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Museums aren't just for people who love art and design. In truth, a museum is a place for anyone who's broadly interested in culture, whether it be their own or that of another people, country, or era. The "museum" is simply the building or vessel from which history, including the history of the present, is contained.
Most museums aren't just for browsing artworks and getting a souvenir at the gift shop, though. Many are often a sight to marvel at from outside, featuring architecture that even casual observers can appreciate. Many have community-focused activities, including concerts and workshops, and many more are free of charge or have days where admission is waived. A ton of museums even have restaurants and cafés that allow for longer, more enjoyable visits.
Some on this list are as specific as the Museum of Transportation, the Titanic Museum, and the Simone Handbag Museum, and some are as broad as the Tokyo National Museum and the de Young Museum. Others contain multiple museums and galleries, such as the Vatican Museums, Smithsonian Museums, and the Tate Museums. Others are dedicated to specific people, such as the Andy Warhol Museum and the Bob Marley Museum.
If you haven't already gotten the point, a museum can be a fascinating place, and no one is the same as the next. They are all over the world, and you could spend a lifetime trying to visit them all. Thanks to us, you don't have to go that far, for now. Browse our selection of 100 Museums to Visit Before You Die to see what you're missing from California to Scotland, Australia, Japan, and beyond.
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National Museum of Scotland
National Museum of Scotland
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
2013 Exhibitions:Dr. Livingstone, I Presume? (November 23 - April 7), Vikings! (January 18 - May 12)
As part of the five museum sites displaying the collection of the National Museums Scotland, this site includes not only works of art and design, but also pieces reflecting the natural world, world cultures, science, technology, and Scottish history. The highly educational galleries tell the story of life on Earth, spanning from the time of the dinosaurs to the age of human technology. The large-scale Wildlife Panorama puts on display life-size models and specimens of various species. With lessons on virtually every aspect of the planet, you are guaranteed to walk out with more knowledge than you entered with.
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National Palace Museum
National Palace Museum
Location: Taipei City, Taiwan
2013 Exhibitions: The Beauty of Palace: Covering Flowers:Zhao Chang's Picture for the New Year (January 1 - March 25), The Art and Aesthetics of Form: Selections from the History of Chinese Painting (January 1 - March 25), Myriad Forms in the Tip of a Brush: The Art of Calligraphy by Zhu Yunming (January 1 - March 25)
Initially established in Beijing's Forbidden City in 1925, the National Palace Museum was re-established in Taiwan when wars threatened the security of the artifacts in its collection. The museum hosts the largest collection of ancient Chinese artifacts and artworks in the world, including pieces from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties. The museum itself and its displayed pieces are reflective of the social development of China, with many of its cultural artifacts collected from actual palaces. As the national museum of the Republic of China, the venue, architecturally designed to resemble a traditional palace, covers over 8,000 years of Chinese history.
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State Hermitage Museum
State Hermitage Museum
Location: Saint Petersburg, Russia
2013 Exhibitions: Tin Soldiers in the Hermitage: For the 200th Anniversary of the Patriotic War of 1812 (December 26 - April 7), Artist of All Schools: Christian Wilhelm Ernst Dietrich (1712 - 1774) (November 28 - February 24), We all Merge into a Single Soul...: Patriotic War of 1812 in the Medals of Olenin and His Contemporaries (December 26 - April 7)
St. Petersburg is home to the State Hermitage Museum, one of the largest and oldest museums in the world. It is the most-visited museum in Russia, and ranks 12th internationally.
The State Hermitage was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great and has been open to the public since 1852. The entire permanent collection of the museum has over three million pieces, although the museum itself can only display a tiny fraction of that at a time. The collection fills a complex of six buildings including the Museum of Porcelain and a collection of similarly named buildings—Small Hermitage, Old Hermitage, New Hermitage, and the Winter Palace.
Torture Museum
Torture Museum
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
The Torture Museum exhibits the instruments used in the practice of torture and provides histories of their origins and uses in human society. The museum has over 100 torture devices in five rooms accompanied by a vast collection of photos, drawings, wax figures, and torture tools. Although the grim atmosphere of the museum may have a slight impact on its visitors, it effectively chronicles the history of human cruelty dating all the way back to the middle of the 17th century.
Museum of Bad Art (MOBA)
Museum of Bad Art (MOBA)
Location: Davis Square, Somerville, MA
2013 Exhibitions: 99% Inspiration + 1% Perspiration = No Sweat (October 17 - TBA)
The slogan for the Museum of Bad Art in Boston reads, "Art too bad to be ignored." As much as important art exists, bad art is just as plentiful (if not more so). In the end, it's all relative, of course. The Museum of Bad Art had humble beginnings, specifically that of a basement in a private home. Since the museum's establishment in 1993, MOBA has grown to hold over 400 works in their permanent collection and two exhibition spaces in Boston. But beyond examples of interpretative Mona Lisas and fanciful self-portraiture, MOBA raises questions about the role of museums in communities and arbiters of taste in the art world.
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Phallus Museum
Phallus Museum
Location: Reykjavík, Iceland
The Phallus Museum, also known as The Icelandic Phallological Museum, holds the largest number of penises in the world, which amounts to over 280 different specimens—93 from animals, 55 from whales, and 118 from land mammals (allegedly including dwarves and elves). The museum's mission is to collect penile parts of Icelandic mammals. It was founded by Sigurour Hjartarson, who received a bull's penis at a young age and has been expanding his collection ever since.
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Museum of Funeral Carriages
Museum of Funeral Carriages
Location: Barcelona, Spain
The Museum of Funeral Carriages, also known more commonly by its Catalan name, Museu de Carrosses Funebres, is heralded as one of Barcelona's most bizarre sites. The museum is relatively self-explanatory, chronicling late 18th to mid-20th century funeral customs. Not only does the museum give visitors an accurate description of the dead's transportation, but it also includes mummies in clothing from the specific time periods. Death is a universal part of life, but this particular museum gives visitors real insight into the history and customs behind after-life rituals in Barcelona.
National Museum of Anthropology
National Museum of Anthropology
Location: Mexico City
The Museo Nacional de Antropologia located in Mexico City is a modern temple to the amazing Mesoamerican cultures of the past. The building was designed by Pedro Ramirez Vasques and is the centerpiece of the Chapultepec museum district. The materiality of the building holds with it a great deal of symbolism, which adds another layer of poetry onto the space.
On another note, the museum was also the unfortunate victim of the single largest theft of precious objects from a museum. On Christmas Eve in 1985, a number of robbers entered the museum and removed several sheets of glass from seven showcases and had removed the 140 items within. Of the 140 items stolen were jade and gold pieces from the Maya, Aztec, Zapotec, and Miztec cultures. An article from the Los Angeles Times following the heist interviewed the museum's spokesman who described the robbers as stealing the "best ones (objects) from each culture." Just one of the pieces stolen from the collection was estimated to be worth approximately $20 million. Regardless of the famous heist, the Museo Nacional de Antopologia still cares for the largest collection of pre-Columbian artifacts in the world.
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Bauhaus Archive
Bauhaus Archive
Location: Dessau, Germany
2013 Exhibitions: Female Bauhaus:Gertrud Arndt, Weaver and photographer, 1923-1931 (January 30 - April 22), ON–TYPE: Texts on Typography (May 8 - August 5)
Walter Gropius initially founded the Bauhaus Archive in Darmstadt in 1960, but by 1964, the archive had already outgrown its Darmstadt home, and Gropius found himself as the designer of the Bauhaus' second archival-museum space. In 1971, it was suggested that the Archive move temporarily to Berlin. The concrete foundation was laid down in 1976, and the museum had fully relocated by 1979, where it has remained until today. Their permanent collection holds works from Lyonel Fenninger, Wassily Kandinsky, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, and Paul Klee, among many others.
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Alcatraz Island
Alcatraz Island
Location: Alcatraz Island, San Francisco
A sign on the island reads, "break the rules and you go to prison. Break the prison rules and you go to Alcatraz." The maximum security prison turned museum is a spot dense in urban mythology and recent history and has caste its own shadow in the icy San Francisco Bay. One of the most infamous escapes from the prison involved three inmates: Frank Morris and Clarence and John Anglin. Allegedly, the three men fashioned tools to aid their escape, including a drill comprised partly of a vacuum motor that helped to burrow through the concrete walls of their cells to a nearby ventilation shaft. On the evening of June 11, 1962, Frank, Clarence and John made their way through the ventilation shaft and down to the beach. The escape of the three men was considered an embarrassment, and the prison claimed that the inmates did not escape Alcatraz alive, but drowned shortly after their departure into the bay. The raft was eventually found nearby, but the bodies of Frank Morris and Clarence and John Anglin have never been found. Visit Alcatraz Island by ferry for more fascinating stories and artifacts from when the prison was still in use.
