Ancient cities aren’t stuck in the past. From Venice to Marrakesh, they’re rewriting their stories with cutting-edge art in centuries-old spaces. Here’s where modern creativity meets old-world charm.
Venice – Italy
Picture/Venice Biennale/Tourist Italy
Venice may be a floating relic of the Renaissance, but every two years it becomes one of the most important cities for modern art. The Venice Biennale transforms the historic Arsenale and Giardini into hubs of avant-garde installations, sculpture, and performance art. Even outside Biennale season, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection—set in an 18th-century palace—hosts surrealist and abstract works by the likes of Pollock and Duchamp.
Kyoto – Japan
Picture/MoMak/Tripadvisor
Known for temples and geishas, Kyoto is also home to an exciting contemporary art scene. The National Museum of Modern Art (MoMAK) sits just below the Heian Shrine and showcases Japanese post-war and experimental artists. You’ll also find quirky contemporary galleries like Kyoto Art Center, housed in a former elementary school, and Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art (formerly Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art), blending modern curation with imperial architecture.
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Marrakesh – Morocco
Photo Ayoub El Bardii, courtesy of MACAAL/Conde Nast Traveller
The Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden (MACAAL) sits on the edge of Marrakesh’s historic core, championing pan-African voices. Its modern, minimalist architecture sharply contrasts with the chaos of the nearby medina. For a smaller-scale experience, check out Galerie 127, specialising in contemporary photography, and The Montresso Art Foundation, an experimental residency and exhibition space in the Palmeraie.
Berlin – Germany
Picture/Visit Berlin/Martin Gentischer
A city steeped in 20th-century history, Berlin has become a global beacon of experimental art. The Hamburger Bahnhof, a former train station turned museum, features works by Andy Warhol and Joseph Beuys. Meanwhile, neighbourhoods like Kreuzberg and Neukölln are brimming with edgy artist-run galleries inside WWII bunkers, Bauhaus apartments, and old breweries.
Istanbul -Turkey
Picture/ArchDaily/Paula Pintos
Istanbul’s Istanbul Modern, recently relocated to a Renzo Piano-designed building on the Bosphorus, is the city’s flagship space for contemporary art. Inside, you’ll find multimedia installations and photography from Turkey and beyond—all a short walk from the Byzantine splendour of Hagia Sophia. Smaller venues like Salt Galata and Arter round out a rich modern art itinerary in this crossroads of civilisation.
Cape Town – South Africa
Picture/whatiftheworld/Matthew Bradley
Zeitz MOCAA is arguably the most spectacular modern art space on the continent. Carved from a historic grain silo on the V&A Waterfront, its honeycombed concrete design houses a sprawling collection of contemporary African art. Nearby, WHATIFTHEWORLD and SMAC Gallery amplify local voices in historic Victorian buildings and old warehouses.
Mexico City – Mexico
Picture/Tamayo Museum/Getty Images/Conde Nast Traveller
Surrounded by Aztec ruins and Spanish colonial architecture, Mexico City is pulsing with artistic energy. Museo Tamayo in Chapultepec Park blends striking architecture with international contemporary works. Kurimanzutto Gallery—housed in a former lumberyard—supports conceptual artists who reflect on Mexico’s layered identity. Even Casa Luis Barragán, a UNESCO-listed modernist home, is a minimalist ode to colour and shadow.
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