The 10 most visited museums in the world

Art lovers, this is a list of 10 most visited museums, not the best. In these cases, the dispute is served and sure many more can you give an example of other more modest and interesting museums, but in matters of popularity, the great halls of European capitals take the gold medal.

Photography by Eurapart

And it is that of the 10 most visited museums, 8 are in Europe and 3 of them in London. Is not too surprising, but it was interesting to figures.

1. Louvre Museum (Paris, France)

8.3 million visitors a year

It is one of the most important museums of the world and not disappoint the visitor. Apart from some of its best-known jewelry and photographed by tourists, such as the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, the seated scribe (and rightly claiming from the Cairo Museum, where you have to settle for a copy), or the spectacular Victory of Samothrace.

At the Louvre we can also see Liberty Leading the People, Delacroix’s painting has become an icon and the image that often represents the French Revolution.

2. British Museum (London, England)

5.5 million visitors a year

Visit the British Museum is an experience, a journey through time that gives us the great artistic treasures of history. The area of ancient Egypt is the most visited area of the museum for its collection of mummies and pharaonic treasures.

British Museum to something similar happens to the Louvre, is that many of his works from the time of the colonies and European domination, so we do not have to wonder to see whole churches, stone by stone brought from distant Greece, that yes, to wonder with so much art collected in a single enclosure.

The building itself is worth a visit, and although it is almost impossible to pass without noticing, it is advisable to stop for a moment to rest in the Great Court of Elizabeth II and enjoy the spectacular views of the sky dome.

In London museums are free, we only ask that visitors will, for the maintenance work of these great art galleries open to the public. Perhaps this is one reason why three of the most visited museums are in London … well, of course, quality.

3. Tate Museum (London, England)

5.1 million visitors a year

Actually composed of four museums: Tate Britain (opened in 1897 and formerly known as Tate Gallery), Tate Liverpool (1988), Tate St. Ives (1993) and Tate Modern (2000).

The Tate Britain specializes in British art and the Tate Modern, the youngest branch, has already become a landmark in modern art. One of the peculiarities of the latter is housed in the brick building in a former power station. They also give plenty to talk about the temporary exhibition hall, where one can find from giant slides to large sugar cubes that create a sweet and white world of skyscrapers.

Photography by budgetplaces.com

4. Metropolitan Museum (New York, USA)

4.3 million visitors a year

Better known as Met, the Metropolitan is one of the top rated museums in the world. Opened its doors for the first time in 1872 and has a large collection of important pieces of Egyptian art, African, Asian, Oceania, Middle East, Byzantine and Islamic.

But with the permission of MOMA, the Met also has a section devoted to modern art and more than 10,000 works of art, especially European and American artists.

One of its peculiarities are called Cloisters, a French cloisters medial structures were restored and incorporated into the museum, which gives it a very genuine medieval stained glass and tapestries included.
Cloisters of the Metropolitan Museum (NY)

5. Vatican Museums (Vatican)

4.3 million visitors a year

The Church has a rich past as a precursor to the culture and bringing some of these works to the public. It was in 1503 when Pope Julius II transformed the courtyard of the Belvedere Palace in a garden decorated with some of the sculptures can be admired today in the Vatican Museums: the impressive group of Laocoon, Apollo or the Venus Feliz.

Of course, the work’s most visited site is the Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, although the number of visitors arriving to collect is often a major impediment to enjoy this great work.

And although it is difficult to pass unnoticed, because the output passes through it, do not be led by the crowd or tiredness and enjoy Bramante staircase, which we discussed in another post.

6. National Gallery (London, England)

4.1 million visitors a year

Located on the north side of Trafalgar Square, the museum houses an important collection of European works ranging from 1250 to 1900. The National Gallery is characterized by a wide cross-section of artists of great quality.

Of note is the jewel of the museum: the Velazquez Rokeby Venus. Although he can also see great works like the Portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini and his wife, Van Eyck, the Virgin of the Rocks, Leonardo da Vinci and the Ambassadors, Hans Holbein the Younger.

Photography by nastia (New Flickr Account – see profile)

7. Château de Versailles (Versailles, France)

3.4 million visitors a year

The palace is located in the town of Versailles, now a wealthy neighborhood where mansions spectacular swirling around the majestic palace, as if it were a court.

Louis XIV, conforming with all the royal residences was the architect of the construction of the Castle of Versailles and its magnificent gardens. Its splendor was held during his reign and that of Louis XV, although in their time of Louis XVI became apparent decline and the continued delay of the reform efforts made worse by the arrival of the French Revolution.

The museum of the history of France is currently in the wings of the palace. In the center you can visit most of the private rooms and rooms of the royal family, restored as when occupied by the royalty. In total 18,000 m2 museum, making it the largest in world history.

8. Musee d’Orsay (Paris, France)

3.1 million visitors a year

This museum is the perfect complement to complete the visits to the Louvre Museum and Georges Pompidou Centre. Its collection contains works of nineteenth shekel, especially of the great artists of Impressionism.

In the museum we can find works of Jean-François Millet, Delacroix, Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, Ingres, Edouard Manet and Gustave Courbet.

Photography by dalbera
9. Tokyo National Museum (Tokyo, Japan)

3.1 million visitors a year

The Tokyo National Museum was founded in 1872. It is the museum’s oldest and largest in Japan. It is certainly the first reference to get into the Asian art and Japanese.

It also has part of the gallery devoted to archeology Heiseikan Japanese.
10. Museo del Prado (Madrid, Spain)

3.4 million visitors a year

The visit of the Prado can deal a day, so it should be clear about what work you want to see, do not get lost between the rooms and succumb to collapse Stendhal artistic style.

In the museum you can enjoy the approach to such fundamental works in the history of art as Las Meninas by Velázquez, El May 3, 1808 by Goya, The Emperor Charles V by Titian, Rubens The Three Graces, or The Knight of the hand chest of El Greco.

Photography by ReservasdeCoches.com

Although he has visited a good reason to approach is currently the project by Rafael Moneo, opened in 2007. It is the largest expansion of the museum that has been in nearly 200 years. The famous cube houses enlargement Moneo made around the cloister.

The museums are part of tourism!

British Museum: Ashurbanipal hunting lions
Tyrannosaurus rex in the Natural History Museum London
Neues Museum – the new home of Nefertiti
Address Amsterdam art museums
What museums do in Glasgow?