Titanic Museum
Titanic Museum
Location: Belfast, Ireland
This particular Titanic Museum is special for a couple of reasons. First, and perhaps most obviously, the museum opened 100 years after the demise of the ship, its crew members, and guests. The second is that the design for the Titanic was actually conceived in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where the museum stands today. It includes galleries and reconstructions of the ship's interior, and its construction took three years total (coincidentally that the same number of years that it took for the Titanic to be manufactured). BBC hails the highlight of the museum the "10,000 piece replica" of the Titanic's Grand Staircase. Other replicas include cabins on board the ship, as well as a full-scale rudder of the ocean liner.
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Museum of Man
Museum of Man
Location: San Diego
2013 Exhibitions: From the Vault: Rare Artifacts with Fascinating Stories (December 1 - October 27), access/ABILITY (October 13 - June 30)
The Museum of Man was founded in 1937 by Paul Rivet, who initially created the museum for the Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne. The museum attempts to "gather in one site everything which defines the human being: Man in his evolution (prehistory), man in his unity and diversity (anthropology), and man in his cultural and social expression (ethnology). Since its establishment, the Musee de l'homme has acquired more than 15,000 artifacts. Due to renovations, the campus has been closed since March of 2009, but is set to reopen in 2014. Upon its opening, make sure to visit the skull of mathematician, physicist, and philosopher René Descartes as well as their specimen of a crystal skull.
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Deutsche Guggenheim Museum
Deutsche Guggenheim Museum
Location: Berlin
2013 Exhibitions: Visions of Modernity: Impressionist and Modern Collections from the Guggenheim Foundation (November 15 - February 17)
As a result of a collaboration between Deutsche Bank and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, Deutsche Guggenheim opened in 1997 as an exhibition space dedicated to displaying contemporary art from the 20th and 21st centuries. The venue hosts four unique exhibitions each year, making use of its 350-square-meters of gallery space to transform and create new layouts for viewing. Featured works include pieces taken from international museums and private collections, with one of the annual exhibitions being comprised of artworks from the Deutsche Bank Collection. However, the most notable pieces on display at the museum are those dedicated specifically for the site, making them unique artworks exclusively available for viewing at the venue.
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MUseum MOderner Kunst (MUMOK)
MUseum MOderner Kunst (MUMOK)
Location: Vienna, Austria
2013 Exhibitions: Alejandro Cesarco (September 22 - October 9)
The MUMOK is dedicated to contemporary art and is the largest Austrian museum for international modern art. Its collection includes works by major artists such as Pablo Picasso, Nam June Paik, Gerhard Richter, and Jasper Johns, while its notable pop art collection features pieces by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. Focused on displaying more recent art, the MUMOK hopes to present a balance between historical context and current trends in artistic expression, while also creating an interactive sphere for the museum within its international context. The MUMOK says that its public responsibility is to promote freedom in culture and art in society.
WIELS Museum
WIELS Museum
Location: Brussels, Belgium
2013 Exhibitions: Matias Faldbakken: PORTRAIT PORTRAIT OF OF A A GENERATION GENERATION (December 15 - March 3)
The WIELS, located in Brussels, Belgium, was founded in 2008, and focuses on visual arts, but includes other disciplines as well. The WIELS museum focuses on seven to nine large-scale contemporary exhibitions a year as well as hosting conferences, debates, exchanges, workshops, and community programs. It has three levels of galleries and resides in a former beer brewery (WIELS is short for the Wielman Ceuppen's beer).
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Galerie nationale du Jeu de Paume
Galerie nationale du Jeu de Paume
Location: Paris
2013 Exhibitions: Print Error: Publishing in the Digital Age (October 23 - March 11)
The Galerie nationale du Jeu de Paume in Paris is located next to the Place de la Concorde and holds an impressive collection of contemporary art. It was built in 1861 during Napoleon's reign and derives its name from its original purpose as tennis courts. During the 1940s, it became a place where Jewish art that was stolen by the Nazis was stored. Despite the Nazis' attempt to sell what they called "degenerate art," a curator at the museum found a way to return most of the pieces to their original owners in 1945.
In 1989, the building was renovated by architect Antoine Stinco to allow for views of the Tuileries Gardens, Place de la Concorde, and Eiffel Tower. When the museum reopened in 1991, it was annouced as "France's first national gallery of contemporary art." It has hosted monumental retrospectives by Eva Hesse, Cindy Sherman, Ed Ruscha, Jean Dubuffet, and more.
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BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead
Location: Gateshead, England
2013 Exhibitions: Jim Shaw (November 9 - February 17)
The BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, located in Northern England, opened in 2002 as an international center for contemporary art with no permanent collection. The BALTIC includes crowd-pleasing exhibitions of innovative new work and projects created by artists working within the local community.
Tate Britain
Tate Britain
Location: London
2013 Exhibitions: Schwitters in Britain (January 30 - May 12), Ian Hamilton Finlay (November 12 - February 17), Focus: Charles Harrison as Curator (May 21 - March 10)
The Tate Britain was founded in 1897 and was then known as the National Gallery of British Art. It was renamed in 1932 to the Tate Gallery after Henrey Tate, who was pivotal in adding the national collection of modern art as well as the national collection of British art to the gallery. The Tate is a network comprised of four locations throughout Britain, starting with the Tate Britain and most recently, the Tate Modern, founded in 2000.
Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art
Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art
Location: Ontario, Canada
2013 Exhibitions: ARE YOU ALRIGHT? New Art From Britain (February 1 - March 24)
The Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art was founded in 1999 and is a non-profit museum mandated by the city of Toronto. The mission of the museum is to promote contemporary and innovative art by Canadian and international artists, providing a platform for emerging artists, while also displaying artists whose work has proves to be groundbreaking. The museum features two exhibition spaces with a 5,000-square-foot main space and a 1,000-square-foot project room, which together present more than 80 exhibitions per year. As well as hosting exhibitions, the museum maintains a permanent 400-piece collection.
Grazer Kunstverein
Grazer Kunstverein
Location: Graz, Austria
2013 Exhibitions: Inauguration New Program (March 9 - TBA)
The Grazer Kunstverein is a contemporary art space in Graz, Austria's Palais Trauttmansdorff. It's home to many performances and events, and it's also considered a production space in addition to being a museum. The institution prides itself on being a local meeting place that's as much in dialogue with Austria as it is with the world at large. Each year, Grazer Kunstverein has a conceptual focus or theme, and this year's is the production and display of "language." They plan to expand the museum as its programs grow and flourish in the years to come.
National Museum of Health and Medicine
National Museum of Health and Medicine
Location: Silver Spring, MD
2013 Exhibitions: Abraham Lincoln: The Final Casualty of the War (TBA)
U.S. Army Surgeon General William A. Hammond founded the National Museum of Health and Medicine in 1862. It was known as the Army Medical Museum until 1989, when it became the National Museum of Health and Medicine. The museum relocated to the Army's Forest Glen Annex in Silver Spring, Maryland in 2011 and is a member of the National Health Sciences Consortium, which is also an element of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command. The museum features exhibits that include skeletal specimens, preserved organs, and medical equipment.
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Vitra Design Museum
Vitra Design Museum
Location: Weil am Rhein, Germany
2013 Exhibitions: Pop Art Design (October 13 - March 2)
The Vitra Design Museum is a well-known privately owned museum of design founded in 1989. Its focus is furniture and interior design with works by Charles and Ray Eames, Zaha Hadid, Dieter Rams, Jean Prouvé, and Richard Hutten. As is the case with many museums on this list, the Vitra Design Museum contains an extensive archive, library, and laboratory, and additionally hosts workshops for the community.
The museum was Frank Gehry's first building in Europe, which he co-designed with architect Günter Pfeifert. Many saw the building as a departure from Gehry's original materials and forms, as he used white plaster and a titanium-zinc alloy and built in more curves than he previously had before. It also includes a gatehouse for the Vitra factory nearby.
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Casa Batlló Museum
Casa Batlló Museum
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona's Casa Batlló museum, built in 1877, was famously restored by Antoni Gaudí and Josep Maria Jujol between 1904 and 1906. Its original name, Casa dels ossos, translates to "House of Bones," which is reflected in its gritty, organic exterior. It's known for its architectural history, modernist design, and collection of works by world-renowned architects.
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Lenbachahus Museum
Lenbachahus Museum
Location: Munich, Germany
2013 Exhibitions: Cindy Sherman (November 10 - February 17), Dance Works III: Merce Cunningham / Rei Kawakubo (October 4 - March 24)
The Lenbachhaus was originally built as a Florentine-style villa for the painter Franz von Lenbach between the years 1887 and 1891. In 1924, the city of Munich acquired the building, and from then onward, the villa would be known as Lenbachhaus. The gallery was expanded upon shortly after its acquisition by the city, and once again in the late 1960s. Although the doors of the gallery are currently closed, they are set to reopen in spring 2013.
