This museum in Guangzhou has been selected as one of the World's Most Beautiful.

On May 4 (French time), the Prix Versailles released its 2026 list of the "World's Most Beautiful Museums." 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.

The Prix Versailles, established in 2015 and announced annually at 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.

雪蕾香氛博物馆

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.

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.

在雪蕾香氛博物馆，游客的参观变成了一场“鼻尖旅行”

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.

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.

Source：南方都市报   South