The National Medal of Honor Museum has earned a spot on the prestigious 2026 World’s Most Beautiful Museums List.
ARLINGTON, Texas — The National Medal of Honor Museum is earning global recognition for both its design and mission.
The museum was just named to the World’s Most Beautiful Museums List 2026 by the Prix Versailles, an international architecture and design award program. It’s one of only seven museums worldwide to make the list, and the only one in the Western Hemisphere.
The honor comes just four months after the museum was ranked the No. 1 best new museum in the United States by USA TODAY. The museum, which opened to the public in March of last year, is dedicated to the sacrifices of the 3,528 Medal of Honor recipients.
Prix Versailles officials say this year’s list highlights museums that blend striking architecture with powerful storytelling, recognizing not just how they look, but how they make visitors feel.
“…Every member of our team understood that we were doing more than just constructing a building; we were providing a home where the stories of the courage and sacrifice of America’s most cherished heroes will live on for generations,” said Tommy Cole, President of Linbeck Group.
Museum leaders say every design choice was intentional.
The building is supported by five megacolumns representing each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, and natural light pours in from a central oculus, a feature that symbolizes the U.S. Space Force. Inside, visitors move through immersive galleries via spiral staircases and glass elevators, tracing the lives and legacies of Medal of Honor recipients.
“Beyond welcoming their visitors, we hope these places will be sources of inspiration for all those who serve the common good of humanity,” said Jérôme Gouadain, Secretary General of the Prix Versailles.
Designed by Rafael Viñoly Architects, the museum is meant to serve as both a civic landmark and a place for reflection, encouraging visitors to consider the values that have shaped the nation over the past 250 years, officials said.
Other museums recognized on this year’s list include institutions in the United Arab Emirates, China, Japan, Lithuania, and Uzbekistan. You can see the full list here.