Any German art aficionado would do well to visit the Lenbachhaus. The museum preserves work from early 20th century German expressionist painters known as Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider). The Lenbachhaus also exhibits many works from the Weimar-era in a group called New Objectivity. In addition to more historical modernist works, the museum also exhibits a number of contemporary works from artists like Joseph Beuys, the work of the Viennese Aktionists, Andy Warhol, Lawrence Weiner, Dan Flavin, and Olafur Eliasson, to name a few.
Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum
Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum
Location: East Lansing, MI
2013 Exhibitions:Fritz Haeg, Domestic Integrities (November 10 - March 3), Global Groove, 1973/2012 (November 10 - February 24)
The Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, famously designed by architect Zaha Hadid, is a 46,000-square-foot institution in East Lansing, Michigan, dedicated to exploring international contemporary culture and ideas through art. It recently opened in November 2012 after being under construction since March 2010. Its arrival, as evidenced by its name, was made possible through a $26 million donation from Eli and Edythe Broad.
Indianapolis Museum of Art
Indianapolis Museum of Art
Location: Indianapolis
2013 Exhibitions: Timeless Beauty (January 11 - May 5), Gabor Peterdi (January 11 - October 13)
Although the Indianapolis Art Museum is one of the nation's oldest encyclopedic museums, they continue to blaze new paths in presenting art and leading institutions. In addition to their expansive collection of European, American, and Asian art, the IMA's facilities include a historic mansion and a nature preserve. Their exhibitions emphasize connections between traditional media, decorative arts, landscape design, and architecture. Recognized throughout the world for their development of open source technology and institutional transparency, the IMA has also won awards for environmental initiatives and public services. After you visit the museum in-person, be sure to stay in touch online, as their site and digital projects are arguably some of the best in the art world.
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The Drawing Center
The Drawing Center
Location: New York
2013 Exhibitions: Alexandre Singh: The Pledge (January 17 - March 13), Ignacio Uriarte: Line of work (January 17 - March 13)
The Drawing Center was founded in 1977 to demonstrate the significance of drawings througout history and to provide opportunities for under-represented artists. The Drawing Center, located in SoHo, specializes in drawings, showcasing contemporary and historical work by up-and-coming and famous artists. It's the only fine arts institution in the U.S. to focus solely on the exhibition of drawings, both historical and contemporary.
Bass Museum
Bass Museum
Location: Miami Beach, FL
2013 Exhibitions: The Endless Renaissance—Six Solo Artist Projects: Eija-Liisa Ahtila, Barry X Ball, Walead Beshty, Hans-Peter Feldmann, Ged Quinn and Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook (December 6 - March 17)
The Bass Museum was established in 1963, embodying post-modern, art deco style architecture. It was founded by the city of Miami Beach based off a private donation by John and Johanna Bass, whose funding began the collection of a variety of art styles including contemporary pieces, 19th century paintings, and Asian art. The museum now occupies the 1930s Miami Beach Public Library and Art Center and features works from Ferdinand Bol and Benjamin West. Admission is eight dollars with the exception of Miami residents who are allowed in for free.
SITE Santa Fe
SITE Santa Fe
Location: Santa Fe, NM
2013 Exhibitions:State of Mind: New California Art Circa 1970 (February 22 - May 19)
SITE Santa Fe is a contemporary art space without a permanent collection. SITE was founded in 1995 with the goal of hosting the only biennial of contemporary art in the entire United States, but following success of the first biennial, SITE now hosts ongoing exhibitions.
Rubell Family Collection
Rubell Family Collection
Location: Miami
2013 Exhibitions: Alone Together (December 5 - August 2), Oscar Murillo: work (December 5 - August 2)
The Rubell Family Collection was established in 1964 in New York City when Donald and Mera Rubell were married. Now located in Florida, the Rubell Family Collection is one of the largest privately owned art collections in the United States. In 1993, the RFC repurposed an old Drug Enforcement Agency building in Miami and opened its doors to the public, attempting to expand their mission as a contemporary art museum. The Rubell Family Collection hosts exhibits with emerging artists, yet also features an expansive gallery with work by recognizable names like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol.
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Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami (MOCANoMi)
Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami (MOCANoMi)
Location: Miami
2013 Exhibitions: Bill Viola: Liber Insularum (December 3 - March 5)
The Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami was established in 1994 to provide a forum for young and emerging artists and present and collect works by local as well as internationally recognized artists. One of the missions of the MOCANoMi is to make contemporary art accessible to diverse audiences within an appropriate cultural context.
ICA Boston
ICA Boston
Location: Boston
2013 Exhibitions: Mickalene Thomas (December 12 - April 7), This Will Have Been: Art, Love & Politics in the 1980s (November 17 - March 3)
Founded in 1936 as The Boston Museum of Modern Art, the museum was conceived as a laboratory where innovative approaches to art could be championed. In pursuit of this mission, in its early days, the museum established its reputation for identifying important new artists and changed its name a final time to become the Institute of Contemporary Art in 1948. Among the artists whose work was introduced to U.S. audiences by the ICA are cubist Georges Braque, expressionist Oskar Kokoschka, and Edvard Munch. Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Laurie Anderson, and Roy Lichtenstein were each the subject of ICA presentations early in their careers. More recently, The ICA was pivotal in the museum exhibition careers of Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons, Carol Rama, Vanessa Beecroft, Kara Walker, Cildo Meireles, Ellen Gallagher, Tony Oursler, Cindy Sherman, Bill Viola, Rachel Whiteread, Janine Antoni, and Cornelia Parker.
DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum
DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum
Location: Lincoln, MA
2013 Exhibitions: second nature: abstract photography then and now (May 26 - March 3), PAINT THINGS: beyond the stretcher (January 27 - April 21)
Established in 1950, deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum is the largest park of its kind in New England, encompassing 35 acres 20 miles northwest of Boston. In 2009, deCordova changed its name from deCordova Museum and Sculpture Park to deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum to emphasize its renewed focus on sculpture and to support the institution's goal of becoming a premier Sculpture Park by 2020.
International Center of Photography (ICP)
International Center of Photography (ICP)
Location: New York
2013 Exhibitions: Roman Vishniac Rediscovered (January 18 - May 5), We Went Back: Photographs from Europe 1933–1956 by Chim (January 18 - May 5)
New York City's International Center of Photography is part museum, part school, and part research center. The ICP is quietly tucked away amidst the tower of Manhattan's midtown district. But with one push through the revolving glass doors of the museum, one is immediately exposed to the "possibilities of the photographic medium through dynamic exhibitions of historical and contemporary work." In recent years the ICP's span of programming has been breathtaking. One month they showed Harper's Bazaar: A Decade of Style, followed some time later by Weegee: Murder is My Business and exhibitions titled Occupy! and President in Petticoats! In addition to reminiscing about past popular culture, the ICP helps us to relive and reinterpret historical events through exhibitions like Rise and Fall of Apartheid, Hiroshima: Ground Zero, and Cuba in Revolution. The International Center of Photography is not just a hub for guilty photographic pleasures, but has helped to record and preserve priceless moments of reflection and revolution from our past.
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Brooklyn Museum
Brooklyn Museum
Location: New York
2013 Exhibitions: Materializing Six Years (September 14 - February 17), Aesthetic Ambitions: Edward Lycett and Brooklyn's Faience Manufacturing Company (May 3 - June 16)
Founded in 1895, The Brooklyn Museum holds New York City's 2nd largest art collection, containing roughly 1.5 million works. The museum is well-known for its comprehensive collections of Egyptian and African art, in addition to 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th century paintings, sculpture, and decorative arts throughout a wide range of schools.
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San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)
Location: San Francisco
2013 Exhibitions: South Africa in Apartheid and After: David Goldblatt, Ernest Cole, Billy Monk (December 1 - March 5)
SFMoMA was the first museum on the West Coast solely devoted to the preservation and exhibition of 20th century art, and since its establishment in 1935, the museum has acquired over 26,000 works. Some brief highlights from SFMoMA's collection are Diego Rivera's The Flower Carrier, furniture from architect-designer Eero Saarinen, and A Set of Six Self-Portraits from Andy Warhol. Although this legendary museum houses some of the most important works of the 20th century, the building itself is also borderline sublime. The museum is currently in the process of expansion and will be closing their doors on June 2, 2013 for three years until the unveiling of SFMoMA's new complex addition in early 2016.
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Hayward Gallery
Hayward Gallery
Location: London
2013 Exhibitions: Light Show (January 30 - April 28)
The Hayward Gallery, which sits on the south bank of the river Thames, opened in 1968 and was known as only the Hayward until 2011. The Gallery was built by Higgs and Hill, a British construction company responsible for some of England's finest buildings, and designed originally by Norman Engleback. The building encompasses Brutalist architecture, prominent in Britain from the 1950s to the 1970s. The Hayward Gallery does not have any sort of permanent collection; instead it hosts three to four contemporary exhibits a year. The museum was managed by the Arts Council of Great Britain from 1968 to 1986 but is now managed by the Southbank Centre.
Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO)
Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO)
Location: Ontario, Canada
2013 Exhibitions: Michael Snow: Objects of Vision (July 18 - March 17), Josef Sudek: The Legacy of a Deeper Vision (October 3 - April 7)
The Art Gallery of Ontario, established in 1900, was designed by Toronto native Frank Gehry and includes works spanning from the 1st century to the present day. The AGO has seen four major renovations and expansions, which is considered a high number for art museums in general. The Art Gallery of Ontario has more than 5,000 works in 110 galleries, and its permanent collection holds over 80,000 pieces, making it one of the largest galleries in North America.
Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD)
Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD)
Location: Detroit
2013 Exhibitions: When Attitudes Became Form Become Attitudes (February 1-March 31), The Ninth Shanghai Biennale (October 2 - March 31)
Located in the heart of the Motor City, the building that houses Detroit's Museum of Contemporary Art used to be a car dealership. The raw, unfinished space has become a laboratory for a changing cast of contemporary artists and curators. Exhibitions have included 2007's Shrinking Cities, a conceptual exhibition dealing with population loss and shifting urban conditions, 2009's Black Is, Black Ain't, curated by Hamza Walker, and solo shows by Christian Marclay, Art Spiegelman, and Ann Lislegaard. Audiences are invited to "pay what they can" to support the Museum, so you should visit "as soon as you can."
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Aspen Art Museum
Aspen Art Museum
Location: Aspen, CO
2013 Exhibitions: Monika Sosnowska (February 15 - April 21), Kathrin Sonntag (February 15 - April 21)
Housed in a former hydroelectric plant, the Aspen Art Museum is a non-collecting contemporary art space presenting work in all shapes and sizes, as well as large-scale installations and electronic media. They hold group and solo exhibitions, including artists drawn from their Jane and Marc Nathanson Distinguished Artist in Residence Program, which was established in 2008. If you visit on the Fourth of July, you'll be able to see their annual float project designed by a contemporary artist, as well as enjoy a free picnic on the museum grounds.
Contemporary Art Museum, Raleigh
Contemporary Art Museum, Raleigh
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
2013 Exhibitions: Alistair McClymont:Everything we are capable of seeing (February 1 - April 28), Ryan Travis Christian: Well, Here We Aren't Again (February 22 - June 17)
A small institution known for throwing big parties, the Contemporary Art Museum, Raleigh seeks to provide a flexible space for emerging artists. The museum's collaboration with the North Carolina State University College of Design allows them to keep tabs on local design and new media. Featuring installations in all materials, visitors are often allowed to touch, as well as see. Their openings, which have included food trucks and live music, are not to be missed.
Walker Art Center
Walker Art Center
Location: Minneapolis
2013 Exhibitions: Cindy Sherman (November 10 - February 17), Dance Works III: Merce Cunningham / Rei Kawakubo (October 4 - March 24)
The Walker Art Center is now known as a cornerstone of American museums, but it began as an institution founded by a lumberman by the name of Thomas Barlow Walker in 1879. Many artists such as Joseph Cornell, Frank Gehry, Julie Mehretu, Kara Walker, and Mario Merz had their first major museum exhibitions at the Walker. The museum continues to live up to its prestige with its progressive dance, film, and music department, as well as with its Contemporary Art programming. In addition to standout performances and exhibitions, the Walker Art Center is also a cultural center for the Twin Cities. It is home to Open Fields, a place where people gather to participate in free events, ranging from food truck gatherings to the Internet Cat Film Festival. The Walker Art Center also includes the eclectic and far-reaching Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, and within its grounds lies the iconic Spoonbridge and Cherry monumental water sculpture. In addition to the Spoonbridge, the garden holds several notable works from Mark di Suvero, Frank Gehry, Jenny Holzer, Dan Graham, and Isamu Noguchi, as well as a prefabricated office-turned-information-center designed by architect Charlie Lazor.
Fridericianum
Fridericianum
Location: Kassel, Germany
2013 Exhibitions: Jordaens and the Antique (March 1 - June 16)
The Fridericianum was built in 1779, making it one of the oldest public museums in Europe. It is famously host to the quintennial Documenta art festival—a highly celebrated exhibition of international contemporary art. Designed by architect Simon Louis du Ry, the museum once held antiques, weaponry, and works from Hessian landgraves. After massive damages from World War II, it became a space for temporary exhibitions, most of which are modern and contemporary in era.
MoMA PS1
MoMA PS1
Location: New York
2013 Exhibitions: Huma Bhabha: Unnatural Histories (November 18 - April 1), Now Dig This! Art and Black Los Angeles 1960-1980 (October 21 - March 11)
MoMA PS1, formerly known as P.S.1 has been associated with The Museum of Modern Art since 2000. It was founded in 1971 by Alanna Heiss as the Institute for Art and Urban Resources, a program that turned abandoned New York City buildings into art studios and exhibition spaces. The museum is dedicated solely to contemporary art, which made its merging with the Museum of Modern Art all the more intriguing. They also host a variety of events and workshops including Sunday Sessions, Warm Up, and Summer School.
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The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
Location: New York
2013 Exhibitions: Tokyo 1955–1970: A New Avant-Garde (November 18 - February 25), Inventing Abstraction, 1910-1925 (December 23 - April 15)
It is difficult to write a small paragraph about a museum whose history (exhibition, social, economic, and political) could occupy the length of a hefty, dense book. Perhaps what is most exciting about New York's MoMA (particularly for students of art and art History) is that the galleries of MoMA are like walking through the pages of a Modernist art textbook. Seminal artworks from the Abstract Expressionist era are housed at the Museum of Modern Art, including a number of Pop Art works. Not to be forgotten is MoMA's ongoing design exhibit—ranging from early 20th century tea kettles to custom tiles from Antonio Gaudí and examples of contemporary forms of data mapping and interactive computer programming.
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The Mattress Factory Art Museum
The Mattress Factory Art Museum
Location: Pittsburgh
2013 Exhibitions: Feminist and... (September 7 - May 26)
The name is deceiving—the Mattress Factory is less of an industrial establishment, and more of a cultural one. The Factory was founded in 1977 in two refurbished buildings on Pittsburgh's historic North Side and boasts that it "is one of few museums of its kind anywhere." The Mattress Factory is home to a number of room-sized installation works created on site by American as well as international artists. The installations at the Mattress Factory range from a one-story high teddy bear head to room-size architectural projections and fully immersive environments. The nature of the Mattress Factory sets itself apart in its form and specificity. The museum is striving and attempting to activate more than just the audience's sense of sight. Among the museum's diverse programming is a growing permanent collection that includes artists such as James Turrell, Winnifred Lutz, and Yayoi Kusama, among others.
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Galleria degli Uffizi
Galleria degli Uffizi
Location: Firenze, Italy
Mentioned in both Henry James novels and Phish lyrics, the Uffizi has captured imaginations with its narrow courtyards and famous collections. Every good painting that has ever become a bad caricature is in the Uffizi, including Botticelli's Birth of Venus, Titian's Venus of Urbino, and Da Vinci's Annunciation. Over the years, this museum survived a car-bombing and a major flood, becoming one of the oldest and most famous art museums of the Western world. An unromantic tip for your romantic visit: Buy your tickets in advance, lines can be long.
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The Studio Museum In Harlem
The Studio Museum in Harlem
Location: New York
2013 Exhibitions: Fore (November 11 - March 10), Gordon Parks:A Harlem Family 1967 (November 11 - June 30)
Founded in the politically-charged late 1960s, the Studio Museum of Harlem has firmly established itself as the premiere institution presenting artists of African descent. For over 40 years, the museum's Artist-in-Residence program has created a platform for nearly 100 artists who have gone on to establish highly-regarded careers, such as David Hammons, Mickalene Thomas, and Kehinde Wiley. In addition to their innovative community programs, their Harlem Postcards series invites artists of diverse backgrounds to reflect on the historic and shifting landscape of Harlem. Installed in the lobby, you can view this installation free of charge, but if you see the whole museum, you'll come away with much more than just a postcard.
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Tenement Museum
Tenement Museum
Location: New York
Located on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, The Tenement Museum is an old apartment building, once home to over 7,000 residents from 20 different countries, turned artifact. The building was in use from 1863 to 1935 until the landlord decided to evict all the residents and board the upper floors. No changes were made to the building until the museum became involved in 1988. The building serves as an artifact for living conditions in the late 19th and early 20th century, becoming a national historic landmark in 1994. With the diversity and large amount of residents in a relatively small space, the museum gives visitors a real life view of immigration.
Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art
Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art
Location: Chicago
2013 Exhibitions: The Circus Collages of C.T. McClusky (January 11 - May 25), Kevin Blythe Sampson: An Ill Wind Blowing (January 11 - April 20)
Intuit is the only nonprofit organization in the United States that is solely dedicated to presenting self-taught and outsider art. Their growing collection focuses on artists such as Howard Finster, Sister Gertrude Morgan, and James Castle, who have been motivated by personal vision, often with little influence from the academy or education. In 2000, the museum became the steward of Henry Darger's living and working space, publically opening the room in which the Chicago artist tirelessly created his drawings, writings, and collections. Intuit seeks to provide a history for visionaries like Darger through their magazine, The Outsider, as well as through their library and bookstore. In their shop you'll find publications that even the best art libraries might not carry, as well as works by contemporary self-taught artists
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National Museum of Mexican Art
National Museum of Mexican Art
Location: Chicago
2013 Exhibitions: Signature Works (January 17 - April 7), Chaz Bojórquez (November 9 - June 30)
The mission of the National Museum of Mexican Art is to present Mexican culture as one "sin fronteras," or "without borders." Their shows are without borders or boundaries, displaying art from pre-Columbian artifacts to Chicano graffiti, all without an admission cost. Nestled in a residential neighborhood near some of the city's best taquerias, the museum is the only member of the American Association of Museums dedicated to Latino culture. To avoid Chicago's freezing winters and humid summers, plan your visit for October, when you can catch the nation's largest Dia de los Muertos exhibit.
Robben Island Museum
Robben Island Museum
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Robben Island is a barren spot of land surrounded by rough, shark-infested waters that was run as a penal colony for most of its 400-year history, and is probably most known for Nelson Mandela's 18-year imprisonment there. However, in 1997, the prison was transformed by a decision to turn it into a museum. Subsequently, the site was also declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lending it a whole other layer of importance. Robben Island then became a reclaimed symbol for South Africans; whereas before the island and its prison stood for corruption and apartheid, now Robben Island could stand as a monument and testament to the triumph of goodness and human spirit. Tours can be reserved in advance and begin with a ferry ride from the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. The tour apparently lasts for around four hours and includes a guided tour through the prison buildings and entire island via bus. Participants in the tours have come back and commented on the particularly interesting perspective that the island's history provides as it transitioned from a leper colony to a penal colony to a museum.
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Museo Reina Sofia
Museo Reina Sofia
Location: Madrid
2013 Exhibitions: Heimo Zobernig (November 9 - April 15), María Blanchard (October 17- February 25)
The museum, named after Queen Sofia of Spain, focuses on Spanish art and features notable collections of works by the nation's greatest 20th century artists—Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali. With goals of shifting the traditional museum format of one-way communication through simple aesthetic display of art, Museo Reina Sofia takes a few steps further in educating its visitors. Displays include documents, photographs, and other artwork that may provide useful supplementary information to the exhibited works, providing better historical context and understanding of the presented art. The space hopes to engage visitors in exhibitions, while challenging the consumerist values of society that have fragmented production throughout.
Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona
Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona
Location: Barcelona
2013 Exhibitions: The Art of the First Globalisation (November 8 - TBA), Voyeurism, Fetishism and Narcissism (November 8 - February 17)
The Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona, or the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art, opened to the public in 1995. Richard Meier & Partners were recommended by the Barcelona city council to design the museum in 1986. A year later the MACBA Foundation was created alongside the MACBA consortium, which commissioned Meier to build the museum in 1987. Although the museum had no permanent collection at the time of its construction, it now houses a large selection focusing on post-1950 Catalan and Spanish art. The museum represents three different eras of modern art from the '40s to the '60s and the '60s to the '70s, with the third period covering contemporary art.
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Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya
Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya
Location: Barcelona
2013 Exhibitions: The Museum Explores: Works of Art Under Examination (November 23 - February 24)
The Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya is the national museum of Catalan visual art located in Barcelona, Spain. It' s housed in the Palau Nacional, a beautiful building constructed for the 1929 International Exhibition. The museum emphasizes art that originated from Catalonia, though the whole of Europe is artistically represented. The MNAC also has an unparalleled collection of religious wooden painted panels from the 13th to the 15th century.
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Vatican Museums
Vatican Museums
Location: Rome
The Vatican Museums are famous for their collection of the Roman Catholic Church and Renaissance materials. Founded by Pope Julius II in the early 16th century, the museums' history can be traced back to their first piece, the sculpture of Laocoön. In their collections are multiple famous works by Caravaggio, Leonardo da Vinci, the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano, the Niccoline Chapel, and the Sistine Chapel. The museums have broken attendance records year after year (they currently have over four million visitors per year) and are open for free to the public on the last Sunday of every month.
Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna
Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna
Location: Rome
2013 Exhibitions: Paul Klee (October 9 - January 27), Gino Marotta (October 6 - January 27)
Established in 1883, the GNAM, dedicated to modern art, covers a time span from the 19th to 20th centuries. It provides the largest collection of works by Italian artists from these eras, while being reflective of the Italian nation's history since unification. It also includes works by foreign artists in Italy, including Klein, Van Gogh, Jackson Pollock, Rodin, and Monet, presenting a balance between history and contemporary art—what it considers the "living" art of today.
The National Art Center, Tokyo
The National Art Center, Tokyo
Location: Tokyo
2013 Exhibitions: DOMANI:The Art of Tomorrow (January 12 - February 12), Artist File 2013:The NACT Annual Show of Contemporary Art (January 23 - April 1)
Funded by the Japanese national government, the National Art Center, Tokyo, without a permanent collection, is less of a museum and more of a gallery. The Center provides one of the largest exhibition spaces in the country, with 14,000-square-meters of gallery space available. As part of its various educational programs designed to propagate knowledge on art, its premises include lecture halls, an art library, and an auditorium. Making use of its location in Tokyo, a global city, the Center aims to engage in diversity and promote new ideas within an interactive sphere.
Museum of Applied Art
Museum of Applied Art
Location: Vienna, Austria
2013 Exhibitions: Nippon Chinbotsu: Japan is sinking! A manga (January 16 - April 21), Plant City Vienna: Engaging design The City (December 12 - March 17)
The Museum of Applied Art, established in 1878, was established to provide education and stimuli to future generations of Russian artists and designers. The Museum of Applied Arts has a rich collection of European decorative arts, arranged by type and material, as well as a public library collection.
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21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa
21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa
Location: Ishikawa, Japan
2013 Exhibitions: Philosophical Fashion (January 12 - June 30), Do Ho Suh: Perfect Home (November 23 - March 17)
Built in the shape of a large circle, the museum is encased by glass walls and surrounded by three streets. Promoting openness and accessibility, the architectural design not only guarantees bright natural lighting, but also a blurred boundary between the museum and its surrounding city. The premises include a number of communal spaces such as a library, lecture hall, theater, children's studios, and tea rooms, which further promote the idea of coming together. With collections dating back to more recent decades, up to the 1980s, the museum offers both a retrospective and progressive approach to contemporary art.
Bob Marley Museum
Bob Marley Museum
Location: Kingston, Jamaica
The Bob Marley Museum is a museum dedicated to the world-renowned reggae musician Bob Marley, and it's located (fittingly) in Kingston, Jamaica. The location of the museum also happens to be Marley's former home and recording studio, and in 2001, the Bob Marley Museum became a Protected National Heritage Site.
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New-York Historical Society
New-York Historical Society
Location: New York
2013 Exhibitions: WWII & NYC (October 5 - May 27), Nature and the American Vision: The Hudson River School (September 21 - February 21)
The New-York Historical Society, founded in 1804, is an American history museum located near Central Park that holds an extensive collection of historical artifacts, works of American art, and other materials documenting the history of the United States and New York. The museum is the oldest in New York City, predating the founding of the Metropolitan Museum of Art by nearly 70 years and comprising more than 1.6 million works.
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Denver Art Museum
Denver Art Museum
Location: Denver
2013 Exhibitions: Laleh Mehran: Men of God, Men of Nature (May 20 - February 17), What Is Modern? (November 1 - March 24)
The Denver Art Museum is known for its expansive collection of American Indian art as well as its newest architectural addition: the Frederic C. Hamilton building. The structure was designed as a joint venture by Studio Daniel Libeskind and Denver firm David Partnership Architects. The building holds the museum's Modern and Contemporary Art collection, as well as the Architecture and Design and Oceanic Art collection. Additionally, this Hamilton building has been designated as the new entrance to the museum campus, providing a fresh and dramatic experience for every visitor approaching the Denver Arts Museum. The design of the building is meant to resonate with the angular planes of the mountainous terrain of the nearby Rocky Mountains. The architect has been quoted as saying "I was inspired by the light and geology of the Rockies, but most of all by the wide-open faces of the people of Denver."
