The year 2025 promises to be significant for the world of art and culture, with the inauguration and reopening of iconic museums around the globe. From visionary projects to renovations that reclaim and expand the legacy of important institutions, these renewed spaces will bring new experiences to the public and reinforce the importance of art, science, and history. Check out the 13 museums that will be reopened and are expected to transform the cultural landscape this year: Edifício Pietro Maria Bardi - MASP Recém-inaugurado, the new building of MASP, titled Edifício Pietro Maria Bardi, opened its doors to the public on March 28, 2025. For the inauguration, the exhibition “Five Essays on MASP” is on display, a set of exhibitions that showcase new perspectives on the museum's collection and history, which was designed by Lina Bo Bardi. The building was signed by METRO Arquitetos Associados and features 14 floors. Also part of the project is the construction of a 40 m² underground passage to interconnect the two buildings, with a delivery forecast for the second half of 2025. The Frick Collection - New York The prestigious The Frick Collection, in New York, will reopen to the public on April 17, 2025, after undergoing a major renovation over five years. With the renovation, the rooms that previously served as the residence of the Frick family were converted into public galleries, expanding the exhibition space by 25%. Additionally, the museum will feature new galleries and educational spaces, a modern auditorium, restaurant, and café. To celebrate the reopening, the museum will organize a two-week music festival starting April 26, with concerts of classical, baroque, and contemporary music. FENIX Museum - Rotterdam The FENIX Museum of Migration, located in Rotterdam, Netherlands, will open its doors to the public on May 16, 2025. The building underwent a transformation led by MAD Architects, which designed the structure known as "Tornado" - a 30 m tall helical staircase made of 297 polished stainless steel panels. This staircase takes visitors to a viewpoint with panoramic views of Rotterdam and the Maas River, symbolizing the journeys of migrants. The FENIX Museum will be the first museum globally dedicated to the theme of migration. Naoshima New Museum of Art - Japan The Naoshima New Museum of Art, designed by renowned architect Tadao Ando, will open to the public on May 31, 2025. Located on top of a hill near the Honmura district on the island of Naoshima, Japan, the museum's design features a large roof that evokes the lines of the surrounding mountains. The space will be dedicated to contemporary art, emphasizing artists from Japan and other regions of Asia. Museum of West African Art - Nigeria Situated in the historic heart of Benin City, Nigeria, the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) will have its official opening in May 2025, although the MOWAA Institute - a research and training center within the museum's campus - is already in operation. For the inauguration, an inaugural exhibition is scheduled to present archaeological discoveries, including ceramics over 800 years old. With a campus totaling approximately 64,700 m², the MOWAA will have different spaces: Rainforest Gallery, an exhibition area for contemporary art in a replanted tropical forest; Art Guesthouse, accommodations for researchers, academics, artists, and tourists; and Artisans Hall - a curated retail space for local artisans to showcase and sell their work, reimagining the ancestral architecture of the Kingdom of Benin. Palais de la Découverte - Paris The Palais de la Découverte will reopen its doors to the public on June 6, 2025, a date that will be marked by a multidisciplinary festival, exhibitions, and workshops that will occur throughout the summer in Paris. The science museum, which will feature an astronomical observatory and an equatorial garden, will be closed again for final work from October 6 until the end of 2026. During this period, the Palais des Enfants will remain open, as well as the space Les Étincelles du Palais de la Découverte in the 15th arrondissement. Almaty Museum of Arts - Kazakhstan Located in Almaty, Kazakhstan, the Almaty Museum of Arts, the first private modern and contemporary art museum in Central Asia, is scheduled to open in June 2025. The museum will house a collection of over 700 artworks, including pieces by Kazakh and international artists. The building was designed by the British firm Chapman Taylor and will have approximately 9,400 m². The opening program will include art performances, films, lectures, and community gatherings, inspired by Almaty's rich musical heritage. Grand Egyptian Museum - Egypt The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), located near the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, will officially open on July 3, 2025. At this pre-opening moment, the museum allows limited access to areas such as the Great Hall, the Great Staircase, the main galleries, commercial areas, and external gardens. Among the pieces available at the museum's inauguration will be: the collection of Tutankhamun, the statue of Ramses II, Khufu's solar boat, thematic galleries, and modern installations. With an area of approximately 500,000 m², GEM will be the largest archaeological museum in the world, showcasing over 100,000 artifacts spanning 3,000 years of Egyptian history. Guggenheim - Abu Dhabi Dedicated to housing a collection of modern and contemporary art, with an emphasis on works from the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is scheduled to open in September 2025. The futuristic museum, designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry, will be the largest in the Guggenheim network, with an area of approximately 42,000 m². Located in the Cultural District of Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, the building will stand out for its innovative architecture, composed of interconnected cylindrical and conical volumes. New Museum Expansion - New York The New Museum, located in Manhattan, New York, is undergoing a significant expansion designed by the architectural firm OMA in collaboration with Cooper Robertson. The inauguration of this expansion is scheduled for September 2025 and will total an area of 11,200 m², of which 1,880 m² will be dedicated to galleries. The building will include artist studios, spaces for education and events, as well as a space dedicated to the museum's cultural incubation program, NEW INC. Studio Museum in Harlem - New York With an opening scheduled for October 2025, the Studio Museum in Harlem, located in New York, has its new building designed by David Adjaye. The space, which underwent seven years of renovation, will be approximately 7,600 m² and will include expanded exhibition galleries, a theater, studios for the resident artist program, and a rooftop terrace, designed by landscape design firm Studio Zewde. In addition to the selection of works from the museum's permanent collection that will be on display at the opening celebrating African culture, the main exhibition will pay tribute to Tom Lloyd (1929–1996), an artist whose pioneering practice was featured in the museum's first exhibition in 1968. Hainan Science Museum - China The Hainan Science and Technology Museum, designed by MAD Architects, is scheduled to be inaugurated later this year in Haikou, Hainan Province, China. With a total area of 46,000 m², the design of the museum features a biomorphic shape with gentle curves, with a façade made up of 843 pieces of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) - designed to withstand the tropical climate of Hainan - and has a spiral ramp, similar to a DNA helix, that connects the different levels of the museum. The space is expected to feature exhibitions on marine ecosystems, aerospace technology, and much more. Fondation Cartier - Paris The Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain will have a new space at 2 Place du Palais-Royal, Paris, at the end of this year. This historic building, previously known as Louvre des Antiquaires and located in front of the Louvre, is undergoing a transformation by architect Jean Nouvel. The museum will have approximately 6,500 m² of exhibition space, in addition to a library, auditorium, and restaurant.
