60 Best Museums in the World (Including Best Artworks) (#1-10)

This is a list of the best 60 museums in the world in 2024 established through thorough research.

For each museum, we present very detailed information including the best artworks (with image slideshows), gallery space, number of visitors, etc. We only included Art and Archaeological Museums. 

This is part 1 (#1-10). Click on the following links to discover part 1 (#1–10), part 2 (#11–20), part 3 (#21–30), part 4 (#31–40), and part 5 (#41–60).

1. Louvre Museum, Paris (France 🇫🇷)

Straightforwardly the best museum in the world full of outstanding highlights!

Considered by many experts as the best art museum in the world, the Louvre displays a grand total of 38,000 artworks.

Some of the most significant masterpieces hang on its walls, including Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa", the most famous painting in the world.

      • Important Masterpieces: 71
      • Top 200 Paintings: 20
      • Total Masterworks of Painting: 269 (world-class), All Ranks of the Top 5 Paintings Added (low score is better): 179 (world-class), Mentions of the Top 5 Paintings in Influential Art Books: 83 (world-class)
      • Highlight: Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci (ca. 1503–06), 77 cm × 53 cm (30 in × 21 in)

Show top 10 paintings (click here)

Show top 10 sculptures and other highlights (click here)

Art Collection and Exhibits: 10/10

Renowned Masterpieces: 10/10

Presentation and Interpretation: 8/10

Architecture: 9/10

Size: 10/10

Overall Impression: 9/10

Best Museums in the World 2019 | Louvre
by Christine Zenino / CC BY-SA 2.0   

Art and Archaeological Museum

Gallery Space: 72,735 m2 (782,910 ft2)

Galleries: 100

Artworks on Display: ca. 38,000

Established: 1793  

Visitors (2018): 10,200,000

Entrance Fee (for 1 Adult): EUR 17

Official Webpage (English): louvre.fr/en

2. Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET), New York (USA 🇺🇸)

The largest and best museum in the US holding a fantastic collection spanning all over the globe

With ease one of the supreme museums in the world "the Met" houses more than two million works of art from all over the globe.

As unmissable highlights, we recommend the fantastic collection of European Paintings and the extensive Egyptian art holdings including the Temple of Dendur from 10 BCE.

      • Important Masterpieces: 33
      • Top 200 Paintings: 5
      • Total Masterworks of Painting: 152 (world-class), All Ranks of the Top 5 Paintings Added (low score is better): 582 (excellent), Mentions of the Top 5 Paintings in Influential Art Books: 37 (excellent)
      • Highlight: The Death of Socrates by Jacques-Louis David (1787), 129.5 cm × 196.2 cm (51.0 in × 77.2 in)

Show top 15 paintings (click here)

Show top 6 sculptures and other highlights (click here)

Art Collection and Exhibits: 9/10

Renowned Masterpieces: 8/10 

Presentation and Interpretation: 8/10

Architecture: 8/10

Size: 9/10

Overall Impression: 9/10

Best Museums in the World 2020 | MET

Art and Archaeological Museum

Gallery Space: 58,820 m2 (633,100 ft2)

Galleries: ca. 280

Artworks on Display: ca. 250,000

Established: 1872

Visitors (2017): 7,350,000

Entrance Fee (for 1 Adult): USD 25

Official Webpage: metmuseum.org/

3. Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg (Russia 🇷🇺)

One of the greatest art collections, presented in spectacular connected palaces

Founded in 1764 and featuring more than 400 exhibit halls, the Hermitage Museum is one of the world's oldest, biggest, and certainly greatest art collections, presented in spectacular connected palaces.

Highlights of the art collection include the stunning Peacock Clock by James Cox as well masterpieces of painting by Leonardo Da Vinci, Rembrandt, and world-famous sculptures by Antonio Canova and Michelangelo.

      • Important Masterpieces: 32
      • Top 200 Paintings: 1 (+1)
      • Total Masterworks of Painting: 116 (world-class), All Ranks of the Top 5 Paintings Added (low score is better): 1076 (excellent), Mentions of the Top 5 Paintings in Influential Art Books: 18 (decent)
      • Highlight: Madonna Litta by Leonardo Da Vinci (c. 1490), 42 cm × 33 cm (17 in × 13 in)

Show top 10 paintings (click here)

Show top 6 sculptures and other highlights (click here)

Art Collection and Exhibits: 8/10

Renowned Masterpieces: 8/10

Presentation and Interpretation: 7/10

Architecture: 10/10

Size: 9/10

Overall Impression: 9/10

Best Museums in the World | HERMITAGE MUSEUM

Art and Archaeological Museum

Gallery Space: 66,842 m2 (719,480 ft2)

Galleries: 350

Artworks on Display: ca. 60,000

Established: 1764

Visitors (2017): 4,200,000

Entrance Fee (for 1 Adult): 700 RUB (USD 17.95)

Official Webpage (English): hermitagemuseum.org

World Heritage Site

4. Musei Vaticani, Rome (Italy 🇮🇹)

Unparalleled religious art museum crowned by the Sistine Chapel

Highlights of this unparalleled religious art museum include a suite of rooms frescoed by Raphael (including the masterpiece “The School of Athens”), Caravaggio’s “Entombment”, the spectacular ceiling of the Gallery of Maps, the double spiral staircase (Bramante Staircase) and — of course — the glorious Sistine Chapel, painted 1508-1541.