The Museum of Jurassic Technology
The Museum of Jurassic Technology
Location: Los Angeles
This enigmatic museum feels almost as though it materialized from nowhere. But with a little bit of research, one finds out that Culver City's Museum of Jurassic Technology was founded by husband and wife David Hildebrand Wilson and Diana Drake Wilson in 1988. The museum's eclectic collection includes a mixture of artistic, ethnographic, historic, scientific, and other more unclassifiable objects and exhibits that are more evocative of something akin to a cabinet of curiosities rather than the stark white-walled museums we are more familiar with today. The museum is strange—there is no avoiding it, and perhaps that remains the only definite fact of the museum. It strikes a strange balance; its exhibitions are almost uncanny at times, because they seem so official and knowledgeable, yet are so assuredly off-kilter from more traditional museum exhibitions. Its peculiarity, however, is what makes the Museum of Jurassic Technology a destination to be investigated.
Museum of Transportation
Museum of Transportation
Location: St. Louis
2013 Exhibitions: ROADS, RIVERS, & RAILS: Transportation of the Civil War (March 6 - TBA)
The Museum of Transportation, founded in 1944, has an impressive collection of American antique cars, planes, boats, and railroad equipment. They've managed to procure rare items such as the only surviving Milwaukee Road class EP-2 Bi-Polar Electric, a 1915 Ford Model T, and a Missouri River towboat, among others. A miniature train even circles the perimeter, making for a total experience preserving the history of transportation in its many forms.
MAD Museum
MAD Museum
Location: New York
2013 Exhibitions: Daniel Brush: Blue Steel Gold Light (October 16 - February 24), The Art of Scent:1889 - 2012 (November 20 - March 3)
Although it was originally founded in 1956, you may not have heard of the Museum of Arts and Design (formerly the Museum of Contemporary Crafts and the American Craft Museum) until about 10 years ago. Under the revolutionary direction of Holly Hotchner, the museum launched a controversial move to Columbus Circle and reinvented itself as the prime site in which to explore the intersection of art, design, and craft today. Notable exhibits have included 2007's Radical Lace & Subversive Knitting, 2010's Bespoke: The Handbuilt Bicycle, and 2012's Changing Hands: Art Without Reservation, a three-part exhibition series on contemporary American Indian art. From the short-term shows in the MADprojects Gallery to the permanent displays in the Tiffany & Co. Foundation Jewelry Gallery, you'll find witty eye candy alongside deep social commentary.
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High Museum of Art
High Museum of Art
Location: Atlanta
2013 Exhibitions: Hard Truths: The Art of Thornton Dial (November 3 - March 3), Katharina Grosse (August 4 - May 19)
Few museums can devote their resources equally to both local and international exhibitions, but the High somehow manages to pull it off. In addition to supporting Southern artists and providing the only major curatorial department for folk and self-taught artists in the country, the High has forged partnerships with leading museums across the globe. Their 2008 "Louvre Atlanta" project brought a three-year revolving loan from the Musée de Louvre in Paris to Georgia audiences, resulting in the museum's highest attendance ever. They continue to build relationships with the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Williams College, working toward the introduction of new loans and young scholars into the High's award-winning building. Designed by Richard Meier and Renzo Piano, the light-filled space creates the perfect backdrop for the museum's notable collection of modern and contemporary art.
Seattle Art Museum
Seattle Art Museum
Location: Seattle
2013 Exhibitions: Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Gainsborough: The Treasures of Kenwood House, London (February 14 - May 19), Morality Tales: American Art and Social Protest, 1935-45 (June 29 - May 5)
One building was not enough to hold the Seattle Art Museum's rich holdings and creative initiatives, so three facilities fall under the institution's umbrella. From the turn of the twentieth century, SAM has included a world-famous collection of Japanese and Chinese art, which is now housed in the Seattle Asian Art Museum on the city's Capitol Hill. In the 1990s, the main museum revitalized the downtown area, opening its new building with a glimmering show of glass by Washington's own Dale Chihuly.
One ticket price will get you admission to both museums within the same week, and if that deal isn't sweet enough, you can also visit SAM's Olympic Sculpture Park, which is always free. Freshly opened in 2007, the waterfront collection includes important works by Richard Serra, Alexander Calder, and Louis Bourgeois, all set against an exquisite view of the Olympic Mountains.
RISD Museum
RISD Museum
Location: Providence
2013 Exhibitions: Grisogorious Places: Edward Lear's Travels (September 14 - May 19), Everyday Things: Contemporary Works from the Collection (April 13 - February 24)
Back in 1877, the the Rhode Island Women's Centennial Commission had the option of founding a school of design or erecting a water fountain. Thankfully, they voted to establish the Rhode Island School of Design. The school's collection grew into a separate museum, with great strengths in American paintings and decorative arts. In addition to seeing their top-notch displays of furniture, silver, and ceramics, you'll soon be able to scope out their renovated galleries, which include new spaces for artwork ranging from Roman antiquities to digital media. Chances are good that you'll even be able to catch a RISD star on the rise.
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH)
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH)
Location: Houston
2013 Exhibitions: Princes and Paupers: The Art of Jacques Callot (January 31 - May 5), Picasso Black and White (February 24 - May 27)
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston was founded in 1900 and is located in the Museum District of Houston. The MFAH is one of the largest museums in the United States, with more than 63,000 works of art from the Stone Age to the present and a permanent collection totaling 63,718 pieces housed in seven facilities totaling 300,000-square-feet.
Galleria dell'Accademia
Galleria dell'Accademia
Location: Florence, Italy
Considered to be Europe's first school of drawing, this museum is mainly known for housing several sculptures by Michelangelo. Few nude men have found so many fans as Michelangelo's infamous statue of David, located at the Galleria dell'Accademia. In fact, many attribute the Galleria's high visitation to David, although the museum is a historic artifact in itself. The building was converted from a convent to a gallery that conjoined with the Fine Arts Academy so that students could study the great works of the past. Today, the building carries out a similar function to which the Grand Duke of Tuscany first dedicated it in 1784. Other suggested must-see attractions there are Michelangelo's Four Prisoners, Botticelli's Madonna and Child and Madonna of the Sea and a collection of musical instruments from the Luigi Cherubini Conservatory of Music, enhancing the Galleria's permanent collection in a new dimension.
Tokyo National Museum
Tokyo National Museum
Location: Tokyo
2013 Exhibitions: Enku's Buddhas: Sculptures from Senkoji Temple and the Hida Region (January 12 - April 7), Wang Xizhi: Master Calligrapher (January 22 - March 3)
The Tokyo National Museum is the oldest and largest museum in Japan, and its collection preserves over 110,000 art and archaeological objects from Japan and other parts of Asia. The museum is actually a complex of four buildings—the Hyokeikan, the larger Heiseikan, the Horyu-ji Homotsukan (the Gallery of Horyu-ji Treasures), and the central building known as the Honkan. The Honkan houses Japanese art exclusively and holds the 84 objects that the Japanese government has designated as National Treasures. The Toyokan, which resides next to the Honkan has very recently reopened after several renovations to the existing structure. The gallery features art and artifacts from Eastern to South Asia and Egypt. The complex encircles a quintessentially Japanese garden that is popular in springtime for its cherry blossom trees and beautiful landscaping.
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United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Location: Washington, D.C.
In memory of the Holocaust, the USHMM was created with the goals of promoting education and propagating ideas against genocide. Its staff members include a large number of actual Holocaust survivors, who tell their stories through projects such as Life After the Holocaust, a series of oral recollections of history following the end of World War II. Since the museum first opened its doors, more than 30 million visitors have been recorded, a vast majority being non-Jewish people. Collections include documents, photographs, and film footage from the era, such as a preserved teddy bear that was actually owned by a survivor.
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Location: Washington, D.C.
2013 Exhibitions: The Wright Brothers & The Invention of the Aerial Age (TBA)
The National Air and Space Museum defines itself as a center for the research into the history and science of aviation and spaceflight, as well as planetary science and terrestrial geology and geophysics. And museum found a new face in 2003 after the unveiling of the Udvar-Hazy Center. The new complex, located in Chantilly, VA, features a large aviation hangar with three levels that allows the museum to show its expansive collection of aircrafts and artifacts in an unprecedented way. But, according to a June 2011 blog post by Smithsonian Mag, one of the most "peculiar objects" is no longer on display in the museum; British artist Rowland Emmet created "an electric, moving sculpture called the S.S. Pussiewillow II," that apparently "moved – it whirled, it clicked, it lit up... a whimsical kind of spaceship." Despite the museum's expansive display space Emmet's Pussiewillow has remained in storage, but still has its reserve cult of followers and fans.
The Phillips Collection
The Phillips Collection
Location: Washington, D.C.
2013 Exhibitions: PICTURING THE SUBLIME: Photographs from the Joseph and Charlotte Lichtenberg Collection (October 11 - February 17), Xavier Veilhan:(IN)balance (November 3 - February 10)
The Phillips Collection was founded by Duncan Phillips in 1921 as the Phillips Memorial Gallery. The museum is housed in Phillips' 1897 Georgian Revival home located in Washington, D.C and similarly scaled additions that retain the intimacy of a private residence. The Phillips Collection has an active collecting program and regularly organizes acclaimed special exhibitions, many of which travel nationally and internationally.
