There’s nothing up in the air about the quality of these airport art collections. Whether you’re running to catch a connecting flight or stopping for a caffeine hit, these captivating collections create an ambiance that can trump even the most unglamorous sides of flying economy. On your next traveling venture, keep your eyes peeled for our picks for the best art collections at airports around the globe.
1. Miami International Airport
Who knew pulling a drag bag could be fun? The Miami International Airport certainly spices up the dreaded walk between gates by having inserted colorful installations, like Christopher Janney’s light and sound sculpture, Harmonic Convergence (pictured), for visitors to enjoy.
In 2012, France ushered in this gem of a gallery that highlights works by the masterful Rodin. Creating a competitive edge over other European airports, the impressive gallery displays work in a 2,600-square-foot space that contains the same polish of any Parisian museum.
3. San Francisco International Airport
The San Francisco International Airport is chocked full of paintings, sculptures, and large-scale installations which exude the Bay Area’s vibrant culture. The site even outlines all of the art on view and maps out where in to find them. Who knew catching a flight could also mean spending a day at the museum?
With more than 50,000 visitors a day, the Copenhagen Airport strives to create a relaxed airport with modern architecture and artistic decoration to kick off a great first leg of travel for any flyer.
5. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
With airports striving to reflect their surrounding communities, the art-heavy cities of Dallas and Fort Worth are represented through the airport’s impressive, multi-million dollar collection. The terminals are also known for their diverse display of sculpture, regularly on loan from the Nasher Sculpture Center.
The Amsterdam airport boasts an impressive collection of art. From large, contemporary sculptures to a rotating collection of Dutch masterworks from the Rijksmuseum. View the collection to warm-up before hitting the rest of the metropolis’s outstanding art collection.
For the 2012 Summer Olympics, Heathrow Airport opened the T5 Gallery, one of few commercial fine art galleries located in an airport. The gallery displays work by both emerging and established artists and has accessible gallery hours: 8am – 8pm, 365 days a year.
8. Dubai International Airport
The Dubai International Airport is partnering with Dubai Culture, to create more opportunities for artists to display their work. The airport, like many, strives to show visitors a sneak peek of the vibrancy of the city that lies ahead.
9. Hamad International Airport
A five-year project cumulated the collection of public art that the Qatar airport has on display. One of the most popular pieces that the new airport showcases is Urs Fischer’s Lamp Bear.
10. Salt Lake City International Airport
The Salt Lake City Department of Airports has been collecting art since 1977. The collection is dominated by gorgeous paintings, photographs, and prints that highlight the beauty of the West, which includes images such as Willie Holdman’s, Zion Fog and LeConte Stewart’s, Farmhouse. A full guide to the art on display can be found here.
Safe travels!
Featured Image // Courtesy of Dubai International