      • Important Masterpieces: 10
      • Top 200 Paintings: 5
      • Total Masterworks of Painting: 18 (decent), All Ranks of the Top 5 Paintings Added (low score is better): 302 (world-class), Mentions of the Top 5 Paintings in Influential Art Books: 66 (world-class)
      • Highlight: The School of Athens by Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio) (1509), 500 cm × 770 cm (200 in × 300 in)

Show top 10 artworks (click here)

Art Collection and Exhibits: 8/10

Renowned Masterpieces: 9/10

Presentation and Interpretation: 8/10

Architecture: 9/10

Size: 8/10

Overall Impression: 8/10

Best Museums in the World | Musei Vaticani
by Fb78 / CC BY-SA 3.0   

Art and Archaeological Museum

Gallery Space: 43,000 m2 (460,000 ft2)

Galleries: 54

Artworks on Display: ca. 20,000

Established: 1506  

Visitors (2017): 6,427,277

Entrance Fee (for 1 Adult): EUR 17 

Official Webpage (English): museivaticani.va/

World Heritage Site

5. Galleria Degli Uffizi, Florence (Italy 🇮🇹)

The greatest collection of Italian paintings in the world

This UNESCO-enlisted world-class museum hosts the greatest collection of Italian paintings in the world and was built in Late Renaissance style by Giorgio Vasari circa 1560.

Marvel at masterpieces by Sandro Botticelli, Leonardo Da Vinci, and Caravaggio.

      • Important Masterpieces: 52
      • Top 200 Paintings: 12
      • Total Masterworks of Painting: 124 (world-class), All Ranks of the Top 5 Paintings Added (low score is better): 179 (world-class), Mentions of the Top 5 Paintings in Influential Art Books: 68 (world-class)
      • Highlight: The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli (c. 1484–86), 172.5 cm × 278.9 cm (67.9 in × 109.6 in)

Show top 10 paintings (click here)

Art Collection and Exhibits: 9/10

Renowned Masterpieces: 9/10

Presentation and Interpretation: 8/10

Architecture: 8/10

Size: 5/10

Overall Impression: 8/10

Best Museums in the World | Uffizi
by Michelle Maria / CC BY-SA 3.0   

Art Museum

Gallery Space: 8,000 m2 [86,000 ft2]

Galleries: 45

Artworks on Display: ca. 38,000

Established: 1581

Visitors [2017]: 2,235,355

Entrance Fee (for 1 Adult): EUR 20

Official Webpage (English): uffizi.it/en/the-uffizi

World Heritage Site

6. Musée d’Orsay, Paris (France 🇫🇷)

Europe's greatest impressionist and post-impressionist paintings collection

Europe's greatest impressionist and post-impressionist paintings collection is housed in a gorgeously renovated former railway station built in 1900 on the left bank of the River Seine. 

The museum displays some of the greatest artworks by Vincent van Gogh, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Édouard Manet.

      • Important Masterpieces: 47
      • Top 200 Paintings: 18
      • Total Masterworks of Painting: 140 (world-class), All Ranks of the Top 5 Paintings Added (low score is better): 211 (world-class), Mentions of the Top 5 Paintings in Influential Art Books: 66 (world-class)
      • Highlight: Dance at Moulin de la Galette by Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1876), 131 cm × 175 cm (52 in × 69 in)

Show top 10 paintings (click here)

Art Collection and Exhibits: 9/10

Renowned Masterpieces: 8/10

Presentation and Interpretation: 7/10

Architecture: 9/10

Size: 6/10

Overall Impression: 8/10

Best Museums in the World | Musée d'Orsay
by Moonik / CC BY-SA 3.0   

Art and Archaeological Museum

Gallery Space: 16,853 m2 (181,400 ft2)

Galleries: 72

Artworks on Display: ca. 4,000

Established: 1986  

Visitors (2017): 3,177,842

Entrance Fee (for 1 Adult): EUR 12.40

Official Webpage (English): musee-orsay.fr/en/

7. British Museum, London (United Kingdom 🇬🇧)

World-class museum, dedicated to human history and culture

Founded in 1753 this world-class museum, dedicated to human history and culture, is one of London's best free attractions with an impressive collection of more than seven million objects from all over the globe. 

Highlights include the fabulous Elgin Marbles (originally part of the Parthenon in Athens), the colossal horse from Halikarnassos, the world-famous Rosetta Stone, the Sutton Hoo mask, the Lewis Chessmen, and an Easter Island statue.