Whitney Museum of American Art
Whitney Museum of American Art
Location: New York
2013 Exhibitions: Sinister Pop (November 15 - March 31), Blues for Smoke (February 7 - April 28)
The Whitney Museum of American Art is an art museum located in Manhattan's Upper East Side on Madison Avenue in New York City. The Whitney's permanent collection adds up to over 19,000 photographs, paintings, sculptures, paintings, drawings, films, and videos, as well as some genre-defying artwork, and represents more than 2,900 artists. The museum's original location was a comparatively tiny townhouse located on West 8th Street between Fifth Avenue and MacDougal Street in Greenwich Village, and moved to its current location on Madison Avenue in 1966. The current building was designed by architects Marcel Breuer and Hamilton P. Smith, and has been the exhibition space for the well-regarded Whitney Biennial. The museum is also known for its rigorous independent study program (ISP), which boasts artist alumni such as Mary Kelly, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, and Rikrit Tiravanija. Well-known art critic Roberta Smith also participated in the Whitney's ISP.
The Whitney is also in the midst of developing a new building with architect Renzo Piano in Manhattan's Meatpacking District at the corner of Gansevoort and Washington Streets, in between the High Line and the Hudson.
Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal
Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal
Location: Montreal
2013 Exhibitions: On Abstraction (April 12 - March 31), A Matter of Abstraction (April 12 - April 4)
The Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal is the largest contemporary art museum in Montreal, Canada, with a collection of over 7,000 works of art by more than 1,500 artists. The Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal focuses on contemporary art from Quebec, in particular, as well as important international artists. The MAC is located right next to Place des Arts in the heart of the entertainment district.
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Andy Warhol Museum
Andy Warhol Museum
Location: Pittsburgh
2013 Exhibitions: I Just Want to Watch: Warhol's Film, Video, and Television (TBA), Regarding Warhol: Sixty Artists, Fifty Years (February 3 - April 28)
The Andy Warhol Museum is the largest museum in the United States dedicated to a single artist. Paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, photographs, and films fill the museum's seven floors and endlessly innovative exhibitions. Their rich collection and archives shed light not only on the Pittsburgh-born pop art icon, but include other influential artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Robert Mapplethorpe. With a room full of silver balloons and excellent cupcakes in the cafe, this museum's fame will far exceed 15 minutes.
Reykjavik Art Museum
Reykjavik Art Museum
Location: Reykjavík, Iceland
2013 Exhibitions: Erró: Graphic Art (September 1 - August 25), Kjarval Complete (December 21 - May 20)
Founded in 1973, The Reykjavik Art Museum is the largest visual art collection in Iceland. It consists of three locations in Reykjavik—the Harbor House by old harbor, kjarvalsstaoir by Klambratun, and the Asmundur Sveinsson Sculpture Museum in Laugardalur. The three locations have 3000-square-meters of gallery space combined and run over 20 exhibitions a year, whether they are from the museum's collection or are contributions from young, international artists. The museum is in charge of the city's art collection, displaying pieces from its collection in public buildings, while the city is responsible for financing the museum in return.
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA)
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA)
Location: Sydney, Australia
2013 Exhibitions: Anish Kapoor (December 20 - April 1), Taboo (December 19 - February 24)
The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia is dedicated to exhibiting, interpreting, and collecting contemporary art from across Australia and around the world.The establishment of the MCA was a result of the will of Australian expatriate artist, John Power, who died in1943. He left his personal fortune to the University of Sydney with the purpose of informing and educating Australians in the contemporary visual arts.
Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA)
Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art
Location: North Adams, MA
2013 Exhibitions: Sol LeWitt: A Wall Drawing Retrospective (TBA), Stephen Vitiello: All Those Vanished Engines (TBA)
In the distant past, the red brick buildings that house MASS MoCA manufactured shoes, textiles for the Union Army, and early electronics. Now, this former factory seeks to re-invigorate cultural and economic life in the post-industrial town of North Adams. MASS MoCA provides over 100,000-square-feet for large-scale contemporary art installations, as well as additional space for dozens of music, dance, and avant-garde performances. This museum represents an edgy, exciting attempt for art to save the world.
Palace of Versailles
Palace of Versailles
Location: Versailles, France
The Palace of Versailles is one of the finest achievements of French art in the 17th century. The former hunting lodge of Louis XIII was transformed and extended by his son Louis XIV, who installed the Court and the government of France in 1682. During the early years of the French Revolution, preservation of the palace was largely in the hands of the citizens of Versailles. The Palace of Versailles was the principal residence of the French kings from the time of Louis XIV to Louis XVI. Decorated and maintained by several generations of architects, sculptors, and landscape architects, it provided Europe with a model of the ideal royal residence for over a century.
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Centre Georges Pompidou
Centre Georges Pompidou
Location: Paris
2013 Exhibitions: Dali (November 21 - March 25), Snap - History of the Atelier Brancusi (November 21 - June 17), Passion Fruit (October 17 - September 2)
Conceived around 1970 as a site that would fuse contemporary art, music, and books, the Centre Georges Pompidou is worth the visit, even if you only see the outside. The building represents an early design by architect Renzo Piano, who turned the model of a traditional museum inside out—literally. Escalators, electrical wiring, and pipelines are all visible and color-coded on the exterior. This innovative spectacle is matched in the galleries, which include the largest collection of modern and contemporary art in Europe.
New Museum
New Museum
Location: New York
2013 Exhibitions: Walking Drifting Dragging (January 9 - February 3), NYC 1993: Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star (January 16 - April 21)
Since 1977, the New Museum has been Manhattan's only museum dedicated exclusively to international contemporary art. They've introduced exhibitions of artists such as Ana Mendieta, Christian Boltanski, and David Wojnarowicz, anticipating their later, world-wide recognition. You'll still see big names included in their small collection, but also be prepared to encounter artists who are completely new and need to be on your radar. Their rooftop also has stunning views of downtown and midtown Manhattan.
Dia:Beacon
Dia:Beacon
Location: Beacon, NY
2013 Exhibitions: Imi Knoebel, 24 Colors—for Blinky, 1977 (TBA), Ian Wilson: The Pure Awareness of the Absolute / Discussions (March 16 - April 20)
Dia:Beacon is a museum situated about 60 miles (or 80 minutes) outside of Manhattan, but that 60 miles transports you to a different world—one where you can not only hear your car radio, but your thoughts too. The museum opened in 2003 and aims to present a different type of museum experience. First, its galleries are lit only by natural light. On site are a number of works from Robert Irwin (who designed the landscaping surrounding the museum as well as the windows of the Riggio Galleries), Michael Herizer, Donald Judd, Sol LeWitt, and Dan Flavin, among many others. Because of the museum's location and the nature of the space, Dia: Beacon is not open year-round, so make sure to check before you make the pilgrimage.
The Dia Art Foundation also maintains a number of site-specific projects not only in Beacon, but in New York City, Long Island, and the western United States.
Hammer Museum
Hammer Museum
Location: Los Angeles
2013 Exhibitions: Latifa Echakhch (February 23 - July 18), Enrico David (January 12 - May 5)
The Armand Hammer Museum, more commonly known as the Hammer Museum, opened in November 1990 and more recently has been operated by nearby UCLA's School of the Arts and Architecture. The institution mounts a number of internationally acclaimed exhibitions each year—most recently, a retrospective of Pakistani artist Zarina Hashmi that traveled earlier this month to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Besides its prestigious exhibition history, the Hammer provides a wide range of public programming from free public lectures with artists like Catherine Opie, Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte, and Alec Soth to guided meditation sessions, 15-minute lunchtime Art Talks with curators, the Libros Schmibros Book Club, and rock concerts in the courtyard.
This past summer, Hammer Museum curator Ali Subotnick also organized the first ever Venice Beach Biennial, a "tongue-in-cheek reference to the 'real' Venice Biennale in Italy" along the Venice Beach boardwalk in southern California. In so many ways, the Hammer Museum aims to be a cultural center to enrich the lives of the visitors who pass through it, whether it is as an art aficionado or as an inquisitive guest.
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Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A)
Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A)
Location: London
2013 Exhibitions: Light from the Middle East: New Photography (November 13 - April 7)
Supported and funded by the British government as a non-departmental public body, the V&A Museum, named after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, is the largest museum of art and design in the world. Geographically covering over 12 acres of land, the museum houses collections from not only every continent, but also has country-specific collections of works. Their artifacts include pieces of architecture, ceramics, fashion, metalwork, jewelry, textiles, furniture, and much more, with each category showing a long history of the works—many dating back to ancient times. To make it through all of their 145 galleries would take you through many periods of art, from Baroque and Rococo to Medieval and Gothic styles.
