Every year since 2004, the International Architecture Awards—organized by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design, The European Center for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies, and Metropolitan Arts Press—shine a spotlight on the world’s boldest new buildings, celebrating projects that shape how we live, learn and play. This year, three U.S. museums took home honors in the Museums and Cultural Buildings category, each reimagining what it means to create spaces for art, science and community.
Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C.
For decades, the Folger Shakespeare Library has been a mecca for scholars—home to the world’s largest collection of Shakespeare’s First Folios. But a $79 million renewal and expansion led by KieranTimberlake has transformed it into something more: a cultural hub that welcomes everyone.
The project, more than ten years in the making, pulled off a near-impossible feat—building under a 1932 Paul Cret landmark that’s on the National Register of Historic Places. Now, visitors descend through tapestry gardens into a luminous new below-grade addition, where light wells and generous lobbies lead to galleries, research spaces and even a café. For the first time, the public can get up close to treasures once locked away in storage.
Gender-neutral bathrooms, improved accessibility, thoughtful circulation and even a poem by Pulitzer Prize–winner Rita Dove etched into the garden wall are all notable additions. It’s a masterclass in balancing preservation with reinvention.
Yale Peabody Museum, New Haven, CT
The Peabody has been a Yale institution since 1925, but its recent overhaul is nothing short of a rebirth. Over 172,000 square feet of renovated and new spaces mean the museum can finally display its legendary fossil collection—including dinosaurs remounted in dynamic new poses beneath iconic murals.
But the project isn’t just about spectacle. The museum now boasts new anthropology galleries, restored dioramas, state-of-the-art labs, a learning center for K–12 students and classrooms tailored for Yale undergraduates. A dramatic four-story glass atrium connects the Peabody to the Environmental Science Center, making the space as much about community as it is about science.
Sustainability is woven throughout the design, with bird-friendly glass, stormwater management and energy-efficient systems. It’s the rare historic renovation that actually reduces a building’s environmental footprint while expanding its scale and impact.
Bay Area Discovery Museum, Sausalito, CA
At Fort Baker, in the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Area Discovery Museum has always had location on its side. Now, with a campus-wide transformation, it’s redefining what children’s museums can be. The focus on STEAM learning (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) is delivered through play.
Five new permanent exhibits bring this to life. Tot Spot introduces infants and toddlers to tactile learning environments, complete with a mural designed for the way very young children perceive contrast. How Things Work deconstructs everyday objects—from appliances to a full-size Mini Cooper—so kids can see what’s inside. And Try It Studio invites children to experiment with machines, music boxes and drawing arms, blending play with early coding concepts.
Outside, a decommissioned salmon troller named Faith and Gumnut Grove, a eucalyptus-inspired climbing structure, bring learning into the open air. It’s a place where risk-taking, problem-solving and imagination meet.
Find the full list of winners in the Museums and Cultural Buildings category here.