Exciting art spaces, museums, and studios go hand in hand with travel, since they’re filled with thought-provoking images and displays that comment on identity, culture, history, and self.
Often free to visit, and found in pretty much every city across the world, visiting one of these creative havens offers the ideal way to get acquainted with a new country and to expand your mind.
From independent studios doing much to champion little-talked-about local artists and photographers, to world-renowned galleries showcasing inspirational artworks from some of the best artists in the world, there’s plenty to get to grips with. Here we take a look at some of the best and most inspiring spaces from London to Mexico and beyond.
Inspiring art galleries, museums, and cool creative studios
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Spain
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The Guggenheim Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art’s structure, designed by architect Frank Gehry, stands out as one of the most stunning with its twisting ribbons of galvanised steel. Filled with works by Spanish and international artists, it’s one of the largest and most impressive museums in Spain, drawing thousands of visitors each year.
Fundació Miró Mallorca, Spain
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Joan Miró, who stayed on the island of Mallorca until his death in 1983, was one of Spain’s most enigmatic. His home studio, where he spent the last years of his life, is open to the public and has been left exactly as it was when the artist lived and worked there. Take a guided tour to learn more about Miro’s life, painting, and sculpture.
Colombo National Museum, Sri Lanka
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As one of the grandest buildings in Sri Lanka’s capital, the bright white sprawl of Colombo National Museum deserves as much time as can be spared, thanks to its dazzling display of artifacts, sculptures, and art spanning thousands of years. It’s a great introduction to the history and culture of the tropical island paradise. Don’t miss the gigantic bronze Bodhisattva sandals from the 9th century, a stunning statue of the little-talked-about goddesses, Jyestha, and a stone plate carved with a trilingual inscription dating back to the late 1300s.
MOCA, Bangkok, Thailand
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Bangkok’s Modern Art Gallery impresses with over 800 contemporary pieces and standout works by the likes of Thai artists Chalermchai Kositpipat and Lumpoo Kansanau. It’s an exceptional art collection, owned by Boonchai Bencharongkul, showcasing fascinating permanent exhibitions as well as rotating temporary exhibitions, too.
Niterói Contemporary Art Museum, Brazil
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Like a giant space-borne bloom come to rest on Earth, Oscar Niemeyer’s saucer-shaped Contemporary Art Museum hovers above a reflecting pool, as if placed gently on a cliff’s edge. Overlooking the expanse of Guanabara Bay, the mesmerising structure houses a vibrant trove of contemporary art and is well worth a visit when in the Brazilian city of Niterói.
Casa Gilardi, Mexico City, Mexico
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This incredible architectural project by Luis Barragán is built around an old jacaranda tree, and features an indoor swimming pool next to a huge dining area and a dream-like yellow-tinted corridor. Splashed with all manner of bold hues, from cobalt blue to reds and hot pink, Casa Gilardi in Mexico City is a photographer’s dream, and it can be accessed by private tour when in the city.
Maxxi Museum, Rome, Italy
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Housing a fabulous contemporary art collection, the Maxxi is just as dazzling outside as it is in, with its fabulous architectural details including mirrored windows that reflect the surrounding historic buildings. Inside, a labyrinth of concrete corridors displays works from the likes of Alighiero Boetti, Gerhard Richter, and Francesco Clemente, one of the key figures in the Transavantgarde movement.
The Museum of Innocence, Istanbul, Turkiye
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Housed in a 19th-century wooden building painted in a bold red hue, The Museum of Innocence, brought to life by Turkish Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk, is a curious idyll of contemplation that sits side by side with Pamuk’s novel of the same name. Inside, visitors are greeted with objects, nicknacks, and relics that have become a fascination for the novel’s protagonist – be sure to pick up an audioguide to learn more.
Museum of Islamic Art, Doha, Qatar
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Designed by I.M. Pei, Doha’s Museum of Islamic Art combines traditional Islamic architecture with modern design elements and is set on a purpose-built island off the city’s Corniche. The limestone structure showcases traditional motifs like domes and mashrabiya screens and houses an extensive collection of Islamic artifacts spanning 1,400 years. Expect to see ceramics, glass mosque lamps, jewellery, textiles, and ancient coins.
