In exploring and understanding this subject, one must study the history and development of individual museums and galleries, observing the exterior architecture as well as the internal design, and the reasons behind any developments or renovations done to the buildings. In addition to this the location of the museum must be considered, to see if the surrounding architecture influences any modernisation or extensions taken out on the buildings, as well as considering the expectations and ideas of different cultures, and how they might manipulate the evolution of such places over the past fifty years.

For an example of how a medieval building has evolved into a modern day art museum, the Louvre is an ideal illustration. Once a medieval fortress in the 11th century, then renovated...