National Museum of Art, Osaka

In 2004, Osaka razed its old National Museum of Art and replaced it with an eye-popping piece of architecture by Cesar Pelli. Dubbed ‘the submarine’ because of its subterranean location, the 13,500sq m museum is entirely concealed, but for an explosion of steel and glass at ground level, representing reeds waving in the wind. The galleries are home to modern art by Japanese and international masters, including Cezanne, Picasso and Ernst.