Exhibition spaces convey carefully curated content with the goal of educating, inspiring, and engaging visitors, using objects and displays to tell stories. In addition to promoting education, cultural preservation, and aesthetic appreciation, these environments encourage creativity and interaction. With immersive and interactive experiences, they allow visitors to form meaningful connections with new knowledge, different perspectives, and important cultural heritages, creating both intellectual and emotional engagement.
Museums: The Latest Architecture and News
Flexibility at Its Core for Display Case System on Museums
Zaha Hadid Architects Reveals Design for New Scientific Research Centre in Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) have been announced as the architects for the Alisher Navoi International Scientific Research Centre, an expansive cultural and educational facility taking shape in New Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The center is set to incorporate the Navoi State Museum of Literature, along with a 400-seat auditorium and an International Research Center and residential school dedicated to training 200 students in the Uzbek language, literature, and music.
UT Dallas Opens Crow Museum of Asian Art Designed by Morphosis, Begins Construction on Performance Hall
The University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas) has reached two major milestones in its 12-acre cultural development, the Edith and Peter O'Donnell Jr. Athenaeum: the grand opening of the Crow Museum of Asian Art and the groundbreaking of a new performance hall and music building. Designed by architectural firm Morphosis, the Crow Museum of Asian Art serves as the centerpiece of the university's commitment to expanding its cultural offerings and engaging both the campus and the surrounding North Texas community. Alongside the museum's opening, UT Dallas also broke ground on a new performance hall and music building, set to be completed by fall 2026.
Musée du Louvre Selects WHY Architecture and BGC for Byzantine and Eastern Christian Art Expansion
The Louvre Museum in Paris has announced the American-French consortium WHY Architecture -BGC as the winner of an international competition for the exhibition design of the museum's ninth department, dedicated to Byzantine and Eastern Christian Art. The 5,500-square-meter project aims to offer a more balanced and connected narrative of the Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic civilizations, fostering a greater understanding of the influences and relationships between artistic expressions of these historical regions. The spaces are expected to open to the public in 2027.
BIG Reimagines Former Supermarket into Denmark’s Museum for Paper Art
Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) is leading the transformation of a former supermarket into the new Museum for Paper Art in Denmark's North Jutland region. With paper art deeply ingrained in Danish cultural heritage, symbolized by Le Klint's folded lampshades and H.C. Andersen's intricate paper cuttings, this renovation and expansion aim to elevate the museum's profile and double its visitor numbers. The design will celebrate paper as both an art form and a craft, extending the museum's role in promoting this unique heritage.
MAD Architects’ Metallic Tornado Is Taking Shape Above Rotterdam’s Museum of Migration
Designed by MAD Architects, the FENIX Museum of Migration is scheduled to open in Rotterdam's City Harbor in 2025. Currently under construction, the museum is set to explore the global narrative of migration through art, architecture, photography, and history. Situated in a 16,000-square-meter warehouse built in 1923, once part of the world's largest warehouse, the building has historical significance as a key storage and shipping hub for the Holland America Line. New construction photographs showcase the assembly of the metallic helix, named The Tornado, taking shape above the historical warehouse.
David Kohn Architects and noAarchitecten Win Competition to Redesign the SMAK Museum in Ghent, Belgium
The team comprised of David Kohn Architects, noA Architecten, and Asli Çiçek has won the international competition for the redesign of SMAK, the Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art in Ghent, Belgium. The project includes the reconfiguration of the museum grounds and the extension of a cluster of historic buildings in the center of the city. Established in 1999, the Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst aims to redefine its relationship with the city and to create more appropriate space for the design of its extensive contemporary art collection.
Moreau Kusunoki and Frida Escobedo Studio Undertake Major Renovation of Centre Pompidou in Paris
In 2020, the French Minister of Culture approved an extensive renovation program for the Centre Pompidou with the purpose of resolving the building’s technical issues and ensuring the long-term viability of the iconic structure. Designed by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers in 1971, the museum was conceived as a “living cultural machine,” sparking controversy due to its unusual architecture. To ensure an efficient renovation process, the building will be fully closed for a period of 5 years, from September 2025 until 2030. French architecture studio Moreau Kusunoki has been commissioned to lead the renovation project, collaborating with Frida Escobedo Studio and AIA Life Designers, who are entrusted with the technical component of the project. The architects have been selected following an international competition, with Renzo Piano as one of the jury members.
