Jakarta — Architecture and culture converged in 2025 with the unveiling of ten museums and galleries that embody prestige in design and global influence. From Abu Dhabi to Suzhou, these institutions showcase how cultural spaces are redefining both art and architecture.
Among the highlights:
- Zayed National Museum, UAE — Designed by Foster + Partners, its five steel towers symbolize national pride and sustainable engineering.
- Suzhou Museum of Contemporary Art, China — BIG’s ribbon‑like roofs connect tradition with modernity, creating a landmark on Jinji Lake.
- Fenix Museum of Migration, Netherlands — MAD’s dramatic “Tornado” staircase embodies the movement and stories of migration.
- Grand Egyptian Museum, Egypt — Heneghan Peng Architects’ colossal wedge structure, clad in alabaster and limestone, is now the largest museum dedicated to a single civilization.
- Dib Bangkok, Thailand — WHY Architecture transformed a warehouse into Thailand’s first international contemporary art museum.
Other projects, including the V&A East Storehouse in London, Calder Gardens in Philadelphia, CMP Inspiration in Taiwan, Fondation Cartier in Paris, and SANAA’s Taichung Green Museumbrary, further illustrate how cultural institutions are becoming symbols of prestige and national identity.
For Prestige Post, these museums are more than architectural feats—they are statements of cultural leadership. In an era where soft power is increasingly tied to art and design, the top ten of 2025 demonstrate how nations and cities use cultural prestige to shape global narratives.
