The most beautiful museums in the world offer far more than priceless paintings, historic objects and cultural treasures. They can be as fantastic as their collections inside. From contemporary modern architecture to sparkling glass buildings, to magnificent palaces and historic structures, these museums are the perfect reason to visit while traveling.
They also show how art and architecture and history can all be united into one, extraordinary spot. If you are a fan of modern design, historic heritage or massive European architecture, these museums are a must-visit on your trip. Read on for some of the world's most visually captivating museums to see.
Brains and beauty
Museums serve as cultural and historic landmarks, though what lies beyond their collections plays a vital role as well. Numerous cultural institutions stand as works of art themselves, ranging from majestic historical buildings to architectural marvels of the future. Our editorial team based the following list of the best-looking museums in the world on their assessment
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
A better-known Fort Worth venue is The Modern so called after the Modern Art Museum, widely viewed as one of the premier collections of international modern and contemporary art in the country.
A Tadao Ando design, opened in 2002 the museum's five large pavilions are built into the reflecting pond. The museum houses more than 3,000 items in its permanent collection which includes work by Picasso, Pollock and Sherman.
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Erawan Museum, Samut Prakan, Thailand
Housed inside a three-headed elephant statue, the 250-tonne green pure copper art piece of Erawan Museum spans 3 levels that tell of the underworld, heaven and earth. At a height of 95 feet (29m) tall, this 250-tonne statue treasures an impressive amount of exquisite antique items such as rare Chinese porcelain works, antique Vietnamese vases and also unique Chakri Dynasty tea sets.
Beyond a treasure room, the entire interior has psychedelic design elements. Pillars feature religious carvings, mural paintings along walls of the museum, and also a Zodiac & Milky Way stained-glass on the ceiling which describes world roof.
Acropolis Museum, Athens, Greece
The Acropolis Museum in Athens, designed by Bernard Tschumi, is the perfect testament to how the old and new coexist perfectly together. Built on the ruins of most of the Roman and Early Byzantine Athenian settlement, it has sections of its floors made of clear glass, looking directly down at the workings going on below.
The building has three stories and the top story sits at an angle from the rest of the museum to mirror the cardinal alignment of the old temple on the Acropolis.
Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
The building comprises three connected parts, but the Quadracci Pavilion stands out as the most remarkable. Though a quarter of Wisconsin artist Georgia O’Keeffe’s art resides within, designers give as much focus to its exterior design.
The building includes a mechanical, wing-like brise soleil that extends during the day to an approximate span of 217 feet (66 m), then closes and folds above the building at night.
National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
In 2006, Edinburgh’s 19th century Royal Museum and the 1998 Museum of Scotland merged to create the National Museum of Scotland.
The original Royal Museum building is particularly attractive, with an airy central hall that is bathed in light and based on London’s Crystal Palace. Captain Francis Fowke designed this building, completed in 1866, and he is the architect behind London's Natural History Museum and Royal Albert Hall.
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National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington DC, USA
The National Museum of African American History and Culture, which solely documents African American life, culture and history, is an impressive new building (opened in 2016 and its sleek shimmering bronze walls are instantly recognizable) belonging to the Smithsonian institution.
It houses more than 40,000 objects including the dress Rosa Parks was stitching the day she wouldn't get off the bus in.
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Canada's largest museum and Canada's largest field research institution conduct research and conservation in Canada and around the world. Today's building contains the original 1914 structure, the 1933 east wing and The Crystal - a controversial addition completed in 2007.
The museum entrance has moved into The Crystal since opening and is a notable piece of old and new architecture combining (or perhaps competing with).
Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna, Austria
Commissioners commissioned the Kunsthistorisches Museum, or Museum of History, late in the nineteenth century to house the large amount of artwork of the House of Habsburg, ruling family of Austria, making it one of the world's foremost art institutions.
While it stands as a great treasure of fine paintings and sculptures, this palatial edifice rises to an octagonal dome measuring over two hundred feet (60m) into the air.
Palazzo Ducale, Venice, Italy
By far the most famous of the 11 museums in Venice under the administration of the city is undoubtedly Palazzo Ducale or the Doge's Palace. The Doge (Chief Magistrate) of Venice lived in this palace and served as the central seat of the government of the Venetian republic.
Since 1923, it has served as a museum of endless fine art creations by Tintoretto and Titian. The building itself is an art of Gothic style design; the foundations of the 14th-15th centuries built upon a Renaissance and Mannerist lavish palazzo.
FAQs
1. What are the most beautiful museums in the world?
Some of the most beautiful museums include the Acropolis Museum in Athens, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Erawan Museum, Milwaukee Art Museum and Palazzo Ducale in Venice.
2. Which museum is famous for its unique architecture?
The Milwaukee Art Museum is famous for its striking Quadracci Pavilion and its large movable brise soleil, which gives the building a distinctive appearance.
3. Which museum has a three-headed elephant structure?
The Erawan Museum in Samut Prakan, Thailand, is housed inside a huge three-headed elephant sculpture, making it one of the world's most unusual museum buildings.
4. Which beautiful museum should architecture lovers visit?
The Acropolis Museum in Athens is an excellent choice because its modern design blends with the ancient archaeological remains surrounding it.