Kunsthaus Graz, Austria
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Otherwise known as the ‘Friendly Alien’, Kunsthaus Graz is an iconic Austrian structure built as part of the European Capital of Culture celebrations in 2003. Designed by Peter Cook and Colin Fournier, the exterior is wildly fascinating with its pale blue ‘skin’ studded with 930 fluorescent ring-lights that become a low-res canvas for animation and text. Inside, two gallery spaces host diverse contemporary shows that rarely disappoint.
Saatchi Gallery, London, UK
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Saatchi is the place to visit for thought-provoking exhibitions from some of the most exciting artists in the world. Housed in a striking red-brick former military building, the shows here are often cutting edge and contemporary, with recent highlights including Filthy Cute by Dutch artist Anne von Freyburg and Entangled, a multidisciplinary show that explored the human connection to nature.
Istanbul Modern, Istanbul, Turkiye
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Designed by Renzo Piano, the very same architect who created Paris’ Centre Pompidou, Istanbul Modern focuses on the transformation of Turkey’s art scene after 1945. Inside, you’ll find works by Hale Tenger and Refik Anadol as well as hauntingly beautiful travel portraiture by Nuri Bilge Ceylan taken during trips to Georgia, India, and China. The ultra-modern building also features a reflective pool on the gallery’s terrace and plenty of unmissable city views.
Studio Kayamai, Colombo, Sri Lanka
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This independent studio space in bustling Colombo is all about local art and the artists behind it. Free to enter, Studio Kayamai offers a place for young creatives to channel their thoughts and feelings into artistic activism, and plays a key role in building community in the city. Brought to life by Aadhitya Jayaseelan, who designs the most incredible clothing, it’s well worth checking out when in Colombo.
Munch Museum, Oslo, Norway
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Now featuring the bronze sculpture Mother by Tracey Emin sitting right outside, there’s even more reason to check out Oslo’s Munch Museum in Norway. Overlooking the city’s fjord, the must-visit museum, clad in shimmering, perforated aluminium, will delight fans of Munch since it houses around 28,000 pieces of Edvard Munch’s works – from brooding early sketches to iconic canvases like The Scream, The Sun, and The Madonna.
The Sorolla Museum, Madrid, Spain
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Set back in the surroundings of a wildly elegant garden complete with a water fountain, is the home, turned museum, of Joaquín Sorolla. While the space is often frequented by art-loving tourists, it’s also adored by locals who delight in the whimsical sun-drenched scenes of the adored Spanish painter.
The Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, Australia
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Solely dedicated to exhibiting, interpreting, and collecting contemporary art, both from across Australia and around the world, Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art is housed in the art deco-style former Maritime Services Board Building on the western edge of Circular Quay opposite the Sydney Opera House. Notable works inside include: Puppy by Jeff Koons and Remember Us by Reko Rennie, a powerful memorial work addressing Aboriginal deaths.
Venkatappa Art Gallery, Bengaluru, India
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The Venkatappa Art Gallery boasts modern exhibition spaces showcasing the works of some of Karnataka’s most iconic artists, including K Venkatappa and KK Hebbar, along with rotating mini galleries and a sculpture park. A state-of-the-art restoration room allows visitors to observe art conservation in action.
Les Deux Plateaux, Paris, France
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More commonly known as the Colonnes de Buren, this open-air art installation became wildly popular with the rise of Instagram as people flocked to the photogenic square to snap away. Located in the inner courtyard of the Palais Royal, it was created by Daniel Buren in 1985–1986. Consisting of black-and-white striped columns of varying heights, the work is said to challenge ideas of classical architecture and perspective, commenting on the boundaries between art and public interaction.
La Casa Azul, Mexico City, Mexico
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Sitting in the upscale Coyoacán district of Mexico City, Frida Kahlo’s former home, La Casa Azul, displays Frida’s deeply personal legacy. Painted cobalt blue and filled with Mexican folk art, the pretty house reflects Kahlo’s passion for her art, culture, and identity. Inside, visitors can see her art tools, clothing, and personal items alongside her famed artworks. The gardens and courtyard areas are filled with bold native plants, showcasing her love of the natural world and Mexico as a whole.
The Tate Modern, London, UK
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Housed in a former power station, the Tate Modern’s industrial architecture provides a dramatic backdrop for its collection of international modern and contemporary art, with its Turbine Hall area known for showcasing large-scale, dramatic installations. Some of the gallery’s most famous works of art include Mark Rothko’s Seagram Murals and Louise Bourgeois’s Maman, which took over the Turbine Hall in 2010.
