Millions of travelers flock to the most visited museums in the world each year, eager to experience art, history, and culture up close. This list highlights the top 10 most visited museums globally, based on the latest 2024 attendance figures, showcasing cultural powerhouses from Europe, Asia, and the United States. From the world’s most visited museum – the legendary Louvre in Paris – to must-see institutions in New York and Beijing, each destination offers a unique journey for visitors. Notably, New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and American Museum of Natural History, two of the most visited museums in the US, also earn spots on this global list. Whether you’re an avid museum-goer or a traveler planning an educational trip, these museums promise enriching experiences that captivate tourists, students, and culture enthusiasts alike.

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Louvre Museum (Paris, France)

• Location: Paris, France
• Annual visitors (2024): 8,700,000

The Louvre Museum tops the list as the world’s most visited museum, drawing about 8.7 million visitors in 2024. Housed in a former royal palace, it is also the largest art museum on the planet, with hundreds of thousands of objects displayed across 60,600 square meters. Travelers come from around the globe to admire iconic masterpieces like Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and the ancient Greek statue Venus de Milo, among countless other treasures. The museum itself is a landmark, famously marked by I. M. Pei’s glass pyramid in the courtyard, and offers an unparalleled journey through human civilization – from Egyptian mummies to Renaissance paintings. Visiting the Louvre is a must-do in Paris, though be prepared for crowds as this cultural powerhouse is virtually the most visited museum in the world every year.

Vatican Museums (Vatican City, Rome)

• Location: Vatican City (Rome, Italy)
• Annual visitors (2024): 6,825,000

The Vatican Museums are a close second, welcoming roughly 6.8 million visitors in 2024. This massive complex of museums showcases the art collection of the Roman Catholic Church and papacy, containing around 70,000 works ranging from classical Roman sculptures to Renaissance masterpieces. Highlights include Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling frescoes and Raphael’s Rooms, which draw thousands of visitors each day. Founded in the 16th century, the Vatican Museums are often regarded as a pilgrimage for art lovers – a place where you can stand beneath some of the world’s most revered artistic achievements. The collection’s breadth and spiritual significance give the Vatican Museums a unique appeal. Its status as the second most popular museum globally – and the most visited museum in Italy – underscores its importance as both a cultural and religious destination.

National Museum of China (Beijing, China)

• Location: Beijing, China
• Annual visitors (2019–2023): ~6,700,000

China’s premier national museum, located on Tiananmen Square in Beijing, ranks among the top three globally in attendance. The National Museum of China is a free museum that typically attracts around 6.7 million visitors annually in recent years. It boasts an astonishing 1.3 million objects in its collection, displayed in galleries that explore thousands of years of Chinese history. Visitors can journey through exhibits of ancient ceramics, calligraphy, jade and bronze treasures, exquisite Buddhist sculptures, and even displays of modern socialist realism art. Special exhibitions have covered everything from Chinese artifacts repatriated from abroad to celebrations of Asian civilizations. As one of the world’s largest museums by floor area, the National Museum of China offers an immersive dive into China’s cultural heritage. Its popularity has been boosted by government policies like free admission, making it a must-visit for anyone interested in Chinese history and a centerpiece of Beijing’s cultural tourism.

Shanghai Museum (Shanghai, China)

• Location: Shanghai, China
• Annual visitors (2024): 6,578,628

Shanghai Museum has surged in popularity to join the ranks of the world’s most visited museums. In 2024, the museum recorded 6.58 million visitors combined at its two locations (the main museum in People’s Square and the new Shanghai Museum East branch). This museum is renowned for its collection of ancient Chinese art – including superb bronzes, ceramics, paintings, and calligraphy – which is why it’s often considered one of China’s finest art museums. The opening of its expansive new Pudong branch in 2024, featuring a dedicated bronzes gallery and large special exhibition halls, gave attendance a major boost. A blockbuster exhibition on Ancient Egypt, for example, drew over 1.3 million visitors in the second half of 2024 alone. Travelers visiting Shanghai are drawn not only to the museum’s rich trove of Chinese cultural relics, but also to its stunning architecture and the seamless blend of modern and traditional design in its new galleries. With Shanghai’s rise as a global city, the Shanghai Museum has become a prime cultural attraction, offering international visitors and locals a world-class museum experience in the heart of China’s most dynamic metropolis.

