ABSTRACT
The Bilbao Guggenheim Museum (1997) and the Seattle Central Library (2004) repre-
sent contemporary landmarks with high levels of public exposure. These projects are
paragons of contemporary mediagenic architecture that continue to be curated
through media portrayals, marketing materials and tourist promotions. Tourism is an
established form of curating the built environment and individual building tours shape
public perceptions of architecture. Analysing tours of the Bilbao Guggenheim
and Seattle Library elucidates the narration of contemporary architecture and its
implications.
