20 Most Popular Museums in the World, Ranked

Museums hold some of humanity’s most cherished treasures, so it’s not surprising that the most famous museums around the world host millions of visitors each year.

A Study in Switzerland report highlighted which museums are the most visited around the globe. Which museum took the top spot? And which other cultural institutions made the list? 

Let’s take a closer look at the 20 most popular museums in the world to see exactly where we should plan our next museum-centric trip.

Location: Paris, France
Number of annual visitors: 3.65 million

The Musée d’Orsay houses one of the most valuable Impressionist and post-Impressionist collections in the world, mainly focusing on French art from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

*Rankings come from a Study in Switzerland report based on 2019 numbers. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 numbers were not considered.

Piece: “Le déjeuner sur l’herbe” by Edouard Manet

This painting was extremely controversial when it was first exhibited in 1963 because of its depiction of a nude woman and a bathing woman casually interacting with fully clothed men. It was also considered an insult to art because Manet departed from the realist and stylized version that had been the norm since the Renaissance. 

The piece is one of the first — if not the first — example of post-modern art.

Location: Taipei, Taiwan
Number of annual visitors: 3.83 million

With works that encompass 8,000 years of history, the National Palace Museum in Taipei is one of Asia’s greatest cultural treasures. There are more than 700,000 pieces displayed, mostly concentrating on Chinese imperial art.

Piece: The Jadeite Cabbage

This odd sculpture, which some believe represents female virtue, is a crowd favorite. It is carved in the form of a cabbage with insects hiding within its leaves.