Top 10 Most Visited Museums in the World

Discover the allure of the Most visited museums in the world 2024, including insights on Which museum is the most visited in the world. Explore the list of the Top 10 most famous museums in the world, and delve into the captivating realm of the Top 10 most visited art museums in the world. Uncover the highlights of the Top 5 most visited museums in the world, offering a journey through the wonders of global cultural treasures.

Most Visited Museums in the World hold exhibitions and interactive displays are frequently seen as tourist attractions. These museums attract huge numbers of tourists from outside their home country, with the most visited museums in the world getting millions of visitors each year.

In this article, we will discuss the top 10 museums in the world.

Top 10 Most Visited Museums in the World

The top of 10 Most Visited Museums in the World along with the number of visitors are presented in the table below:

Most Visited Museums in the World	Visitors in 2023 in million
Louvre, Paris, France	8.9
Musée d’Orsay, Paris, France	5.2
National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., United States	4.4
National Museum of Korea, Seoul, South Korea	4.18
Musée National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France	3.8
National Air and Space Museum, USA	3.1
Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain	3
National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City, Mexico	2.6
Museo Nacional de Historia, Mexico City, Mexico	2.4
Smithsonian Museum of American History, USA	2.1

Let’s discuss each of them in some detail.

1. Louvre Museum

Louvre Museum

The Louvre is a national art museum located in Paris, France. It’s located on the Right Bank of the Seine. #Louvre #TopMuseums #LouvreParis

• It is home to some of Western art’s most iconic works, such as the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo.
• The museum is housed in the Louvre Palace, which was initially erected in the late 12th to 13th centuries by Philip II.
• The nearest Métro stations are Louvre-Rivoli and Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre.
• In May 1791, the Louvre became a public museum as part of the French Revolution. The museum opened on August 10, 1793.
• The Musée du Louvre has 615,797 pieces, 482,943 of which are available online since March 24, 2021, and exhibits 35,000 works of art in eight curatorial divisions.
• It houses famous masterpieces like as the Mona Lisa and the Winged Victory of Samothrace, as well as artifacts from Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The museum also has collections of ornamental arts, Islamic art, and sculpture.
• Art, papyrus scrolls, mummies, utensils, clothing, jewelry, games, musical instruments, and weaponry are stored in 20 chambers.

2. Musée d’Orsay

Musée d’Orsay

The Musée d’Orsay is a museum on the Seine River’s Left Bank in Paris, France. It is housed in the former Gare d’Orsay, a Beaux-Arts train station completed between 1898 and 1900. #MuseumVisit

• It houses the world’s largest collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist masterpieces by artists like as Berthe Morisot, Claude Monet, Édouard Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Seurat, Sisley, Gauguin, and van Gogh.
• It is one of Europe’s largest art museums.
• In 2022, the museum received 3.2 million visits.
• The museum was formerly a railway station called Gare d’Orsay, which was positioned near to the Seine River.
• Some famous painting collections of it are 6 paintings, namely Family Reunion, The Improvised Field Hospital, The Pink Dress, Studio in Rue de La Condamine by Frédéric Bazille, Sita and Sarita (Jeune Fille au Chat) by Cecilia Beaux, Ploughing in the Nivernais by Rosa Bonheur, 60 paintings including The Chequered Blouse by Pierre Bonnard, and 33 paintings including Trouville Beach by Eugène Boudin.
• There are currently around 2,200 sculptures in the Musée d’Orsay.
• Some well-known sculptures in it include Nature Unveiling Herself Before Science by Louis-Ernest Barrias, The Thinker and The Gates of Hell by Auguste Rodin, Be Mysterious by Paul Gauguin, the whole series of Honoré Daumier’s Célébrités du Juste Milieu, and Maturity by Camille Claudel.

3. The National Museum of Natural History

National Museum of Natural History

The Smithsonian Institution administers the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), which is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., USA. It offers free entrance and is open 364 days a year. With 4.4 million visitors in 2023, it was the most popular museum in the United States. #MuseumMagic

• The museum’s collections include approximately 146 million specimens of plants, animals, fossils, minerals, rocks, meteorites, human remains, and human cultural artifacts, making it the world’s biggest natural history collection. #CulturalHeritage
• The United States National Museum was established in 1846 as a branch of the Smithsonian Institution. The museum was initially located at the Smithsonian Institution Building.
• The museum is estimated to have about 5000 Native American remains.
• The museum conducts research in seven departments: anthropology, botany, entomology, invertebrate zoology, mineral sciences, paleobiology, and vertebrate zoology.
• The collection currently includes about 15,000 unique gems, 350,000 minerals, and 300,000 rock and ore specimens.