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National Gallery of Art
National Gallery of Art
Location: Washington, D.C.
2013 Exhibitions: Citizens of the Republic: Portraits from the Dutch Golden Age (August 4 - February 3), Michelangelo's David-Apollo (December 13 - March 3)
Andrew W. Mellon privately established the National Gallery of Art for the public in 1937 with a joint resolution from the United States congress. Mellon donated a large private art collection and funds to construct the building itself. The Neoclassical west building was designed by John Russell Pope, which is connected to the modern east building designed by I.M. Pei. The gallery's exhibits focus on the development of Western art from the Middle Ages to the modern era, and the museum includes the only da Vinci piece in the United States. Exhibits often cover art history and art in different sectors of the world, with admission being free to the public.
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Location: Boston
2013 Exhibitions: Mario Testino: British Royal Portraits (October 21 - June 16), Divine Depictions Korean Buddhist Paintings (November 16 - June 23), Art in the Street European Posters (December 15 - July 21)
Although New England can be prim, the MFA consistently produces exciting exhibitions, from the innovative new Art of the Americas wing to the best shows of Japanese art outside of Japan. The museum is not far from Boston's favorite masterpiece (Fenway Park), and they offer free drawing classes on Wednesdays for the hands-on crowd.
American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History
Location: New York
2013 Exhibitions: Picturing Science: Museum Scientists and Imaging Technologies (June 25 - June 24), Our Global Kitchen: Food, Nature, Culture (November 17 - August 11)
The American Museum of Natural History (also known as the Natural History Museum) has more than just a lushly detailed mosaic at their subway stop. They house over 32 million ineffably delightful treasures ranging from the depths of the Amazon rainforest to the Pacific Ocean. The museum also offers public programming that provides New Yorkers with a rare opportunity to mingle with [some variable facet of] nature in Butterfly Conservatory, and also has regular showings of IMAX films of natural marvels. And the interstellar show at the Hayden Planetarium narrated by Whoopi Goldberg comes as an added bonus to the learning experience.
Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft
Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft
Location: Holmavik, Iceland
The Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Religion covers a 50-year period of Icelandic history in the 17th century, a large part of which is connected to the country's folklore involving magic and sorcery. From 1625 to 1685, 120 sorcerers were tried around the country, and the museum is a dedication to this period of Icelandic history. Museum admission includes a 30-minute audio tour and is said to be an educational experience of Icelandic culture, though it does little to separate facts from speculation, since there is little hard evidence of the history of the Icelandic sorcery era.
de Young Museum
de Young Museum
Location: San Francisco
2013 Exhibitions: Girl With a Pearl Earring (January 26 - June 2), Rembrandt's Century (January 26 - June 2), Eye Level in Iraq: Photographs by Kael Alford and Thorne Anderson (February 9 - June 16)
For over 100 years, the de Young has withstood changing art trends and devastating earthquakes, becoming one of the country's most interesting, exciting museums. Their exemplary American collection includes important holdings in Native American and Spanish Colonial art, as well as many of the best artists to come out of West Coast. You'll also see Modern paintings and international contemporary works that rival those in New York. It's a California dream come true.
Tate Modern
Tate Modern
Location: London
2013 Exhibitions: A Bigger Splash: Painting after Performance (November 14 - April 1), Lichtenstein: A Retrospective (February 21 - May 27), Schwitters in Britain (January 30 - May 12)
The Tate Modern, not to be confused with the Tate Britain, is part of the Tate Group, also known as the most-visited art institution in the world. Located in Central London on the Thames River, the Tate Group has 4.7 million visitors per year and holds Britain's national collection of art from 1500 to the present.
The Tate Modern was built between 1947 and 1963 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and was originally the Bankside Power Station. Architect duo Herzog & de Meuron converted it in 1981, allowing for seven floors of international modern and contemporary art spanning from 1900 to the present. They continue to revise the permanent collection, which exists on four half-floors of the gallery, by revisiting its thematic sections. They've held major, historic retrospectives and exhibitions for Gilbert and George, Ai Weiwei, Roy Lichtenstein, and many more.
Musée du Louvre
Musée du Louvre
Location: Paris
2013 Exhibitions: Walid Raad: Preface to the First Edition (January 19 - April 8), Eugène Delacroix: Winter Flowers (December 12 - March 18), Mexican Art at the Louvre: Masterpieces from the 17th and 18th centuries (March 7 - June 7)
Once a fortress and later a palace, the Louvre is now the world's most-visited museum. It can take days just to view a single wing of its monumental collection, which includes iconic artworks from the Venus de Milo to the Mona Lisa. Making a pilgrimage to this Parisian jewel between servings of crepes is your best bet to see everything that you've forgotten from Art History 101.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
Location: Los Angeles
2013 Exhibitions: Stanley Kubrick (November 1 - June 30), Bodies and Shadows: Caravaggio and His Legacy (November 11 - February 10), Walter De Maria: The 2000 Sculpture (October 1 - April 1)
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art has an expansive collection and extensive history. The museum's permanent collection is broad-reaching—it ranges from the sculpture of Nigeria's Benin Kingdom to the calligraphic scrolls of the Edo period in the Japanese Pavilion, the monumental Levitated Mass piece, and 20th century couture. The museum has also mounted crowd-drawing exhibitions such as the Tim Burton retrospective that began its tour from New York City's Museum of Modern Art. A November Los Angeles Times article tallied the numbers—"The show drew 363, 271 visitors...an average of 2,700 a day." Amazingly, Tim Burton is not the most popular man LACMA has hosted; the 1978 exhibition Treasures of Tutankhamun drew over 1.2 million visitors.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Location: New York
2013 Exhibitions: Matisse: In Search of True Painting (December 4 - March 17), George Bellows (November 15 - February 18), Late Klee (October 18 - February 24)
The Met is the largest art museum in the United States, and has represented the gold standard of collections since 1870. If masterpiece paintings and sculptures aren't your thing, you can always explore the Egyptian Temple of Dendur, couture fashion in the Costume Institute, or take in the view from the roof garden. Its exhibitions change frequently and range heavily in medium and era. Interestingly enough, the museum provides one of the city's largest air-conditioned spaces during the humid New York summers.
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Philadelphia Museum of Art
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Location: Philadelphia
2013 Exhibitions: Dancing around the Bride: Cage, Cunningham, Johns, Rauschenberg, and Duchamp (October 30 - January 21), Sol LeWitt: Lines in Four Directions in Flowers (May 12 - TBA), Cy Twombly: Sculptures (April 14 - March)
A strong supporter of local artists, the Philadelphia Museum of Art is also home to the world's most important collection of works by Marcel Duchamp. Don't miss seeing the famed Nude Descending a Staircase canvas and don't mistake the Fountain sculpture for the real thing. If you visit on a Friday evening, be sure to catch one of their "Art after 5" events, which have featured performers ranging from jazz musicians to drag queens.
The Hirshhorn Museum
The Hirshhorn Museum
Location: Washington, D.C.
2013 Exhibitions: Ai WeiWei: According to What? (October 7 - February 24), Ai WeiWei: Circle of Animals (April 19 - February 24)
The Hirshhorn Museum was funded in the 1960s and built with the art collection of Joseph Hirshhorn. Designed by architect Gordon Bunshaft, the museum, which opened in 1974, stands on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Prior to its construction, the Smithsonian informed Bunshaft that the building would have to be visually appealing in order to house modern art; thus its design is a large cylinder supported by four legs, often compared to a spaceship. The museum's exhibits focus primarily on post-World War II art, with an emphasis on the last 50 years. The Hirshhorn also includes a sculpture garden, which together are part of the Smithsonian Institution.
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Location: New York
2013 Exhibitions: James Turrell (June 21 - September 25)
In 1943, Frank Lloyd Wright was commissioned to design the Guggenheim Museum, but construction was delayed for 16 years. Wright had produced "six separate sets of plans and 749 drawings" before a final decision could be made. Wright's momentous "temple of the spirit" opened in October of 1959 and was soon accepted as one of the most important of the architect's late career. It is now revered as a bold and expressive addition to the architecture of New York's cityscape and is one of the finest art institutions in the world, hosting groundbreaking exhibition after groundbreaking exhibition.
The Simone Handbag Museum
The Simone Handbag Museum
Location: Seoul, South Korea
2013 Exhibitions: Carosello Italiano (July 19 - TBA)
The Simone Handbag Museum is dedicated to conserving and displaying a collection of handbags, with their oldest artifacts dating back to the 1500s. The ground floor houses recent pieces and trends from the 1900s on, while the upper level space shows bags from earlier years. The layout of their collection presents a chronological and thematic organization that is intended to take the viewer on a short trip through the history of Western fashion trends. The museum building itself is also an embodiment of its subject, architecturally shaped to resemble a handbag, while each of its displays are carefully planned to accurately represent the styles of its contemporary era.