This book is a systematic and practical survey of contemporary museum design in theory and practice. Museums are architectural trend-setters. Culture sponsoring and their increasing role as tourist attractions are guarantees for an ongoing boom in museum construction. A tradition and typology developed over the centuries, the planning and practical experience gained in recent decades and cutting-edge technology all contribute to the practice of modern day museum building. History and form, site development, floor plan, air-conditioning and climate technology are just some examples of the subjects treated systematically and contextually in the first section of this design manual. Some 70 international museum case-studies by renowned architects such as Tadao Ando, Stephen Holl, Renzo Piano and Herzog & de Meuron exemplify solutions and emphasize specific museum design issues such as spatial organisation and lighting.