4. The National Museum of Korea

National Museum of Korea

The National Museum of Korea serves as South Korea’s premier museum of Korean history and art. It was formed in 1945. The museum undertakes studies and research in archeology, history, and art, and it is always establishing new exhibitions and education programs. #ArtWorld

• It was moved to the Yongsan District of Seoul in 2005. On June 24, 2021, the National Museum of Korea launched a new branch at Incheon International Airport.
• Its collections include a fifth-century Silla gold crown excavated from the North tomb of Hwangnamdaechong in Gyeongju, a pensive Bodhisattva, a twelfth-century incense burner, a ten-story pagoda from Gyeongcheonsa Temple, an album of genre painting by Danwon, and the Oegyujanggak Uigwe.
• It received 3,476,606 visitors in 2017.

5. The Musée National d’Histoire Naturelle

Musée National d’Histoire Naturelle

The French National Museum of Natural History, or Muséum national d’histoire naturelle, is France’s national natural history museum. #ArtAppreciation

• The main museum is located on the Seine River’s left bank in Paris, France.
• It was formally established in 1793, during the French Revolution.
• The museum now operates 14 locations throughout France.
• There are five galleries in the museum. These include the Gallery of Evolution, the Gallery of Mineralogy and Geology, the Gallery of Botany, the Gallery of Paleontology and Comparative Anatomy, and the Laboratory of Entomology. #GalleryGoals
• The Grand Gallery of Evolution is an example of Beaux-Arts architecture.
• Charles Rohault de Fleury built the Gallery of Mineralogy in the Neoclassical style.
• The menagerie is currently home to over 600 mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates, totaling approximately 189 species.
• The research departments include classification and evolution, regulation, development, and molecular diversity, aquatic environments and populations, ecology, and biodiversity management, among others.

6. The National Air and Space Museum

National Air and Space Museum

The National Air and Space Museum (NASM) of the Smithsonian Institution is a museum located in Washington, D.C., USA. It is focused on human flight and space exploration.

• It was founded in 1946 as the National Air Museum.
• In 2018, the museum received over 6.2 million visitors, making it the fifth most visited museum in the world and the second most visited museum in the United States.
• The primary museum on the mall houses 61 airplanes, 51 big space artifacts, and nearly 2,000 smaller pieces.
• Its collections include the Apollo Lunar Module LM-2, Apollo lunar space suit, Apollo 15 mission: space suit worn by David Scott on the Moon in 1971, Chicago, the first aircraft to fly around the world (1924), Douglas DC-3, Lockheed U-2, and a spaceship.

7. The Prado Museum

Prado Museum

The Prado Museum is formally known as the Museo Nacional del Prado. It is the primary Spanish national art museum, located in central Madrid. It houses European art collections ranging from the 12th century to the early twentieth century, including the former Spanish royal collection and the single best collection of Spanish art. It was founded in 1819 as a painting and sculpture museum.

• The works of Francisco Goya, the single most extensively represented artist, as well as by Hieronymus Bosch, El Greco, Peter Paul Rubens, Titian, and Diego Velázquez
• The collection currently consists of approximately 8,200 drawings, 7,600 paintings, 4,800 prints, and 1,000 sculptures.
• The Prado Museum, built during Charles III’s reign, houses notable collections such as Francisco Goya’s The Dog (1819-1823), Saturn Devouring His Son (1819-1823), and Antonio Gisbert Pérez’s Execution of Torrijos and His Companions on the Beach at Málaga (1882).

8. The National Museum of Anthropology

National Museum of Anthropology

The National Museum of Anthropology is Mexico’s national museum. It is the largest and most popular museum in Mexico. It is situated in Chapultepec Park, Mexico City.

• Designed in 1964 by Pedro Ramírez Vázquez, Jorge Campuzano, and Rafael Mijares Alcérreca.
• The museum includes 23 exhibit rooms with an area of 79,700 square meters.
• The museum’s collections include the Stone of the Sun, giant Olmec stone heads discovered in the jungles of Tabasco and Veracruz, treasures discovered at the Sacred Cenote at Chichen Itza, a replica of Pacal’s sarcophagal lid from Palenque, and ethnological displays of contemporary rural Mexican life.
• Some exhibitions include the reproduction of the Temple of the Feathered Serpent at Teotihuacan, the Olmeca-Xicalanca – Cacaxtla bird man mural, a replica of Moctezuma II’s feather headdress, and a Toniná relief.

