You might also like:
The year 2017 is set to be a great one for museums, with exciting openings spanning the globe. Some old favorites are finding new homes (like Toronto’s Museum of Contemporary Art), while some much-anticipated buildings will finally be opening their doors (hello, Louvre Abu Dhabi). From Morocco to South Africa, we’ve picked the six museums that we are most excited to see open in 2017.
1. Louvre Abu Dhabi
Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE
Opening: Sometime in 2017
Why You Should Go: Originally slated to open in 2012, the Louvre Abu Dhabi is the Gulf branch of the famous Musée du Louvre in Paris, created through a collaboration between the French and UAE governments. The dome of the museum — created to resemble sunlight shining through palm trees — would be worth the trip alone, but the spectacular collection that seeks to tell the history of art by bridging the gap between East and West is a culture lover’s dream.
2. Museum of the American Revolution
Location: Philadelphia, Pa.
Opened: April 19, 2017
Why You Should Go: This museum will surely be a huge draw for American-history buffs but should even entertain those who were perhaps enticed by Hamilton to learn more about our nation’s origins. Located in one of the United States’ most historic cities, this museum will take visitors on an interactive trip through the Revolution, from the beginning of dissent in Boston to the first shots at Lexington and Concord to its culmination on the fields of Yorktown. Not to mention it will feature the original White House — aka George Washington’s field tent.
3. Musées Yves Saint Laurent
Location: Marrakech, Morocco
Opening: Fall 2017
Why You Should Go: Pierre Bergé, the co-founder of Yves Saint Laurent, says, “Yves Saint Laurent and I discovered Marrakech in 1966, and we never left. This city deeply influenced Saint Laurent’s life and work, particularly his discovery of color.” In dedication to Saint Laurent, a new museum — the outside resembling threads of fabric and the interior bringing to mind the lining of a couture jacket — is being constructed in Marrakech. The museum will house 5,000 items of YSL’s clothing, 15,000 haute couture accessories, and tens of thousands of sketches currently waiting for their new home in Paris.
4. Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Opening: September 2017
Why You Should Go: The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa will be the largest museum to open in Africa for more than a century. Designed by Thomas Heatherwick, who created the 2012 Olympic cauldron, the Zeitz museum aims to be on par with museums like the Louvre and The Met, putting Cape Town on the global art-and-culture map. It will be located in the V&A Waterfront’s historic Grain Silo.
5. Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Opening: Fall 2017
Why You Should Go: Previously the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, the newly renamed Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada is relocating from the West Queen West Art + Design District to a century-old former automobile factory. The museum, which hasn’t been without its fair share of high drama, will be taking a more internationally focused route while building upon its existing legacy.
6. Design Society
Location: Shēnzhèn, China
Opening: October 2017
Why You Should Go: This cultural hub, which will feature pieces from nearly every imaginable creative media — including art, fashion, photography and theater — was designed by Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki and is the result of a partnership between China Merchants Shekou Industrial Zone Holdings and the London-based Victoria and Albert Museum. Located in the Shekou District, the museum is meant to be a collaborative space that will also host a new Victoria and Albert Gallery. The collaboration between the British museum and a Chinese partner will be the first of its kind.
Source: thepointsguy.com