- Best art galleries in the world
- World's Top 20 Contemporary Art Galleries
- 9 May '18
by Alina Livneva
9 May '18Best art galleries in the world
The world is filled with interpretations of every image that put a twist on conventional forms. Painters, sculptors, photographers, and more are shaping realities with altered perspectives, defying artistic definitions, and cultivating their own cultural phenomena.
1. Gagosian
Address: 555 West 24th Street | New York | 10011 | Hours: Mon-Sat 10-6 Contact: | +1 212 741 1111
Larry Gagosian formed his first contemporary art gallery in Soho with a partnership between Leo Castelli which explored post-war artists such as Roy Lichtenstein and Bruce Nauman. Over the next thirty years, Gagosian grew a network of historical and contemporary art galleries throughout the world. You can discover the rich artwork of leading artists in New York, San Francisco, London, Rome, Geneva, and Hong Kong. Gagosian’s gigantic gallery in New York (20 000 square feet) has been the host of extraordinary pieces from Andy Warhol, Anselm Kiefer, Julian Schnabel, and Damien Hirst.
2. Kamel Mennour
Address: 47 Rue Saint-André des Arts | Paris | 75006 Hours: Mon-Sat 11-7 Contact: +33 1 56 24 03 63
Galerie Kamel Mennour is located in Paris, France and features an exquisite array of Parisian contemporary art. The director, Kamel Mennour, selects works from both known and aspiring contemporary artists such as Nobuyoshi Araki, Anish Kapoor, Pierre Molinier, Francois Morellet, and Stephen Shore. This cozy contemporary art gallery (400 m2) offers visitors a chance to explore established artists as well as young contemporary creators in a variety of mixed medias.
3. Ullens Center for Contemporary Art
Address: 4 Jiuxianqiao Rd. | Beijing China | 100096 Hours: Sun-Sat 10-7 Contact: +86 10 8459 9269
Starting in 2007, Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA) exhibits contemporary art by Chinese artists by Ma Yansong, Yung Ho Chang, Wang Jianwei, and Qiu Zhijie. The center has three impressive galleries which attracts over one million people every year. UCCA’s program focuses on building a narrative in contemporary art and shares a rich defining culture of Chinese heritage.
4. Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo
Address: 4-1-1 Miyoshi, Koto-ku | Tokyo Japan | 135-0022 Hours: Sun-Sat 10-7 Contact: +03 5633 5860
Located in Kiba Park is a leading contemporary art gallery featuring postmodern art in Tokyo, Japan. This is Japan’s largest gallery which focuses on contemporary styles from the 20th century to the present day. There are over 5000 pieces of contemporary artwork in its permanent exhibitions which are rotated by season and theme. Throughout its temporary exhibitions are contemporary collections from fashion, architecture, and design.
5. Australian Centre for Contemporary Art
Address: 111 Sturt St, Southbank | Australia | 3006 Hours: Mon-Fri 10-5 | Sat-Sun 11-5 Contact: +61 3 9697 9999
Instead of providing a permanent collection, the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA) focuses on commissioned works from modern contemporary artists. The building is inspired by the European Kunsthalle and are made of a distinguishable rusted steel. Inside has a minimal interior to support installations for digital projections and oversized artistic designs.
6. Leo Castelli
Address: 18 E 77th St. | New York | 10075 Hours: Tues-Sat 10-6 Contact: +1 212 249 4470
Leo Castelli was a legendary art dealer who brought contemporary art from Paris to New York in the 1960s. Within 10 years of opening, Castelli’s contemporary art gallery became internationally recognized for its Pop, Minimal, and Conceptual art. Later, the focus shifted toward post-war styles which led the way to Leo Castelli’s galleries becoming the heart of contemporary art in America. Here you can discover the works of Cy Twombly, Frank Stella, Robert Morris, Jasper Johns, and many more.
7. Villeneuve d’Asq Museum of Modern Art
Address: 1 Allée du Musée | Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France | 59650 Hours: Tues-Sun 10-6 Contact: +33 3 20 19 68 68
Formerly known as the Villeneuve d’Asq Museum of Modern Art, Lille Métropole Museum of Modern, Contemporary, and Outsider Art (LaM) can be found in Villeneuve d’Ascq, France. LaM is the first and only contemporary art museums to focus on a style known as “Art Brut”. This raw art style pushes beyond the boundaries of conventional contemporary or traditional art methods and enjoys the freedom of expression by self-taught artists.
8. Kunst-Werke Institute for Contemporary Art
Address: 1 Allée du Musée | Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France | 59650 Hours: Thus 11-9 | Wed, Fri-Mon 11-7 Contact: +49 30 2434590
Founded by a group of Berlin artists and students, Kunst-Werke Institute for Contemporary Art (KW) hosts exhibitions that only feature artworks by the latest artists of today. KW often collaborates with various Avante-garde organizations such as Documenta and the MoMA to help push emerging contemporary artists into the spotlight.
9. Raquel Arnaud
Address: 125 Vila Madalena | São Paulo, Brazil | 05432-070 Hours: Mon-Fri 10-7 | Sat 12-4 Contact: +55 11 3083-6322
Emerging in the 1960s, Raquel Arnaud dedicated her time toward the development of galleries for local artists practicing geometrical abstraction styles. In 2011, Galeria Raquel Arnaud opened and leads the was as benefactor promoting the works of local Brazilian contemporary artists.