Peter Zumthor’s Vision Takes Shape: Paul Clemence Releases LACMA Progress Photos
Paul Clemence has released a new series of images showcasing the ongoing construction works in The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). Undergoing massive transformations, including a new building by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor, the LACMA is the largest art museum in the western United States. Approved in 2019, Zumthor’s design, known as the David Geffen Galleries, aims to modernize the museum’s campus.
MAD Architects Reveals Latest Construction Updates for the Hainan Science Museum in China
The Hainan Science Museum, designed by Ma Yansong / MAD Architects, is progressing through its construction phases. The project began its design phase in 2020, broke ground in November 2021, and completed its main structure in June 2023. The museum, located on the west coast of Haikou City in Hainan Province, aims to be a landmark that integrates modern architecture with natural surroundings, promoting the convergence of technology and nature. The museum is expected to finish its curtain wall and landscaping by June this year and open for visitors in 2025.
Neutelings Riedijk Architects and ARS Architectes Design Cité des Imaginaires and Grand Musée Jules Vernes in Nantes, France
Neutelings Riedijk Architects and ARS Architects Urbanistes have just won a competition to design the Cité des Imaginaires and Grand Musée Jules Verne in Nantes, France. Selected from 160 entries, their design seeks to revitalize the historic “Moulins de Nantes” mil, also known as CAP44. This industrial heritage site, notable for its unique Hennebique concrete structure, is set to be transformed into a sustainable structure within the Garden Extraordinaire. Additionally, the museum will celebrate the legacy of the renowned author Jules Verne, born in Nantes.
'Future Positive': Foster + Partners Debuts Inaugural Exhibition in Seoul, Korea
Foster + Partners has debuted their first-ever exhibition in Korea at the Seoul Museum of Art. Marking a significant moment for the studio and its relationship to South Korea, the exhibition “Future Positive” showcases the work of Norman Foster and Foster + Partners to Korean audiences for the first time. On display from April 25th until July 21st, 2024, visitors will have the opportunity to explore the comprehensive showcase of Foster’s architectural journey from 1967 to the present day.
Diller Scofidio + Renfro Unveil Design for a ‘Companion’ to the Broad Museum in Los Angeles
Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R) has unveiled their proposal for the expansion of The Broad, a contemporary art museum founded in 2015 by philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad on Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles. The project is set to adapt the existing museum, also designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, to the growing expectations of the public, as the institution has far exceeded its projections, now regularly attracting nearly four times more visitors than originally envisioned. The intervention aims to enhance public accessibility and offer the opportunity to host live performances and events, while also accommodating the institution’s growing collection. The expansion is expected to open before the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Exploring the Grand Egyptian Museum Through Photography: Bridging Past and Present in Cairo
Showcasing millennia of Egyptian history and culture, the Grand Egyptian Museum is a monumental project in Cairo, Egypt, designed by the Irish firm Heneghan Peng Architects. Home to over 100,000 artifacts spanning Egypt’s storied past, the museum is on the brink of opening its doors to the public after multiple setbacks. Recent updates offer glimpses of the structure’s progress, with photographs captured by Egyptian photographer Farida Bustani providing sneak peeks of the architectural landmark.
Landscape Architect Sara Zewde Reimagines the Land at Dia Beacon, New York
Dia Art Foundation announced a major landscape project to reimagine the land at Dia Beacon, New York. Commissioned landscape architect Sara Zewde of Studio Zewde aims to go beyond the simple arrangement of attractive plants and integrate ideas of ecology, culture, and people into the design. Taking over the museum’s 32-acre campus, the project will create an expanded outdoor park, free to access for visitors and locals alike, complete with native meadows, sculptural landforms, and winding pathways. The project, which has been recently extended to also include the museum’s eight back acres, is expected to open to the public in 2025.
Discover the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures through the Lens of Paul Clemence
This Oscars Season, photographer Paul Clemence turned his lens to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, the most famous institution dedicated to the art and science of movies. Designed and revitalized by Gensler and Renzo Piano Building Workshop, the building is located on the famed ‘Miracle Mile’ in Los Angeles, opening with expansive views towards Hollywood. This year, the museum opened its rooftop terrace for the Oscars Night at the Museum, a unique event to celebrate the 96th Oscars.