Collectors and philanthropists Igor and Mojca Lah are opening a new contemporary art museum called Muzej Lah in Bled, Slovenia, set to debut next year. Designed by David Chipperfield Architects, the 55,000-square-foot museum will be built into a hillside beneath Bled Castle and will house the Fundacija Lah art collection of around 800 works, including pieces by Joseph Beuys, Anselm Kiefer, William Kentridge, Anne Imhof, and Theaster Gates, many never before publicly displayed.
The museum represents a major cultural investment in Slovenia, bringing a significant private collection to a region known for its natural beauty rather than contemporary art infrastructure. By creating a dedicated institution in a medieval town, the Lahs aim to attract international visitors while serving the local community, potentially boosting the country's profile as a destination for contemporary art and setting a precedent for philanthropic museum-building in Central Europe.