Long queues, loud announcements, busy passengers and brightly lit shops - these are some of the typical sights and sounds within an airport. All in all, there isn’t much to look forward to while waiting to board a flight. However, some airports are changing the experience for travelers by incorporating art within their space.

('Every Beating Second' Installation at the San Francisco Airport)

From interactive art to murals on walls to exhibits spread across terminals, here are 6 airports that are lifting air travel to a whole new level with their art displays!

1. Gollum at Wellington Airport

New Zealand and The Lord of the Rings have become synonymous with each other. And so it’s no surprise that the Wellington Airport installed a giant statute of “Gollum” within its terminal! The 13 meter suspended statue shows a gleeful Gollum about to catch a fish. For those visiting New Zealand on their Lord of the Rings homage trip, the journey begins right at the airport in Wellington city with this installation.

(Image Source: wetanz.com)

2. Kinetic Rain at Changi Airport

Singapore's Changi Airport is one of the busiest transit hubs in the world. A multiple time winner of “the world's best airport” title, Changi, amongst other incredible works of art, proudly displays the Kinetic Rain installation, the world’s largest kinetic structure. Located within Terminal 1, the installation features 1,216 bronze droplets made of lightweight aluminum suspended from the roof. These droplets move in a slow, fluid motion to create 16 different shapes ranging from an airplane to a dragon. Watch Kinetic rain in motion:

3. Hands Sculpture at Indira Gandhi International Airport

The ‘Hands Sculpture” is the one thing that dominates the visual experience for anyone arriving through Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. A series of nine hands forming various mudras or hand gestures, stand out from a wall mounted with copper discs. Mudras are an intrinsic part of Indian culture, used in religion, yoga and various dance forms. The fiber glass resin hands weigh about 150 kgs each and have been modelled according to ‘Chola’ sculptures. In addition, the 675 copper coated discs mounted on the wall are made with spun aluminum.

(Image Source: delhimagic.blogspot.com)

4. Cultural Museum of Korea at Incheon Airport

Travelers with a layover at Incheon International Airport in Korea will not only be guaranteed a luxurious airport experience but also an educational tour of Korean culture. The Cultural Museum of Korea at Incheon takes travelers through a 5,000 year history of Korean culture, arts and music. The collection includes stone pagodas, the oldest known wooden slab print in the world, and the world’s oldest surviving book printed by movable metal type. In addition, the craft centers exhibit traditional craftworks like Dancheong buchae and knot-tying.

5. ArtPort, the Helsinki Airport

The Helsinki airport aims to become an ArtPort and has many artistic displays spread across its various spaces. There is an open cinema which shows short Finnish art house movies on loop. The clips change regularly and take viewers through various aspects of Finnish lifestyle. The airport houses two galleries which hold modern art, fashion and photography exhibitions throughout the year. There are also many Finnish art installations spread across the airport.

(The sculpture 'Concorde' at Terminal 1, Helsinki Airport is made of stainless steel/fiber, and resembles a dragonfly)

6. Sky at San Francisco Airport

The San Francisco airport has been home to art displays for over 30 years. The airport has been accredited by the American Association of Museums, and has artistic and cultural displays from across the world, in every terminal. “Sky” located in Terminal 3 is one of the most awe-inspiring installations at the airport, comprising twenty-seven mirrored spheres hanging at different lengths from the ceiling. It is an interactive installation which compels observers to explore their perception of space by giving an abstracted view of light and color.