On May 4 (French time), the Prix Versailles released its 2026 list of the "World's Most Beautiful Museums." The list included two Chinese museums, both from Guangdong Province.
Xuelei Fragrance Museum
Among the seven museums honored worldwide this year, two are from China—namely, the Xuelei Fragrance Museum in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province, and the Shenzhen Science and Technology Museum in Shenzhen, Guangdong's tech hub.
Shenzhen Science and Technology Museum
The Prix Versailles, established in 2015 and announced annually by UNESCO, is a major global architecture and design award. Unlike other awards that judge buildings solely on their appearance, the Prix Versailles prioritizes how architecture responds to urban life, culture, ecology, and public engagement—with a focus on innovation, local cultural expression, ecological efficiency, social interaction, and public participation. The selection of two Guangdong museums demonstrates the province's dynamic integration of technology and culture, offering global visitors new landmarks that seamlessly blend "tech-chill" sophistication with cultural vibrancy.
Xuelei Fragrance Museum (Guangzhou), where fragrance comes alive
Located in Baiyun District, Guangzhou, the Xuelei Fragrance Museum adds a new landmark blending international aesthetics with Eastern culture and interactive experiences to enrich the city's cultural tourism landscape.
In November 2025, the museum had already been recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's largest fragrance museum.
A sniffing area of the world's perfume masters' works
The Xuelei Fragrance Museum features a striking exterior: a main structure of red brick cylinders inspired by modern perfume distillation equipment. However, its true innovation lies in redefining the traditional "look-only" museum model. With more than 50 interactive installations and over 300 scent-sniffing points, the museum seamlessly integrates fragrance with sound, color, touch, taste, and emotion. Visitors can "hear," "touch," "taste," and "see" the nuances of fragrance and experience how scents influence mood and perception.
Sniff and touch.
The museum covers 9,500 square meters and houses 18 themed exhibition areas. Visitors are guided on a journey from ancient Egyptian ritual incense and Eastern fragrance traditions to the origins and evolution of modern perfumery. Before leaving, each guest can generate a personalized scent profile and preference analysis. They can also use an AI-powered fragrance system to create a custom perfume. ArchDaily, the world's most visited architecture media, noted that the museum uses "scent"—an invisible, intangible medium—as the starting point of its spatial narrative. This approach incorporates olfaction, memory, and multi-sensory experiences into museum design.
Inside the World Fragrance area
In just half a year, the Xuelei Fragrance Museum has earned both a Guinness World Record and a Prix Versailles. This achievement is an indication that Guangzhou's cultural tourism is expanding from "sightseeing and food tours" into the more subtle realm of olfactory experiences.
Sniff and taste.
Shenzhen Science and Technology Museum, atime shuttle to humanity's future
The museum is located in Shenzhen's Guangming District and resembles a sci-fi "spaceship." Its facade is assembled from nearly 96,000 stainless steel panels of different shapes, which simulate cosmic wonders like auroras, nebulae, and solar flares under sunlight—turning the building itself into a permanent, tech-driven exhibit.
It is the world's first science museum themed on "digital civilization," with a total floor area of about 130,000 square meters and 950 innovative exhibits—one of the largest collections among Chinese science museums. Its five permanent halls cover AI, space exploration, smart industry, and other frontiers. Visitors can experience the Big Bang through holograms or "travel" in a Chinese space station.
Since its official opening on May 1, 2025, it has received nearly 4 million visits in one year, with a public satisfaction rate exceeding 90%. The museum's highly recognizable technological texture and futuristic atmosphere have made it a popular filming location for several productions, and its appeal has long surpassed regional borders. This Chinese science and technology museum continues to astound delegations and visitors from dozens of countries across the Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, and South Asia.
One museum tells Eastern culture through scent; the other connects to the future through technology. These two Guangdong museums on the world's "most beautiful" list demonstrate how Guangdong's cultural tourism is evolving from "sightseeing" to "cultural immersion" and then to "experiencing the future."
Check out our previous coverage for a detailed tour of the Xuelei Fragrance Museum.
World's largest fragrance museum redefines perfume
Reporter | Huang Xinyi
Photo | Xuelei Fragrance Museum, Nanfang Plus