British Museum (London, UK)

• Location: London, United Kingdom
• Annual visitors (2024): 6,480,000

The British Museum in London is another perennial favorite, drawing about 6.5 million visitors in 2024 – its highest attendance since 2015. Founded in 1753, it was the world’s first national public museum and today houses over eight million artifacts spanning all continents and millennia. This free-to-enter museum offers a journey through two million years of human history. Visitors can marvel at iconic treasures such as the Rosetta Stone, which helped decipher Egyptian hieroglyphs, and the Parthenon Marbles from ancient Greece. The British Museum’s vast collection also includes Egyptian mummies, Mesopotamian tablets, Asian art, African sculptures, and countless other cultural treasures, making it one of the most comprehensive museums in the world. Its central location in Bloomsbury and famous Great Court (with its glass roof) add to the appeal for travelers. As a showcase of global heritage (and a subject of debate over the ownership of some artifacts), the British Museum remains a must-visit museum for anyone visiting London – a place where the world’s cultures are celebrated under one roof.

Natural History Museum, London (UK)

• Location: London, United Kingdom
• Annual visitors (2024): 6,301,972

London’s Natural History Museum is the world’s most visited science/natural history museum, attracting roughly 6.3 million visitors in 2024. Housed in a grand Victorian building often called a “cathedral of nature,” the museum contains some 80 million specimens covering botany, zoology, geology, paleontology, and more. It is particularly famous for its dinosaur exhibits – visitors are greeted by an enormous blue whale skeleton suspended in the Hintze Hall, and can explore galleries featuring Triceratops skulls, towering sauropod fossils, and animatronic T-Rex models. This family-friendly museum also showcases dazzling minerals, interactive earthquake simulators, and the scientifically significant fossil collection of Mary Anning, among other highlights. Free to enter and engaging for all ages, it offers an inspiring journey through the natural world. In fact, 2024 was a record-breaking year for the museum, which saw an 11 % jump in attendance thanks to new exhibits and events that share the “wonder of the natural world” with the public. For travelers in London – especially families – the Natural History Museum is an unforgettable cultural and educational destination.

Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, USA)

• Location: New York City, United States
• Annual visitors (2024): 5,727,000

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (the Met) in New York City is the largest art museum in the Americas and consistently one of the most visited museums in the US. In 2024, its main building welcomed about 5.7 million visitors (nearly 6 million including its Cloisters branch). Located along Fifth Avenue’s “Museum Mile,” the Met boasts a vast encyclopedic collection of over 2 million works of art spanning 5,000 years of world history. From ancient Egyptian artifacts (including the full-size Temple of Dendur reassembled inside the museum) to Greek and Roman statues, European old master paintings, Asian decorative arts, and beyond – the Met offers a trip through virtually every major civilization and art period. Visitors can stand before canvases by Rembrandt, Van Gogh, and Monet, marvel at medieval armor or Islamic mosaics, and wander through galleries of African and Mesoamerican art all in one place. Beyond its galleries, the Met is famous for blockbuster special exhibitions and cultural events (it’s the site of the annual Met Gala). As a cultural icon in New York, the Metropolitan Museum provides an inspiring, world-class museum experience – a place where art lovers and tourists alike can lose themselves for hours exploring humanity’s artistic achievements.

American Museum of Natural History (New York, USA)

• Location: New York City, United States
• Annual visitors (2024): 5,400,000

The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), across Central Park from the Met, is the United States’ premier natural history museum and also one of the most visited museums in the US. In a typical year it attracts around 5 million visitors, with about 5.4 million in 2024. This massive museum spans 25 interconnected buildings and houses 45 permanent exhibition halls, plus a planetarium and a renowned library. The AMNH’s collection contains over 34 million specimens ranging from dinosaur fossils and meteorites to taxidermy animals and cultural artifacts. Visitors young and old are drawn to its iconic displays, such as the towering T-Rex and Apatosaurus skeletons in the dinosaur halls, the life-size model blue whale suspended in the Hall of Ocean Life, and the dazzling halls of minerals and gems. The museum also features walk-through dioramas of African and Asian wildlife, exhibitions on human origins and indigenous cultures, and the Hayden Planetarium’s immersive space shows. Founded in 1869, the AMNH has a rich history of scientific research and expeditions. For travelers in New York, a visit to the American Museum of Natural History is both fun and educational – an opportunity to explore the wonders of our planet and the cosmos in one of the world’s greatest museums.