      • Important Masterpieces: 21
      • Highlight: Parthenon Marbles (Elgin Marbles) (c. 447–438 BCE), Room 18, Ground Floor

Show top 15 treasures (click here)

Art Collection and Exhibits: 8/10

Renowned Masterpieces: 7/10

Presentation and Interpretation: 7/10

Architecture: 8/10

Size: 7/10

Overall Impression: 8/10

Best Museums in the World | British Museum
by Luke Massey / CC BY-SA 2.0   

Archaeological Museum

Gallery Space: 25,000 m2 (277,000 ft2)

Galleries: 94

Artworks on Display: ca. 80,000

Established: 1753

Visitors (2018): 5,800,000

Entrance Fee (for 1 Adult): Free

Official Webpage: britishmuseum.org/

8. Museo del Prado, Madrid (Spain 🇪🇸)

The greatest collection of Spanish paintings in the world

Widely considered one of the greatest art museums in the world, the Prado holds numerous masterpieces among its 1,500 displayed works in more than one hundred rooms. The museum’s collection of Spanish artists, including Goya, El Greco, da Ribera, and Velázquez, is considered the best in the world.

      • Important Masterpieces: 32
      • Top 200 Paintings: 10
      • Total Masterworks of Painting: 174 (world-class), All Ranks of the Top 5 Paintings Added (low score is better): 169 (world-class), Mentions of the Top 5 Paintings in Influential Art Books: 88 (world-class)
      • Highlight: The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch (1495–1505), 205.5 cm × 384.9 cm (81 in × 152 in)

Show top 10 paintings (click here)

Art Collection and Exhibits: 9/10

Renowned Masterpieces: 8/10

Presentation and Interpretation: 7/10

Architecture: 7/10

Size: 6/10

Overall Impression: 8/10

Best Museums in the World | Prado
by Donations_are_appreciated [CC0] /   

Art Museum (from the 12th century to the early 20th century)

Gallery Space: 15,400 m2 (165,764 ft2)

Galleries: 105

Artworks on Display: ca. 1,500

Established: 1819

Visitors (2017): 2,824,404

Entrance Fee (for 1 Adult): EUR 15

Official Webpage (English): museodelprado.es/en

9. National Gallery, London (United Kingdom 🇬🇧)

One of the world’s greatest collections of 13th to 19th-century Western European paintings

Situated at Trafalgar Square the National Gallery features one of the world’s greatest collections of 13th to 19th-century Western European paintings.

Among the highlights of this free museum are masterpieces by Van Eyck, Velázquez, Rubens, Caravaggio, Bronzino, Van Gogh, da Vinci, Seurat, and Holbein the Younger. 

      • Important Masterpieces: 85
      • Top 200 Paintings: 23 (+1)
      • Total Masterworks of Painting: 276 (world-class), All Ranks of the Top 5 Paintings Added (low score is better): 128 (world-class), Mentions of the Top 5 Paintings in Influential Art Books: 81 (world-class)
      • Highlight: Portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini and His Wife by Jan van Eyck (1434), 82.2 cm × 60 cm (32.4 in × 23.6 in)

Show top 20 paintings (click here)

Art Collection and Exhibits: 10/10

Renowned Masterpieces: 8/10

Presentation and Interpretation: 7/10

Architecture: 7/10

Size: 6/10

Overall Impression: 8/10

Best Museums in the World | National Gallery
by Diego Delso / CC BY-SA 4.0   

Art Museum

Gallery Space: 13,000 m2 (140,000ft2)

Galleries: 72

Artworks on Display: ca. 2,300

Established: 1824  

Visitors (2017): 5,229,192

Entrance Fee (for 1 Adult): Free

Official Webpage: nga.gov/

10. Egyptian Museum, Cairo (Egypt 🇪🇬) 

The largest and most impressive collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts in the world 

The world-class Egyptian Museum is (for now still) home to the world's largest and most impressive collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts including the famous Tutankhamun exhibition. 

With its most famed objects going to the highly anticipated Grand Egyptian Museum (maybe) in 2024 (the opening date is getting pushed to the future for several years now), this museum will be far less impressive in the future. 

      • Important Masterpieces: 23
      • Highlight: Golden funeral mask of King Tutankhamun (1323 BCE, 18th Dynasty), 54 × 39.3 × 49 cm

Show top 10 treasures (click here)

Art Collection and Exhibits: 8/10

Renowned Masterpieces: 10/10

Presentation and Interpretation: 6/10

Architecture: 7/10

Size: 6/10

Overall Impression: 8/10

Best Museums in the World | Egyptian Museum
by Bs0u10e01 / CC BY-SA 3.0   

Archaeological Museum

Gallery Space: 15,000 m2 (160,000 ft2)

Galleries: 89

Artworks on Display: ca. 150,000

Established: 1902  

Visitors (2017): 2,500,000

Entrance Fee (for 1 Adult): ca. USD 7 

Official Webpage (English): egymonuments.gov.eg/en

This was part 1 (#1-10) of our list of the sixty best museums in the world in 2024. 

Click on the following links to discover part 1 (#1–10), part 2 (#11–20), part 3 (#21–30), part 4 (#31–40), and part 5 (#41–60).

Please check out also the results of our careful analysis to determine the best cities in the world to visit as a tourist in 2024 and our list of the best aquariums in the world in 2024.

We also created a video of the Top 50 Cities in the World 2024 (ranked by 14 criteria), Thank you for watching and sharing!

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