The Simose Art Museum in Hiroshima opened in March 2023, and has attracted visitors from around the world with its innovative design and scenic location along the Seto Inland Sea. Recently, it gained further international acclaim by winning the Prix Versailles, a UNESCO-established award recognizing architectural excellence across a number of categories. The museums field was a new addition in 2024, to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the event.
The 400-meter-wide museum was designed by renowned Japanese architect Shigeru Ban, and it focuses on the concept of "viewing art within art." This is embodied in its unique, colorful cube-shaped movable exhibition rooms which are set in a water basin, inspired by the islands in the waters surrounding the venue.
Jérôme Gouadain, the Secretary General of Prix Versailles, was effusive in his praise of the museum’s use of colors and its fusion of exterior and interior elements, describing the design as uniquely “light” and aesthetically harmonious.
The Simose Art Museum offers more than an architectural experience, making it a destination for all visitors—not just fans of design. The Emile Gallé Garden was named after the French visual artist renowned for his part in the Art Nouveau movement, and is planted with a focus on the climate of the Setouchi area. It primarily features flowers which appear in Gallé’s artworks. The Seaview Terrace is another scenic spot, and as the name suggests, it offers some fantastic vistas out over the Seto Inland Sea.
