This controversial futuristic art gallery is one of the most beautiful places in the UK

Earlier this year, Time Out unveiled its guide to the 23 most beautiful places in the UK. Many of the places that feature, such as Castell Coch in south Wales, Wells Cathedral in Somerset and St Michael’s Mount in Cornwall, are indisputably good-looking. Others, though, require a more open mind. 

V&A Dundee, which ranked 12th on our list, is one such place. At first glance it might look like a jagged hulk of concrete looming over the River Tay. One visitor in 2018 took to TripAdvisor to say that it is ‘ugly, like a large concrete coffin’. But we beg to differ – it’s a marvellous and, yes, beautiful piece of design. 

The museum was designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma (the same man behind the Tokyo Olympic Stadium) to mirror Scotland’s rugged coastal cliffs. From another angle, it resembles the prow of a ship.

It comprises two upside-down pyramid-like structures, and walls that twist, fold and jut – there’s not one straight wall anywhere on its exterior. The two structures meet to create a triangular archway that connects Dundee to the waterfront. Combine all of that with the glistening water of the Tay, and the museum really is a thing of visual splendour. 

Once you’ve finished soaking in the sight and have explored all the beautiful things on display inside the V&A Dundee, pick up an award-winning donut and a coffee from Heather Street Food, the food truck parked a few metres away.

Check out the rest of the 23 most beautiful places in the UK to visit in 2026. 

Plus: Why Liverpool’s leafy Georgian Quarter is one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the UK right now.