Are you a travel junkie with the soul of an art lover? Then this list of top ten art destinations is curated just for you!
Fulfill your travel and art dreams by planning a trip to an art destination which can offer the best of both worlds. If you love contemporary art, modern art or a classical art, this list has got you covered so keep reading!
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Home to the most famous art museums and galleries like the Louvre Museum, this city is a must-visit for any art enthusiast. The Louvre has been romanticised by the likes of Kanye to Lorde to countless films and documentaries, so why not be a part of its pop culture history?
It houses the world famous Mona Lisa by the Master Leonardo Da Vinci as well as other masterpieces. The Louvre was once a royal fortress and was turned into a Museum in the 1700s and now, it displays around 35,000 art pieces.
Be sure to drop by the Musée d’Orsay, it has the largest collection of Impressionist and Post-impressionist art in the world. The Museum has been showcasing art since the 1800s and houses works by prominent French artists such as Van Gogh, Cézanne and many more.
If you are more of a Contemporary arts patron, check out the Modus Art Gallery, Yvon Lambert, Galerie Xippas, and La Maison Rouge.
If you are looking for a more authentic experience, minus the queues and tickets head over to Bellville neighbourhood which is home to a collection of street art and graffiti.
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A city with a controversial political history, this city is now one of the most popular art destinations in the world!
Home to the longest open-air street art gallery in the world - the Berlin Wall. A part of it can be found in the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district. The city is an ever-changing landscape with urban buildings co-existing with Gothic architecture. Berlin is intriguing, unique and will leave you with a sense of giddy wonder and excitement.
The city’s busiest spot is the East Side Gallery, which is 1000 metres of kaleidoscopic murals. However, if you want to avoid the more touristy areas, it is not difficult to find world-class street art around the city. Every neighbourhood has its own unique art identity and you can find art adorning every wall, door, and roof, a great place to start would be at Kreuzberg. Street art is a crucial part of its history and a great example of how it is not condemned and has managed to persevere and survive in one of the world’s most famous cities.
If you are looking for a more museum or gallery art setting, look no further than Museuminsel or Museum Island – and it lives up to its namesake. A whole island situated in the centre of the city is dedicated to art galleries and museums. It is home to five world-renowned museums. The Alte Nationalgalerie houses works by greats like Monet, Renoir and Manet. The Neues Museum showcases Egyptian art, while the Altes Museum is home to the largest collection of Etruscan art outside of Italy!
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The city that never sleeps is home to some of the world’s famous Museums: the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum and MoMA.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art was famously referred to as the MET as it hosted one of the fashion world’s most flamboyant events – the Met Gala. Every year, the Costume Institute holds an exhibit at the Met Gala with a huge fundraising event opening the exhibit . Thus, this place is a must-visit for any fashion lover.
The Guggenheim Museum has appeared in many postcards and been the backdrop for many TV shows and films throughout the years. This museum houses artwork by Picasso, Jackson Pollock and Kadinsky, as well as paintings by Monet, Van Gogh and Degas and photography by Robert Mapplethorpe.
The MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) houses the best Modern art world. It houses works by Andy Warhol, Frida Khalo and Monet to name a few. However, you don’t always have to visit the world best museums to see the best of Contemporary art; you can also visit other numerous art galleries within the state, especially at Chelsea, Tribeca, SoHo and Lower East Side to witness amazing artwork. You can experience a more immersive art scene in Bushwick, Brooklyn, for interesting street art and have one-on-one sessions with the artists themselves.
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The USA’s second contender on this list - This vibrant seaside city has a lot to offer for everyone, especially art lovers.
Miami boasts an energetic art scene that can be best experienced through one of the world’s most prestigious art fairs: Art Basel. The city also has a whole district dedicated to the arts (Wynwood Arts District) and this houses over 30 contemporary art spaces and studios!
You can even enjoy a street art tour at the Wynwood Art Walk Block Party.
If you want to witness the best Modern and Contemporary art that Miami has to give, head on over to the Perez Art Museum.
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A city where the traditional co-exists with the Modern, it is definitely an exciting place to visit.
You will find a myriad of galleries scattered across this fast-paced city, in between its skyscrapers, old houses and back streets. In an old, traditional Japanese neighbourhood lined up with wooden houses and temples, you can find SCAI The Bathhouse, one of Tokyo’s most prestigious contemporary art galleries. As its name suggests this was once a bathhouse and has been standing for 200 years. It has housed works by prominent artists such as Anish Kapoor and Tadanori Yokoo.
If you are looking for a little more thrill, head to the skyscraper where Mori Art Museum resides at the 54th storey. The museum once exhibited the world famous polka dot art of Yayoi Kusama.
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Every Renaissance art fan should definitely visit Florence, home of some of the pioneers of the movement.
Florence is home to the famous Uffizi Gallery which houses the vast art collection of the infamous Medici family, along with works by the masters like Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Giotto, Botticelli and more. Be sure to pay a visit to the Accademia Gallery to witness Michelangelo’s masterpiece, the world famous David sculpture.
If you want a taste of authentic Contemporary Italian art, head over to the Centro di Cultura Contemporanea Strozzina, which is also known as the “Anti-Uffizi”.
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Home to the Museu Picasso, which houses the biggest Pablo Picasso collections in the world, it is a must visit for any avid fan of Cubism or art in general.
Apart from the Picasso Musuem, Barcelona has a lot more to offer in the Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque styles. You can find them displayed at the Museu Nacional d’Art. Also, don’t forget to check out the fantastical architectural designs of Gaudi, a Master of Catalan Modernism.
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An eclectic mix of art styles and movements, London will keep you enthralled till the very end.
You can find the likes of classics such as Van Gogh at the National Gallery, for Modernism head to the Tate Modern, which houses works by Warhol and Picasso. You can find more Contemporary art pieces at the Saatchi Gallery.
If you are more of a street art fanatic look no further than Shoreditch, a creative inner city district located at East End. The streets are adorned with some of the most impressive street art in the city, for a more in depth experience take part in the Alternative London Walking Tour, hosted by local street artist and creatives.
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Beijing may seem like an unlikely place to visit for art but this city actually has a burgeoning art scene.
Since the recent contemporary art boom, most of the city’s art scene can be found at 798 Art District. Industrial buildings in the district have been converted into contemporary art spaces and open-air installations. Art forms presented there consist of photos, sculptures and fashion design.
If you are an avid lover of traditional Chinese art, then the Poly Art Museum is for you as it features ancient bronze works from the Shang and Zhou dynasties!
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Singapore is well-known as being a financial hub. However, it boasts an impressive art scene.
Singapore has two prominent up and coming art museums, namely the Institute of Contemporary Arts and the Singapore Art Museum.
The National Gallery Singapore houses the world’s largest collection of Singaporean and South Asian art, thus giving the South Asian art world an international platform.
Indeed, Singapore is teemed with art, which can be easily found as you take a stroll around the city. Check out Haji Lane for example and witness all kinds of colourful street art which adorn old buildings. You can also witness stunning public sculptures such as Homage to Newton by Salvador Dali at the UOB Plaza and First Generation by Chong Fah Cheong near Cavenagh Bridge.
Undoubtedly, art and travel go hand in hand so what are you waiting for? Add all these art destinations to your bucket list and get inspired to create art of your own!