9. The Museo Nacional de Historia

Museo Nacional de Historia

The National Museum of History, or MNH, is Mexico’s national museum. It is situated within Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City.

• The castle itself is located in the first segment of the well-known Chapultepec Park. The museum had 2,135,465 visitors in 2017.
• The museum has twelve showrooms that house objects from various stages of Mexican history, such as the foundation of the Spanish Empire, the New Spain and Viceregal era, the Mexican War of Independence, the Liberal Reform, and the Revolution of 1910.
• On the top floor, in addition to a library, there are two sections featuring dioramas of castle apartments during Emperor Maximilian von Hapsburg’s tenure there with his wife Princess Carlota.

10. The Smithsonian Museum of American History

Smithsonian Museum of American History

The Smithsonian Museum of American History is also known as The National Museum of American History: Kenneth E. Behring Center. It collects, preserves, and exhibits the United States’ heritage. #WorldHeritage

• It’s on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., between 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW.
• In 2022, the museum attracted 1.8 million visits.
• The Museum of History and Technology first opened its doors in 1964.
• It was designed by the well-known architectural company McKim Mead & White. The National Museum of American History took its current name in 1980.
• The museum’s bottom floor has the exhibit Taking America to Lunch, which honors the history of American lunch boxes.
• The first floor’s East Wing contains exhibits about transportation and technology. The exhibitions in the West Wing focus on science and innovation.

Most Visited Museums in the World 2024

• The Louvre in Paris continues to captivate with its vast collection, including the Mona Lisa.
• The Vatican Museums showcase religious and Renaissance art, drawing millions.
• The Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., offers a diverse range of exhibits, from history to space.

Top 10 Most Famous Museums in the World

• The Louvre, Paris
• The British Museum, London
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
• The Vatican Museums, Vatican City
• The Uffizi Gallery, Florence
• The State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
• The Prado Museum, Madrid
• The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
• The National Museum of China, Beijing
• The Museum of Modern Art, New York

Top 10 Most Visited Art Museums in the World

• The Louvre, Paris: A treasure trove of art history.
• The Vatican Museums, Vatican City: Home to the Sistine Chapel.
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York: A diverse art collection.
• The British Museum, London: Famous for the Rosetta Stone.
• The National Gallery, London: Houses Western European paintings.
• The Tate Modern, London: Known for modern and contemporary art.
• The Prado Museum, Madrid: Features European art.
• The Uffizi Gallery, Florence: Renowned for Renaissance art.
• The State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg: Offers a vast collection of art and culture.
• The Museum of Modern Art, New York: Focuses on modernist art.

Top 5 Most Visited Museums in the World

• The Louvre, Paris: The world’s art capital.
• The Vatican Museums, Vatican City: Spiritual and artistic sanctuary.
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York: A cultural powerhouse.
• The British Museum, London: Chronicles human history.
• The Tate Modern, London: A modern art marvel.

Which Museum Is the Most Visited in the World?

• The Louvre in Paris stands as the most visited, renowned for its iconic art and historical pieces.

Top 10 Most Visited Museums in the World – FAQs

Which museum tops the list of the most visited in the world?

The Louvre Museum in Paris, France, consistently tops the list as the most visited museum in the world.

What makes the Louvre Museum so popular?

The Louvre’s popularity stems from its vast collection of over 35,000 artworks, including iconic pieces like the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo.

Are there any museums from the United States in the top 10 list?

Yes, the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., is among the top 10 most visited museums globally.

Which museum in London is known to attract millions of visitors?

The British Museum in London is renowned for its comprehensive collection of art and artifacts from around the world, making it one of the most visited museums.

How many visitors do the Vatican Museums attract annually?

The Vatican Museums in Vatican City attract approximately 6.2 million visitors annually, showcasing an extensive collection of art and historical pieces.

What is unique about the Tate Modern in London?

The Tate Modern is unique for its focus on contemporary and modern art, attracting around 5.8 million visitors each year with its dynamic exhibitions and installations.

Which is the most visited museum in the world?

Louvre Museum, Paris is the most visited at museum in the world.

Which museum houses the Mona Lisa?

Louvre Museum, Paris houses the Mona Lisa.

Where can you find the National Museum of China?

The National Museum of China is in Beijing, China.

Which museum has over 2 million artworks?

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City has over 2 million artworks.

Where is the Vatican Museums located?

Vatican Museums are in Vatican City.