A collection of high-profile cultural landmarks is scheduled to open across the globe in 2026, signaling a major expansion for international tourism and urban design.
From Central Asia to the United States, these institutions – many designed by world-leading architects – aim to trigger the “Bilbao effect,” where architectural showpieces serve as catalysts for economic and cultural growth in their respective cities reports BBC.
Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, Los Angeles
Scheduled for a September opening, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles features a futuristic design reminiscent of a spacecraft.
Founded by filmmaker George Lucas and Mellody Hobson, the $1bn (£735m) project will house a massive collection of 40,000 objects. While it includes iconic Star Wars props, the museum focuses broadly on visual storytelling, featuring works by Frida Kahlo, Norman Rockwell, and Diego Rivera, as well as comic art by Jack Kirby. The 11-acre campus in Exposition Park will also include an outdoor park and a waterfall.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, UAE
The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, a $1bn project designed by the late Frank Gehry, is expected to debut this year on Saadiyat Island. The architectural design is a complex arrangement of metal sheets and glass walkways intended to serve as a major cultural monument.
The museum will showcase contemporary art with a specific emphasis on creators from North Africa and Western and Southern Asia, alongside global figures like Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollock.
Larrakia Cultural Centre, Darwin
In Australia, the Larrakia Cultural Centre will open in September as a prominent Indigenous-owned and operated institution. Located on sacred land in Darwin, the A$60m (£31.2m) building features a roofline inspired by a bird in flight. The centre is dedicated to “truth-telling” and will display repatriated items, including historical spears recently returned from the Bristol Museum & Art Gallery in the UK. The site will also feature ceremonial areas and a restaurant showcasing Indigenous cuisine.
Obama Presidential Center, Chicago
The $700m (£511m) Obama Presidential Center is slated to open in June on the South Side of Chicago. Designed by Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, the granite structure is intended to evoke the image of hands coming together. Beyond its museum galleries – which will include a replica of the Oval Office and the First Lady’s attire – the 19-acre campus is designed as a community hub with a public library, playground, and basketball court.
Kanal-Pompidou, Brussels
Brussels will unveil the Kanal-Pompidou in November, transforming a former Citroen factory into a 40,000sqm modern art centre. The project is a major example of industrial “adaptive reuse,” preserving the building’s Art Deco heritage. The museum will launch with 350 pieces on loan from the Centre Pompidou in Paris, including works by Matisse, Picasso, and Mondrian.
Islamic Civilization Center, Tashkent
The Islamic Civilization Center in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, is set to open in March, featuring a distinctive turquoise mosaic dome. The facility’s primary attraction is the Qur’an Hall, which will house the 7th-Century Qur’an of Uthman, one of the oldest surviving copies of the text.
The centre will utilize artificial intelligence and virtual reality to highlight the region’s intellectual history, allowing visitors to interact with “living portraits” of historical scholars.
