The Most Famous Museums in the World
Tate PhotographyTate Modern, London
2016 attendance: 5,839,000
Sitting in a converted power station on the south bank of the Thames, this modern art gallery opened in 2000 and unveiled a ten-story expansion in June 2016. Aside from a vast collection of 20th-century modern art, the museum's vast Turbine Hall houses large-scale sculptural projects and installation art—site-specific works have included a huge light meant to mimic the sun, a network of shiny metal slides, and a living city of weeds.
GettyVatican Museums, Vatican City
2016 attendance: 6,067,000
The Vatican Museums serve to share works and objects that the popes have collected over the centuries, from Renaissance artwork to the Via Triumphalis necropolis (Roman tombs excavated under the Vatican Gardens). Highlights include the Sistine Chapel, Gallery of Maps, papal throne, and Raphael Rooms. Even the double spiral staircase, designed by Giuseppe Momo, is a masterpiece.
GettyNational Gallery, London
2016 attendance: 6,263,000
The National Gallery is home to more than 2,000 paintings from the 13th to 19th centuries, which you can appreciate free of charge. The works range in style and time period, but hey, everyone needs to see Van Gogh’s Sunflowers in Room 43 at least once.
AlamyShanghai Science & Technology Museum, Shanghai
2016 attendance: 6,316,000
Shanghai's Science & Technology Museum opened in 2001, and now has 14 exhibition halls and IMAX theaters with more than 10,000 screenings every year. Permanent exhibits include World of Robots, Spider Exhibition, World of Animals, and Space Navigation.
GettyBritish Museum, London
2016 attendance: 6,420,000
Open since the 1750s, the British Museum spans two million years of human history with antiquities like the Rosetta Stone, Parthenon Marbles, and Egyptian mummies. Even if you aren't a fan of history, you can still appreciate the museum's shops, restaurant, and famous glass atrium.
GettyMetropolitan Museum of Art, New York City
2016 attendance: 6,700,000
You can't possibly see all of The Met's masterpieces in one day: the reconstructed Temple of Dendur, an impressive selection of Greek and Roman statuary, and artwork spanning spanning five millennia (Rembrandt, Raphael, El Greco, Degas, Renoir, and Cézanne are all represented). So pick two or three small sections to see, then come back day after day for more—it's still pay what you want, after all.
GettyNational Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C.
2016 attendance: 7,100,000
Whether it's dinosaur fossils, a living coral reef, or the 45.52-carat Hope diamond, this Smithsonian institution is dedicated to teaching you about the natural world. The galleries are open until every day except for Christmas, and have extended hours until 7:30 p.m. during many summer nights. (Confirm hours at si.edu.).
GettyMusée du Louvre, Paris
2016 attendance: 7,400,000
If you're in Paris, don't miss the opportunity to see some of humanity's greatest creative works, from the Mona Lisa to the Winged Victory of Samothrace (to name two out of literally thousands). Even the building itself is something to be marveled at featuring a mini Arc de Triomphe and I.M. Pei's iconic glass pyramid at the main entrance.
GettyNational Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C.
2016 attendance: 7,500,000
The National Air and Space Museum, part of the Smithsonian Institution, hosts the world's largest collection of aviation and space artifacts. You'll see crowds flocking toward the 1903 Wright Flyer and Apollo 11 command module, but don't forget about NASA's often-overlooked Stardust probe, either. Pro tip: Visit before 11 a.m. or after 4 p.m. to avoid the afternoon tourists.
GettyNational Museum of China, Beijing
2016 attendance: 7,550,000
Founded in February 2003, this huge, well-curated museum sits on the edge of Beijing's Tiananmen Square and is free to enter. It houses more than 1.3 million exhibition pieces in its 40+ halls, focused primarily on China's achievements in history, culture, and art.