions
Heams & Michel Architectes Presents the 7 Kiosks Project
Simplistic Timber Warehouses
Aretz Dürr Architektur Designs the Structures of Halle S 46
Historic Fortress Open-Air Museums
KOOP Architects Revives the Ottoman Seddülbahir Fortress
Dynamic Installation Science Museums
MAD has Designed the New Hainan Science Museum
Organic Sculptural Furniture Exhibitions
Gallery Fumi Hosts the Growth + Form Exhibition in London
Tea-Honoring Angular Libraries
Atelier Xi Designs the Interconnected Library and Tea Rooms
Cloister-Style Sculptural Galleries
Axel Vervoordt and Tatsuro Miki Design the Meridiano
Exposed Concrete Factory Structures
Iksoi Studio Adds a Concrete Grid to the Mallcom Factory
Outdoor Floral Sculpture Installations
These Sculptures at Kew Gardens Are Made by Marc Quinn
Textural Brick Structures
Bennetts Associates & Citizens Design Bureau Create BEAM Cultural Center
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
Local Craft-Shown Bamboo Pavilions
AtArchitecture Designs the Northeast Pavilion for an Art Fair
Comprehensive Gallery Renovations
Carmody Groarke Releases Plans for the Dulwich Picture Gallery
Metal-Wrapped Exhibition Spaces
Trace Architecture Office Creates a Structural Steel Wrap
Nature-Connecting Office Spaces
Hawkins\Brown Designs the Here + Now Office Buildings
Community Sports Park Centers
MJMA Architecture & Design Creates the Churchill Meadows Center
Monolithic Sleek Summer Homes
Jan Henrik Jansen Arkitekter Creates the Vollerup Atrium Home
Live-In Art Gallery Homes
Casa Galeria is a Home That Doubles as an Art Gallery
Spaceship-Like Robot Museums
Melike Altınışık Architects Designs the Seoul Robot & AI Museum
Demountable Events Space
Andblack Design Studio Creates the Darwin Bucky Structure
Woodland-Inspired Timber Office Spaces
Atelier du Pont Completes the Pavilion Jardins Building
White Concrete Boxy Museums
Thomas Phifer Designs the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw
Brutalist Museum Restaurants
Zooco Estudio Designs a Restaurant in the Cantabrian Maritime Museum
Clustered Natural Campus Extensions
OMA Creates a Cluster of Structures for Hongik University
Sustainably Designed Mumbai Offices
Sanjay Puri Architects Designs the Office@27 Workspace
Aluminum-Clad Gallery Redesigns
OMA Remodels the Gallery of the Kings at the Museo Egizio
Clover-Style Conference Center Designs
MAD Designs the ZGC International Innovation Center
Scientific Communal Museums
Stefano Boeri Architetti Designs the Museum of Technology in Xi'an
Ice Factory-Transformed Galleries
Malik Architecture Designs the IF.BE Gallery and Event Space
Traditional Sustainable School Designs
Heatherwick Studio Showcases Plans for Universidad Ean
Poetic Habourfront Nature Centers
3XN Created the Centre for Coastal Nature and Sport Fishing
Concrete Cultural Visitor Centers
UAD Completes the Villagers' Home Center in Zhejiang Province
Cascading Aluminum Pipe Museums
Kengo Kuma Design the Audeum Museum with an Aluminum Facade
Chinese Medicine Circular Museums
Muda Architects Completes the Tianfu Museum of Chinese Medicine
Rebuilt Historic Train Stations
MAD Introduces the Train Station in the Forest in China
U-Shaped Atrium Hotels
JSa Designs the Hotel Volga in Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City
Red Concrete Exhibition Centers
Mix Architecture Designs the Red Box Exhibition Center
Color-Blocked Contemporary Museums
Studio Besau-Marguerre Designs the Foyer of the MK&G Museum
Kaleidoscope Vibrant Pavilions
Google's Mountain View Features a Halo Pavilion Artwork
Modern Deco Office Designs
Reflect Architecture Designs the NewGen Office with Contemporary Detail
Opulent Opera Venues
This Saudi Opera Complex is Inspired By Traditional Mud Brick Construction
Brutalist Converted Learning Centers
Archipelago Transforms a Post Office to a Learning Space
Modern Museum Versatile Cafes
Tate Modern Unveils a Corner Cafe Designed by Holland Harvey
Museum-Replicating Puzzle Sets
LEGO Icons Presents the New Natural History Museum Set
Spine-Based Central Design Buildings
Foster + Partners Designs the Hangzhou Center
Aegean Architecture-Inspired Home Designs
