Tourismus

From the completion of the $29 million Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum exterior restoration to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's $156 million expansion, the world's most prestigious institutions are having work done.

Typically, museum restorations are made possible by a combination of donations, trusts, endowments and government funds drawn from state and local taxes. One would assume that during an economic downswing the last thing on a city official's mind would be refurbishing the local museum. However, that's exactly what's happening, everywhere from Perth, Australia, to Honolulu.

In Depth: Latest Museum Makeovers

The reason: Many of these projects were envisioned years, if not decades, ago, according to Yann Weymouth, senior vice president and design director for the Florida operations of St. Louis-based architectural firm HOK.