After years of closures, museums are back in a big way. Many took advantage of forced closures by embarking on extensive expansions or renovations. Other museums that have been in the works for years are finally ready to open. Our list of this year’s most exciting museum openings has something for everyone. From the anticipated opening of one of the world’s largest museums to a digital wonderland where visitors become the art, make sure to put these top museums on your bucket list this year.
The Grand Egyptian Museum, Giza
For over twenty years, the Egyptian government has been working to make The Grand Egyptian Museum a reality, and it seems the time has finally come. Slated to open later in 2023, the museum is expected to be one of the largest in the world. At over 5 million square feet, the museum will house an estimated 100,000 artifacts, including 5,300 treasures unearthed from King Tutankhamun’s tomb.
Istanbul Museum Of Modern Art
The Istanbul Museum of Modern Art was first opened in 2004, but it is reopening this year in a brand new building. Located on the site of one of Istanbul’s original ports in the funky neighborhood of Karaköy, the new building is a sight to be seen itself. Designed by world-famous architect Renzo Piano, the building is a worthy home for the museum’s impressive collection of modern and contemporary art.
National Museum Of Women In The Arts, Washington D.C.
Washington, D.C. is home to the first museum in the world dedicated entirely to championing women through the arts. Since its inception in 1981, the museum has worked to elevate women artists, both past and present, at its location two blocks from the White House. In 2021 the building closed to undergo its first major renovation in over 35 years but will reopen this year with an additional 3,000 square feet of gallery space.
The International African American Museum, Charleston
Expected to open within the next few months, Charleston, South Carolina’s International African American Museum will tell the story of the millions of Africans who were taken from their homelands and forced into slavery in the Americas. The museum was built on the very site where many of those Africans first landed in America, Gadsden’s Wharf. A memorial garden on the ground floor will highlight the original shoreline where they first stepped foot and provide a quiet space where visitors can reflect.
In addition to the exhibition space, the museum will also provide visitors with an opportunity to trace their African roots. The Center for Family History will provide sources, documents, and texts, as well as guidance on how to use them, to any visitor wishing to trace their connections to Africa and the African diaspora.
REGAN Vest – The Danish Cold War Museum, Skørping
Next week, this unique and remote museum will open in the forests of northern Denmark. For decades, the Danish Government kept this underground Cold War bunker a secret from the public, but it is now being turned into a museum. Visitors can learn about the cold war at the sleek new visitors center and museum before checking out the bunker on a guided tour. One tour option even includes a lunch stop inside the bunker’s dining hall featuring the popular Danish open-faced sandwiches, smørrebrød.
The Robot And AI Museum, Seoul
Robots and Artificial Intelligence will not only be on display at this Seoul museum, but they are also helping to construct the building. Robots are assembling and welding the exterior, and concrete blocks are being made using 3D printing. Once built, exhibits will feature the newest developments in robotics, virtual and augmented reality, holograms, and artificial intelligence. The 27,000-square-foot spaceship-shaped museum in Seoul’s Chang-dong neighborhood is planning to open this July.
teamLab Borderless: MORI Building Digital Art Museum, Tokyo
The international art collective, teamLab, is relocating its popular Borderless project to central Tokyo’s Toranomon-Azabudai development. This digital art museum is an Instagrammers dream where visitors become immersed in the all-encompassing art. Based on the concept of “wander, explore, discover in one borderless world,” the museum’s digital displays are something special to see. In 2019 Time Magazine named the museum’s original location as one of the World’s Greatest Places.
