Bangkok Art and Culture Center (BACC)

What is it? A nine-storey, cylindrical cultural hub that opens its first phase in August 2005 and reaches full completion in 2008. Inside you find exhibition rooms, a cinema, a library, art storage, meeting spaces, shops and restaurants, all of it easy to reach and easy to spend an afternoon in.

Why we love it: The clever bit is the architecture. From the sixth floor up, a gently sloping walkway spirals around the building, so you wander through the displays in one unbroken loop rather than doubling back through endless corridors. Natural light pours in, which makes the place a magnet for anyone with a camera and a soft spot for a good interior shot, yet the design is canny enough to keep that sunlight off the artwork itself. For art lovers chasing a bit of inspiration, few spots in the city pull it off so neatly.

Time Out tip: Start at the top and let the spiral carry you down, drinking in the daylight as you go. Leave time for the ground-floor shops and cafes, where you can rest your feet and mull over what you've just seen.

Rama I Road, Pathum Wan (at the Pathumwan Intersection). Open Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-8pm. Entry is free for all visitors.