China Science and Technology Museum (Beijing, China)

• Location: Beijing, China
• Annual visitors (2023): 5,315,000

Beijing’s China Science and Technology Museum is the most popular science museum in Asia, attracting about 5.3 million visitors annually. Opened in 1988 and expanded for the 2008 Olympics, this modern museum complex offers a highly interactive experience focused on science education. The museum features five permanent exhibition halls – including “Science Paradise” for children, galleries on ancient Chinese technology and inventions (The Glory of China), and exhibits on topics like space, life sciences, and engineering achievements. It also boasts multiple large-format theaters: visitors can enjoy a dome IMAX theater, a giant screen theater, 4D simulation rides, and other high-tech immersive experiences as part of their visit. Popular exhibits range from hands-on physics experiments and robotics displays to full-size rockets and aerospace models, reflecting China’s push to inspire future generations in STEM fields. Thanks to China’s initiative to become a “museum powerhouse” by 2035, institutions like this one have benefited from cutting-edge facilities and programming. For families and science enthusiasts traveling to Beijing, the China Science and Technology Museum offers an engaging day of learning through play, making science and technology accessible and fun for millions of visitors each year.

Nanjing Museum (Nanjing, China)

• Location: Nanjing, China
• Annual visitors (2023): 5,007,000

Rounding out the top ten is the Nanjing Museum, one of China’s oldest and most respected museums. It drew about 5 million visitors in the most recent year reported. Established in 1933, the Nanjing Museum has grown into a comprehensive institution with over 400,000 artifacts in its collections. The museum’s exhibits cover a broad sweep of Chinese art, culture, and history: visitors can see exquisite Ming and Qing dynasty imperial porcelains, ancient jade carvings, traditional paintings and calligraphy, as well as historical relics excavated from the Jiangsu region. One hall presents the “History and Culture of the Jiangsu Area,” an exhibition that walks you through local history from prehistoric times through imperial dynasties. Uniquely, the Nanjing Museum even features a few natural history displays – including a dinosaur skeleton and a wall constructed from bricks of ancient Chinese dynasties – blending science and history under one roof. The architecture of the museum combines modern design with traditional Chinese elements, making it an attractive space to explore. As a major cultural attraction in one of China’s former capitals, the Nanjing Museum offers travelers deep insight into Chinese civilization and consistently ranks among the most visited museums in the world for its rich and diverse collections.

Which Museums are on your travel list?

In summary, these top 10 most visited museums in the world demonstrate the universal appeal of museums as travel and cultural destinations. From Paris and London to New York, Beijing, and beyond, millions of people each year seek out these institutions to experience humanity’s greatest art, artifacts, and scientific wonders. Each museum on this list offers a unique window into our global heritage – whether it’s admiring artistic masterpieces, walking among dinosaurs, or marveling at technological achievements. The enduring popularity of these museums highlights our collective curiosity and the joy of discovery that transcends borders. As travel and education continue to intersect, museums remain essential landmarks on any world traveler’s itinerary, inspiring awe and understanding in equal measure.

FAQ

What is the most visited museum in the world?

The Louvre Museum in Paris consistently tops global attendance charts, welcoming about 8.7 million visitors in 2024.

Which museum is the most visited museum in the US?

New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art leads American attendance, drawing roughly 5.7 million visitors in 2024.

How are the most visited museums ranked?

Rankings are based on verified annual visitor statistics reported by each museum and compiled by cultural organizations and tourism boards.

When is the best time to visit the most visited museums in the world to avoid crowds?

Weekday mornings outside peak tourist seasons (late spring and mid-summer) typically offer smaller lines and quieter galleries.

Are any of the most visited museums free to enter?

Yes—institutions like the British Museum, National Museum of China, and London’s Natural History Museum offer free general admission, though special exhibits may have fees.