10. Afriart Gallery
Address: Kenneth Dale | Kampala, Uganda Hours: Mon-Sat 9-6 Contact: +256 41 4375455
Expanding the world of contemporary art is Afriart Gallery in Kampala, Uganda. Afriart is East Africa’s leader for contemporary art featuring an exciting arrangement of eclectic art by African artists. Afriart has established deep relationships with contemporary art communities throughout Africa and supports over 110 local, Ugandan artists.
11. Museum of Contemporary Art, Shanghai
Address: People's Park, 231 Nanjing W Rd | Renmin GuangChang, Huangpu Qu | Shanghai Shi, China | 200000 Hours: Sun-Thu 10-6 | Fri-Sat 9-7 Contact: +86 21 6327 9900
12. Shanghai’s Museum of Contemporary Art
Shanghai’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA) was founded in 2005 by the Samuel Kung Foundation and dedicated toward sharing Chinese contemporary art. Both local and internationally recognized Chinese artists are featured in MoCA’s galleries. In recent years, MoCA has formed a collaboration with organizations like the Korea Foundation to introduce Chinese contemporary art to the world.
13. Athens’ National Museum of Contemporary Arts
Address: Kallirrois Avenue & Amvr. Frantzi Str | Athens, Greece | 117 43 Hours: Tues-Sun 11-7 Contact: +30 21 1101 9000
Athens’ National Museum of Contemporary Arts is the only museum in Greece authorized to collect and display Greek contemporary art. Here you’ll find artworks by contemporary artists in all medias by Andreas Angelidikas, Nan June Paik, Vito Acconci, Vlassis Caniaris and others.
14. Stedelijk Museum
Address: 10 Museumplein | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 1071 DJ Hours: Sat-Thu 10-6 | Fri 10-10 Contact: +31 20 573 2911
Stedelijk Museum dates back to 1874 and has been dedicated to exhibiting modern and contemporary art. It also features over 90 000 pieces from contemporary artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, Andy Warhol, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Gilbert & George, and many more.
15. Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art
Address: Strandpromenaden 2 | Oslo, Norway | 0252 Hours: Tue-Fri 12-5 | Sat-Sun 11-5 Contact: +47 22 93 60 60
Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art is a privately owned Norwegian gallery in Oslo. It started by exhibiting only American artists but has since opened publically and features contemporary art from Cindy Sherman, Cai Guo-Qiang, Doug Aitken, Jeff Koons, and others. This contemporary art gallery stirred international comments when it purchases Jeff Koonès sculpture of Michael Jackson with his Chimpanzee, Bubbles, for over $ 5.1 million USD.
16. Museu Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia
Address: 52 Calle de Santa Isabel | Madrid, Spain | 28012 Hours: Wed-Mon 10-9 | Sun 10-7 Contact: +34 917 74 10 00
Museu Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia (MNCARS) focuses on contemporary art from the 20th century. Its galleries features many renowned contemporary artists such as Pablo Picasso, Jorge Oteiza, Salvador Dali, Antoni Tapie, and many more. Also found at the gallery are a historical collections of over 100 000 books and 1 000 videos.
17. MAXXI
Address: 4/a Via Guido Reni | Roma, Italy | 00196 Hours: Tue-Sun 11-7 | Sat 11-10 Contact: +39 06 320 1954
Winner of the Royal Institute of British Architect’s 2010 Stirling Prize is Italy’s exquisite National Museum of 21st Century Arts (MAXXI). MAXXI features an array of multidisciplinary contemporary art collections and is divided into two museums: MAXXI Art and MAXXI Architecture. It has only two permanent collection which features architectural designs from Gilbert & George, Pier Luigi Nervi, Anish Kapoor, and others.
18. Kunstmuseum
Address: 16 St. Alban-Graben | Basel, Switzerland | 4051 Hours: Tue-Sun 11-6 Contact: +41 61 206 62 62
Kunstmuseum is considered to be one of the oldest contemporary art museums in Europe. It has been listed as a heritage site of national significance. It contains a wide collection from some of the most prominent artists in Switzerland. Aside from contemporary art, the museum exhibits collections of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, Dadaism, Surrealism, and Cubism art styles.
19. The Museum of Contemporary Art in Toronto
Address: 16 St. Alban-Graben | Basel, Switzerland | 4051 Hours: Tue-Sun 11-6 Contact: +1 416-530-2500
The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Toronto, Canada helps define contemporary art from a metropolitan perspective. It hosts innovative contemporary art collections that aim to shape and reflect the city’s style and charisma. MOCA aims to form a global movement for young artists to explore new ideas, forms, and expressions.
20. Andy Warhol Museum
Address: 117 Sandusky St | Pittsburgh | 15212 Hours: Tue-Sun 10-5 | Sat 10-10 Contact: +1 416 530 2500
The Andy Warhol Museum is dedicated to the contemporary works of Andy Warhol. It is one of the largest museums to be dedicated to a single artist in the U.S.Inside are many of Warhol’s finest pieces which include 900 paintings, 1000 unique prints, 4000 photographs, 4350 films, 80 sculptures, and much more.
21. Saatchi Gallery
Address: Duke of York's HQ, King's Rd | Chelsea, London | SW3 4RY Hours: Mon-Sun 10-6 Contact: +44 20 7811 3070
Charles Saatchi is an avid collector of contemporary art and has founded the Saatchi Gallery in 1985. Born in Iraq, this UK businessman and philanthropist free entry to anyone visiting his contemporary art gallery in London. Inside the elegant walls of the gallery is Saatchi’s collection of contemporary art from famous artists like Philip Guston and Donald Judd as well as more recent artists.
