Design museums around the globe house creations that have elevated the aesthetics of everyday life for decades. These institutions are far more than exhibition spaces—they serve as centers for research, archiving, preservation, and the dissemination of knowledge. Through their collections, they illuminate historical shifts and ideological debates of the past, while offering glimpses into the possibilities of the future.

Germany: Vitra Design Museum

A prime example is the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein, Germany, widely regarded as one of the leading design museums in the world. Founded in 1989 by passionate furniture collector Rolf Fehlbaum, the institution includes three exhibition spaces: the iconic central building by Frank Gehry, the Vitra Design Museum Gallery for smaller experimental projects, and the Vitra Schaudepot, which houses the museum’s ever-growing furniture collection.

Exhibits feature over 400 key pieces of modern furniture design from the 19th century to today, including works by Le Corbusier and Alvar Aalto, as well as contemporary 3D-printed furniture and lesser-known experimental objects.

Red Dot Design Museum

Belgium: Design Museum Gent

In Ghent, Belgium, Design Museum Gent was founded in 1903 by the Vereniging van Nijverheid en Decoratieve Kunst, a private association of industrialists and artists. By 1930, its collection numbered nearly 4,000 items, including 18th-century furniture in Rococo, Neoclassical, and Empire styles, alongside Gothic fragments dating to the 15th century.

Today, with over 22,000 objects, the museum is undergoing a major renovation. Its new DING wing promises a sustainable, fully accessible experience that unites dispersed buildings into a cohesive curatorial narrative, while digital initiatives and collaborations keep the institution active.

South Korea: Dongdaemun Design Plaza

Seoul’s Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), designed by Zaha Hadid and Samoo Architects, dazzles with its sweeping curves. Opened in March 2014, the complex includes exhibition halls, design labs, a museum, seminar rooms, a cultural park, and designer lounges, contributing to Seoul’s designation as a World Design Capital in 2010.

Nieuwe Instituut

United States: Cooper Hewitt

In New York, the Cooper Hewitt, housed in the historic Andrew Carnegie Mansion, is the U.S.’s only museum entirely dedicated to design. Its four floors host over 215,000 digitized objects and a world-class library, while year-round programs foster dialogue and experimentation.

Global Highlights

The Red Dot Design Museum operates in Germany, Singapore, and China, showcasing thousands of award-winning designs. The Netherlands’ Nieuwe Instituut in Rotterdam addresses societal challenges like housing, climate change, and AI through design.

Μ+ Hong Kong

London’s Design Museum and Milan’s Triennale Design Museum explore contemporary creativity, while Hong Kong’s M+ maps seven decades of design and architecture.

Israel’s Design Museum Holon and Dubai’s Museum of the Future push the boundaries, blending technology, imagination, and culture in visionary spaces.

Museum of the Future

Across continents, these museums celebrate design as both an art form and a lens through which to view our past, present, and future.