Experiences

Is architecture the new attraction? These museums make the case

From Los Angeles to Suzhou, a new generation of museums is bringing ambitious design, fresh cultural perspectives and new ways to experience art.

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Shatricia Nair

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Once simply repositories for art and history, museums are increasingly becoming architectural landmarks in their own right. In 2026, a new generation of museums has reshaped the cultural landscape, shedding the “boring” label with ambitious designs, more relevant cultural programming and fresh ways to experience art.

China is a striking example of this cultural push. In Shenzhen and Suzhou, museums of epic proportions have popped up to offer both visitors and locals varying perspectives of the world. They’re hardly stuffy either – these contemporary behemoths have transformed the cities’ landscapes with architecture that wouldn’t look out of place in a sci-fi movie.

Further afield, a mecca for Star Wars fans has emerged. The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is a US$1 billion (S$1.28 billion) futuristic landmark dedicated to visual storytelling, with exhibits ranging from costumes and production art to paintings by artists such as Frida Kahlo. London, too, has never been short of museums, but its cultural landscape is far from static, with new arrivals bringing history and fresh perspectives to life.

What connects these new institutions, though, is not simply what’s inside them, but what happens before you even walk through the door. Architecture is doing some of the work once reserved for the masterpieces within – drawing attention, provoking curiosity and giving visitors a reason to make the journey.

For these new museums in 2026, design isn’t merely an impressive backdrop to the collection. It’s the opening act. Here are the ones to bookmark in Asia, Europe and beyond.

Lucas Museum of Narrative Art — Los Angeles, USA

George Lucas knows a thing or two about storytelling, and the best way to experience the magic – after you’ve watched all the Star Wars movies, that is – is to visit the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. The long-awaited museum in Exposition Park houses an impressive collection spanning illustration, comics, film art, photography and painting, with works by names including Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo and Jack Kirby. Fans of the intergalactic universe Lucas created will also appreciate the Star Wars props, costumes and models on display. Most impressive, however, is the futuristic 300,000-sq-ft building itself – a masterpiece and attraction in its own right designed by Ma Yansong of MAD Architects, who also designed the equally jaw-dropping Harbin Opera House.

Opens: Sep 22, 2026

New Museum — New York, USA

New Museum on New York’s Lower East Side might not technically be new, but it deserves a place on this list for its transformative expansion. The expanded campus – designed by OMA – has nearly doubled the institution’s footprint to 120,000 sq ft and gleams amid the Lower East Side with faceted glass and metal panels that cut away at sheer, almost impossible angles. Expect new galleries, studios, performance spaces and a public atrium alongside the already distinctive original building.

Opened: Mar 21, 2026

V&A East Museum — London, UK

London’s museum landscape gained a new cultural destination this year with the opening of V&A East Museum in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Designed by Dublin-based O’Donnell + Tuomey, the building shuns traditional museum archetypes, with generous galleries and specially designed spaces that encourage visitors to interact with the exhibits rather than simply observe them. The mix here is just as eclectic, drawing from the Victoria and Albert Museum’s vast collection, from fashion by Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen to artefacts from the Black British music scene.

Opened: Apr 18, 2026

Museo del Galeon — Manila, Philippines

Manila’s brand-new Museo del Galeon doesn’t offer the usual paintings and vitrines. Instead, it takes visitors on a deep dive into the country’s maritime history through LED installations, galleries tracing its pre-colonial maritime culture and a full-scale model of the Espiritu Santo. The latter is a 40m-long recreation of a 17th-century galleon that visitors can walk through while learning about the ship’s role in trade and how the era helped shape Filipino identity.

Opened: May 1, 2026

Shenzhen International Museum of Art — Shenzhen, China

Shenzhen’s transformation from technology hub to cultural powerhouse shows no signs of slowing, especially with the opening of the Shenzhen International Museum of Art. Located in Guangming Science City, the new museum was designed by architect Cui Kai, with twin parallel structures resembling two arks sailing side by side. Its inaugural season features seven major exhibitions, ranging from the Old Summer Palace animal-head bronzes to visiting masterpieces from the Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest.

Opened: May 30, 2026

Shenzhen Natural History Museum — Shenzhen, China

Another museum worth a spot on your Shenzhen itinerary is the new Shenzhen Natural History Museum. Designed by 3XN, B+H Architects and Zhubo Design, the 100,000-sq-m museum beside Yanzi Lake is inspired by river deltas, with sloping planes and terraces that evoke the region’s waterways and undulating hills. The granite-clad structure is the largest natural history museum in southern China, with eight exhibition halls exploring everything from astronomy and dinosaurs to ecosystems and biodiversity.

Opened: Jul 28, 2026

Suzhou Museum of Contemporary Art — Suzhou

China’s new generation of museums is using architecture to reinterpret local identity. One of the country’s most notable museum openings of 2026 is the Suzhou Museum of Contemporary Art, an expansive 60,000-sq-m landmark beside the picturesque Jinji Lake. Designed by Danish architecture studio Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), the museum shows how traditional architectural ideas can be reinterpreted for the modern world, taking cues from Suzhou’s historic gardens and pavilions. Beneath its spectacular sweeping roofs, visitors can expect large-scale exhibitions of contemporary Chinese art and more.

Opened: Aug 30, 2026

Centre Pompidou Hanwha — Seoul, South Korea

It’s hard to miss the new Centre Pompidou Hanwha when it’s quite literally a 150-metre-long translucent light box. Designed by French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, the museum – which sits at the foot of Seoul’s iconic 63 Tower in Yeouido – is dedicated to modern and contemporary art. While its core programme draws from Centre Pompidou’s extensive collection in Paris, the museum also places an emphasis on Korean artists and culture.

Opened: Jun 4, 2026

Guggenheim Abu Dhabi — Abu Dhabi, UAE

One of the most anticipated cultural openings of the year is also set to become the largest Guggenheim museum in the world. In true Frank Gehry form, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi – located on Saadiyat Island – is a sculptural, almost fragmented structure that was inspired by the barrel, or traditional Gulf wind tower. Within the large conical structures, over 600 works by artists from the UAE and beyond are set to headline the space, some of which are large-scale installations that wouldn’t be able to exist in conventional museums.

Opening: Dec 11, 2026

Source: CNA/sn

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