The shortlist for the Leading Culture Destinations of 2015 has been unveiled. Among the nominations, Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry's much admired Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, gets a nod for its spectacular design. A Gehry retrospective opened at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art this month.
Shortlisted: Best Architecture & Spacial Design —
The shortlist for the Leading Culture Destinations of 2015 has been unveiled. Among the nominations, Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry's much admired Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, gets a nod for its spectacular design. A Gehry retrospective opened at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art this month.
RAFA RIVAS/AFP/Getty Images
London's Tate Modern's declared digital strategy for 2015 is for digital to "become a dimension of everything that Tate does." Pictured: Miroslaw Balka's installation "How It Is" is displayed in the Tate Modern's Turbine Hall in October 2009.
Shortlisted: Best Digital Experience —
London's Tate Modern's declared digital strategy for 2015 is for digital to "become a dimension of everything that Tate does." Pictured: Miroslaw Balka's installation "How It Is" is displayed in the Tate Modern's Turbine Hall in October 2009.
Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images
The Leading Culture Destinations Awards honor the world's most visionary museums. In 2015, the Alexander McQueen "Savage Beauty" show broke attendance records at London's Victoria & Albert Museum, earning the 163-year-old institution a nomination for Best Exhibitions & Programming.
Shortlisted: Best Exhibitions & Programming —
The Leading Culture Destinations Awards honor the world's most visionary museums. In 2015, the Alexander McQueen "Savage Beauty" show broke attendance records at London's Victoria & Albert Museum, earning the 163-year-old institution a nomination for Best Exhibitions & Programming.
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There are few better ways to enjoy panoramic views over Paris than from Georges, the rooftop French-fusion restaurant and terrace at the top of the Centre Pompidou. Architects Dominique Jacob and Brendan McFarlane are behind the industrial-chic interior.
Shortlisted: Best Eat & Drink —
There are few better ways to enjoy panoramic views over Paris than from Georges, the rooftop French-fusion restaurant and terrace at the top of the Centre Pompidou. Architects Dominique Jacob and Brendan McFarlane are behind the industrial-chic interior.
LOIC VENANCE/AFP/Getty Images
Some museum shops rival their own museums. The Palais de Tokyo contemporary art center in Paris, which has a bookstore packed with hard-to-find titles, and plenty of home furnishings and pop culture goodies also on sale. Best of all, it's open 'til midnight.
Shortlisted: Best Shop —
Some museum shops rival their own museums. The Palais de Tokyo contemporary art center in Paris, which has a bookstore packed with hard-to-find titles, and plenty of home furnishings and pop culture goodies also on sale. Best of all, it's open 'til midnight.
LOIC VENANCE/AFP/Getty Images
Another Frank Gehry design, the recently opened Fondation Louis Vuitton was commissioned by France's richest man, Bernard Arnault, and sits in the verdant surroundings of the Bois de Boulogne in Paris.
Shortlisted: Best Emerging Culture Destination -- Europe —
Another Frank Gehry design, the recently opened Fondation Louis Vuitton was commissioned by France's richest man, Bernard Arnault, and sits in the verdant surroundings of the Bois de Boulogne in Paris.
Gehry Partners
Sifang Art Museum in Nanjing, China, features a collection of installations and architecture contributed by some of the world's leading artists, including Pritzker prizewinner Wang Shu, British architect David Adjaye and, most recently, Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.
Shortlisted: Best Emerging Culture Destination -- Asia —
Sifang Art Museum in Nanjing, China, features a collection of installations and architecture contributed by some of the world's leading artists, including Pritzker prizewinner Wang Shu, British architect David Adjaye and, most recently, Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.
Courtesy Steven Holl Architects
Marrakech hasn't traditionally been known for the arts, but all that could be set to change with the opening last year of Museum MMP +, one of the world's biggest photography galleries.
Shortlisted: Best Emerging Culture Destination -- Africa —
Marrakech hasn't traditionally been known for the arts, but all that could be set to change with the opening last year of Museum MMP +, one of the world's biggest photography galleries.
Courtesy of MMP+
New Jersey is giving its neighbors in New York a run for their money with the Mana Contemporary Art Center in Jersey City, which opened in 2011. Pictured: The kids' play area during the "1.8 Million Square Feet of Art" event in September 2013.
Shortlisted: Best Emerging Culture Destination -- North America —
New Jersey is giving its neighbors in New York a run for their money with the Mana Contemporary Art Center in Jersey City, which opened in 2011. Pictured: The kids' play area during the "1.8 Million Square Feet of Art" event in September 2013.
TIMOTHY CLARY/AFP/Getty Images
Designed by Mexican architect Fernando Romero and bankrolled by tycoon Carlos Slim, the Soumaya Museum in Mexico City opened in 2011 and is now the most visited museum in the country.
Shortlisted: Best Emerging Culture Destination -- South America —
Designed by Mexican architect Fernando Romero and bankrolled by tycoon Carlos Slim, the Soumaya Museum in Mexico City opened in 2011 and is now the most visited museum in the country.
RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP/Getty Images
Architect Ron Arad worked his magic on the Design Museum in Holon, Israel, which opened in 2010. It's hosted exhibitions from international designers including Yohji Yamamoto, pictured, and Alessi, and this November will feature a retrospective of Spanish designer Jaime Hayon. <br />
Shortlist: Best Emerging Culture Destination -- Middle East —
Architect Ron Arad worked his magic on the Design Museum in Holon, Israel, which opened in 2010. It's hosted exhibitions from international designers including Yohji Yamamoto, pictured, and Alessi, and this November will feature a retrospective of Spanish designer Jaime Hayon.
JACK GUEZ/AFP/Getty Images
The Gladstone Hotel in Toronto, Canada, has 37 unique artist-designed room, including the Blue Line room, pictured. The shade is chroma-key blue, the color used for blue screens, allowing guests to video themselves against the walls and digitally insert their own backdrops later.
Shortlisted: Best Art Experience in a Hotel —
The Gladstone Hotel in Toronto, Canada, has 37 unique artist-designed room, including the Blue Line room, pictured. The shade is chroma-key blue, the color used for blue screens, allowing guests to video themselves against the walls and digitally insert their own backdrops later.
gladstone hotel
Oslo's Green House, a residential building at Dælenenggata 36 designed by Element Architects AS, was awarded Norway's Arkitekturprisen architecture prize in September 2015. Other cities to be shortlisted include Palma de Mallorca in Spain and Venice, Italy.
Shortlisted: Best Emerging City for Culture —
Oslo's Green House, a residential building at Dælenenggata 36 designed by Element Architects AS, was awarded Norway's Arkitekturprisen architecture prize in September 2015. Other cities to be shortlisted include Palma de Mallorca in Spain and Venice, Italy.
Ståle Feldberg