LONDON: THE DESIGN MUSEUM

Grand blue exteriors, elegant interiors, opulent furnishings and a lofty stairway that spirals around the 50-foot towering structure—no, this newly restored 20th-century building that opened its doors in the heart of London on November 24 isn’t a luxurious five-star hotel. It is the Design Museum that has shifted its headquarters from the shabby banana warehouse besides the river Thames to its new headquarters in Kensington. With really cool and contemporary shows, workshops, installations and talks by experts, the museum has 1,000 works on display in an exhibition dedicated to their permanent collection. From Anglepoise, one of the most successful examples of British invention, to the Arts and Crafts Museum and the Memphis, a Milan-based furniture collective, the place is a haven for designers, architects or anyone who wants to consume some amazing aesthetics. There is also a restaurant, bar and café, if a whirlwind tour of the museum were to make you hungry. The opening exhibition—Fear and Love: Reaction to a Complex World—will show 11 installations from some of the most thought-provoking designers and architects of the day. Do not forget to check their calendar, or you may miss out on some exciting events. Tickets from £14. See designmuseum.org