A MUSEUM near the UK has been named one of the most beautiful in the world.
Prix Versailles, a prestigious architecture and design award, has recognised seven of the most beautiful new openings or freshly renovated spaces from all over the world.
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One of which is the Grand Palais in Paris, the exhibition hall and museum sits between the Champs-Élysées and the Seine.
Construction on the Grand Palais started in 1897 and the opening was held just three years later in May 1900.
Obviously the Grand Palais is not a new building, but in March 2021, it closed for a huge restoration project costing €466million (£405m).
Mostly the work was to restore the quality of the existing building, but there were also additions like lifts and staircases, cafes and restaurants as well as a new entrance.
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The building has an ornate glass dome ceiling and was originally built to house the 1900 Universal Exhibition.
Unlike other spaces, the Grand Palais has hosted riding competitions, fashion shows, motor and air shows and even the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics.
During the two World Wars, the Grand Palais became a military hospital and local artists who had not been deployed then decorated hospital rooms or made moulds for prosthetic limbs.
In the 1960s, an architect wanted the building to be demolished to set up the Museum of 20th Century Art.
However the death of the architect put an end to the project – and in 1975, the building was classified as a protected historical building.
The Grand Palais has several very different areas, including the Nave which is a open space with a domed glass roof.
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This part is used for events like art exhibitions and sports.
Then there are the National Galleries which are home to significant temporary art exhibitions, and the Palais de la Découverte which is an interactive science museum.
Over the years, the museum has held exhibitions with works by Monet, Francis Bacon, Picasso, Richard Serra, and El Greco.
To get to the Grand Palais from the UK, if you fly to Paris Charles de Gaulle – you can be there in just over one hour.
Another museum that won the award is the Saka Museum in Bali.
It’s a spiritual space that guides visitors through various cultural practices and expressions.
For more interesting spaces, check out the UK’s newest national museum is more like an Ikea store – and Kate Middleton is already a fan.
Plus, discover the 20 most-visited attractions in England that are completely free to enter.
These Are The Most Beautiful Museums In The World…
Grand Palais, Paris
Saka Museum, Bali
Audeum, Seoul
Kunstsilo, Kristiansand
Diriyah Art Futures, Riyadh
Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cleveland
Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha
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