Sapumal Foundation, Colombo, Sri Lanka
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Occupying a characterful old house in leafy Colombo 7, Sapumal Foundation holds around 300 artworks by famed Sri Lankan artists. The quiet setting sees few visitors, so it’s easy to appreciate Lionel Wendt’s intimate black and white photography, Harry Pieris’s moody oils, and Tilak Smarawickrema’s illustrations without the crowds.
Centre Pompidou, Paris, France
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Housing the National Museum of Modern Art, one of the largest of its kind in Europe, Centre Pompidou is renowned for its radical architectural design by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers. From the outside, the building almost seems inside out with its exposed pipes and colourful exterior escalators that loom large over the streets below. Some of the coolest pieces to be seen here include Duchamp’s Fountain and Kandinsky’s abstracts.
Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Often found championing underrepresented voices through performance, socially engaged art, and photography, Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum is the Netherlands’ premier museum for modern and contemporary art and design. Inside sits a fun collection that sparks the imagination, including pieces by Piet Mondrian, Cindy Sherman, and the Queen of dots, Yayoi Kusama.
Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy
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Established in 1581, the Uffizi is one of the world’s oldest and most renowned art museums, but it’s also incredibly beautiful, as you’d expect from a building in the whimsical city of Florence. It houses an impressive array of masterpieces by artists like Botticelli, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci, ensuring it’s a firm favourite on almost every Florence itinerary – book ahead.
Benaki Museum, Athens, Greece
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To learn all about Greek Culture and to see some fascinating exhibitions, the Benaki Museum on Koumbari Street is the place to go. As well as the building itself being absolutely beautiful, there are four floors filled with fabulous ancient ceramics, sculpture, costumes, bold jewellery, embroidery, and stunning bridal costumes.
Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, Cape Town, South Africa
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Housed in a repurposed grain silo, Thomas Heatherwick’s Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa design incorporates cylindrical concrete tubes and a stunning glass façade. The museum showcases contemporary African art, offering a unique blend of industrial heritage and modern aesthetics.
The Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum, Key West, USA
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Sitting lazily in Key West, the last in the line of inhabited islands on Florida’s most famous archipelago, is an array of museums and art spaces that draws in creative types, writers, and adventurers from across the globe. Literature lovers will adore a trip to the home of Ernest Hemingway to see where he lived and wrote for over ten years. His office, at the back of the house, remains frozen in time, with his typewriter still sitting on the wooden tabletop.
The White Cube Bermondsey, London, UK
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This pristine white space with gorgeous polished concrete floors is Europe’s largest commercial gallery, housed in a remodelled 1970s warehouse in London’s Bermondsey. Since opening in 2012, the free-to-enter space has seen the likes of Antony Gormley, Tracey Emin, and Harland Miller pass through its doors. The space has an onsite bookshop and often offers book signing events with world-renowned artists.
Museum and Archaeological Sanctuary of Pachacamac, Lima, Peru
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On the outskirts of the city, in the desert, sit some of Peru’s most fascinating ruins along with a brilliant gallery space showcasing some of the locally excavated finds. Once a sacred pilgrimage centre, the site includes multiple adobe temples and pyramids, including the Old Temple and the Temple of the Sun, alongside plazas and palaces.
The Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Rabat, Morocco
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This contemporary and modern art museum opened in 2014 to widespread acclaim. A symbol of cultural renaissance in North Africa, the museum is the first major public museum in Morocco dedicated entirely to modern and contemporary art. Its pretty facade features Moroccan-inspired geometric motifs with an elegant white façade.
Nubian Museum, Aswan, Egypt
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Brimming with artifacts from different civilisations, including this statue built by Setau, Governor of Kush, for Ramesses II, the Nubian Museum was established with the support of UNESCO, as part of an international effort to preserve Nubian artifacts. It houses over 3,000 artifacts, covering the prehistoric, pharaonic, Greco-Roman, Christian, and Islamic periods, and won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2001 for its exceptional design and cultural significance.
The Sharjah Art Museum, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
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The Sharjah Art Museum, nestled in the cultural heart of the United Arab Emirates, is one of the largest art museums in the Gulf region and is renowned for its international contemporary art, alongside permanent collections celebrating 20th-century Arab painters. The building features elegant Islamic architecture, marking it out as a beacon of creativity in the Arab world.