Studio Kali Designs the Arkhe Collection of Furniture
Tree-Like Library Spaces
Studio Hinge Presents the Forest of Knowledge Library Design
Sculptural Museum Expansions
Diller Scofidio + Renfro Unveil Images of the Broad's Expansion
Latticed-Steel Transport Hub Columns
Tremend Designs the Metropolitan Station in Lublin
Artfully Rotating Glass Pillars
Sebine Marcelis Created the Panorama Pillars in Atlanta
History Museum Garden Renovations
London's Natural History Museum Underwent a Five-Acre Makeover
Atrium Stacked Toronto Courthouses
Renzo Piano Building Workshop Creates a Justice Building
Glass-Lined Towering Libraries
Snøhetta Designs the Beijing City Library Located in China
Mirrored Panel Tropical Gardens
Research Artistic Design + Architecture Designs the Frame Garden
Mass-Timber Transport Hubs
BIG and A+ Architecture Build the Marengo Multimodal Transport Hub
Roman Architecture-Themed Pavilions
Pratique and Fanum Design the Forum des Vestiges Pavilion
Basketry-Informed University Facades
Heatherwick Studio Designs a Building for Universidad Ean
Urban Natural Expansive Buildings
Atelier Delalande Tabourin Designs Office National des Forêts
Architectural Pottery Museums
1+1>2 Architects Designs the Bat Trang Pottery Museum
Dynamic Military Archive Buildings
Jahn Completes the Pritzker Military Archives Center Design
Optimal Energy Research Centers
Zara Hadid Architects Designs the Alisher Navoi Research Center
Botanical Visitor Pavilions
NU Architectuuratelier and Archipelago Create the Green Ark Pavilion
Paper-Like Art Museum Roofs
BIG Expands the Museum for Paper Art in Denmark with a Folded Roof
Renovated Retro Ski Lodges
Hetedik Műterem and Studio Konstella Extend the Normafa Ski Lodge
High-Tech Center Renovation Projects
Two Studios Join Forces to Update the Centre Pompidou
Refurnished Historic London Buildings
Wright and Wright Transforms the British Academy in London
Wooden Roof Japanese Museums
Shigeru Ban Designs the Toyota City Museum in Japan
Wooden Mountain Visitor Centers
Henkai Architekti Designed the Pustevny Gateway Center
Dual Level Concrete Galleries
Morphosis Designs the Crow Museum of Asian Art in Dallas
Jagget Metal Museum Entrances
David Closes Adds a Design to the Baroque Museum of Catalonia
Transformed Disused Steelwork Structures
Delugan Meissl Designs Expo Cultural Park Greenhouse
Barrel Vault-Topped Metro Stations
KA Architecture Studio Designs the Jahad Metro Plaza
Square Structural Canadian Homes
PARTISANS Designs the Canvas House in Toronto, Canada
Steel Structural Dynamic Workspaces
Skylab Architecture Builds a New Skylab Office in Oregon
Star-Shaped Structural Pavilions
Minsuk Cho Designs the Archipelagic Void Shelter in London
Dynamic Concrete Modern Buildings
Atelier Matias Mosquera Designs the Shire Building
Art Center Sweeping Canopies
Kengo Kuma & Associates Extend the Centro de Arte Moderna Gulbenkian
Computer Evolution Museums
Evolution Museum Explores Iconic Computers Through History
Water Flow-Inspired Art Buildings
MAD Designs the Waterfront Nanhai Arts Center in Guangdong
History Preserving Renovation Projects
Studio Anne Holtrop Renovates the Siyadi Pearl Museum
Educational Storage Shed Designs
Invisible Studio and Mole Architects Form the Big Roof
Slaugherhouse-Transformed Unique Museums
Cave Bureau Creates the Anthropocene Museum 9.0
Repurposed Imperfection-Embraced Buildings
Civic Architects & VDNVP Elevate a Series of Workspaces
Dynamic Canadian Museum Expansions
Diamond Schmitt Architects Expands the New Brunswick Museum
Futuristic Factory Rooftop Extensions
MAD Transforms a Factory with the Ark Extension in China
Football History Artful Exhibtions
The FIFA Museum Presents Designing the Beautiful Game
Distinctive Airlifted Structures
Arête Architects and Makers Fabrication Design the Karka Tower
Colonial History Art Exhibitions
RIBA Presents Raise the Roof: Building for Change
Geometric Three-Story Museum Expansions
The Álvaro Siza Wing is a New Extension in Serralves
Slim Concrete-Framed Museums
Atelier Projectiles has Created the D-Day Museum in Normandy
Artfully Designed Train Stations
Design Studio MAD Creates its First Train Station in Beijing