World's Top Modern Art Museums: Iconic Venues for Cutting-Edge Masterpieces
London's Tate Modern, one of the city's premier tourist attractions, is expanding its floorspace more than twofold with the opening of its multi-million-pound Blavatnik Building extension this month.
Ideal timing for contemporary art enthusiasts to refresh their travel itineraries. Discover our expert-curated selection of the world's finest destinations showcasing cutting-edge works by established masters and rising talents.
Tate Modern, London, UK
The striking new extension rises directly behind the iconic Turbine Hall on the South Bank of the River Thames, matching the height of the original power station. Spanning 11 floors, it unveils hundreds of long-hidden masterpieces from the vaults. In the basement, the former oil tanks now immerse visitors in interactive and performance art. Plan a visit for this summer's Georgia O’Keeffe retrospective—the first major UK showcase of her oeuvre in two decades.
Unmissable artwork – Triptych August 1972, Francis Bacon
The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City, USA
Relocated to a stunning Renzo Piano-designed building in Manhattan's Meatpacking District, the Whitney stands as an essential pilgrimage for fans of modern American art. Iconic figures like Willem de Kooning, Edward Hopper, and George Bellows share space with provocative contemporary sculptures and installations. The architecture itself is a masterpiece. Catch the Danny Lyon: Message to the Future exhibition, featuring 175 poignant photographs of America's marginalized communities, from 17 June to 25 September 2016.
Unmissable artwork – Early Sunday Morning, Edward Hopper
MALBA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
The Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA) is the city's vibrant hub for Latin American modernism. Its mission: spotlight the region's finest contemporary talents alongside classics by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. Discover avant-garde gems by Emilio Pettoruti and Xul Solar, fresh to many international visitors. The retrospective of Argentinian sculptor Alicia Penalba continues through October 2016.
Unmissable artwork – Manifestacion, Antonio Berni
Reina Sofia, Madrid, Spain
The Museo Reina Sofía, Madrid's cornerstone for 20th-century art, celebrates Spain's titans—Picasso, Dalí, Miró—with a world-class permanent collection. Rotating spaces highlight global innovators. Explore Mexican conceptual artist Ulises Carrión's eccentric art books in the exhibition running until 10 October 2016.
Unmissable artwork – Guernica, Pablo Picasso
MMK, Frankfurt, Germany
The Museum für Moderne Kunst (MMK) in Frankfurt eclipses competitors in Munich and Berlin with its 5,000-piece collection from the 1960s onward. Housed in a distinctive triangular structure near the Old Town—and now with a new MMK 2 outpost—it's unrivaled for minimalist and pop art by Warhol, Lichtenstein, and Segal, plus an exceptional photography archive. Fiona Tan's multimedia exhibition opens in September 2016, running through January 2017.
Unmissable artwork – We Rose Up Slowly, Roy Lichtenstein
MOCA Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, USA
Los Angeles' Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Grand Avenue rivals New York's MoMA on the West Coast, boasting over 5,000 post-1940 works. Legends like Cy Twombly, Robert Rauschenberg, Mark Rothko, and Jackson Pollock mingle with innovators such as Cady Noland and Cindy Sherman. Don’t Look Back: The 1990s at MOCA explores decade-defining art through 11 July 2016, amid a wave of 90s nostalgia.
