1. National Mall, Washington D.C., United States
Best time to visit: March-May, Sept-Nov
- The National Mall is a prominent landscaped park that remains an iconic area serving as a central gathering space for national events
- It is home to numerous monuments and memorials that reflect the history and values of the United States
- The landmarks there symbolize the nation's democratic values, as well as serving as a venue for public gatherings, protests, and celebrations
- The National Mall has been a site for many historic events, including presidential inaugurations and civil rights demonstrations
Featured in The Best of Washington D.C.
#7 in Best Attractions in the USA
#13 in Best Landmarks in the USA
2. Louvre, Paris, France
Best time to visit: June-Oct
- The Louvre is a national art museum located in Paris, renowned as one of the most famous and visited museums in the world
- Originally built as a fortress in the 12th century by King Philip II, it was transformed into a royal palace and later became a public museum during the French Revolution
- The Louvre houses a large collection of art and historical artifacts, totaling nearly 35,000 objects that span over 10,000 years of history
- Notable works include the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo
- As the world's largest museum, it offers a vast array of exhibits and is a central landmark in Paris
Featured in The Best of France
3. Acropolis Museum, Athens, Greece
Best time to visit: March-May, Sept-Nov
- The Acropolis Museum is an archaeological museum focused on the findings of the archaeological site of the Acropolis of Athens
- The museum was built to house every artifact found on the rock and on the surrounding slopes, from the Greek Bronze Age to Roman and Byzantine Greece
- The museum also lies over the ruins of part of Roman and early Byzantine Athens
- Opened in 2009, more than 4,250 objects are exhibited
Featured in The Best of Greece
4. British Museum, London, England, United Kingdom
Best time to visit: March-May
- The British Museum is a public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in London
- Its permanent collection of eight million works is the largest in the world
- It documents the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present
- Established in 1753, the British Museum was the first public national museum to cover all fields of knowledge
Featured in The Best of the United Kingdom
5. Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain
Best time to visit: March-May, Sept-Nov
- The Museo del Prado is the main Spanish national art museum, located in Madrid
- It houses collections of European art, dating from the 12th century to the early 20th century, based on the former Spanish royal collection, and the single best collection of Spanish art
- It was founded as a museum of paintings and sculpture in 1819
- The collection currently comprises around 8,200 drawings, 7,600 paintings, 4,800 prints, and 1,000 sculptures, in addition to many other works of art and historic documents
Featured in The Best of Spain
6. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, New York, United States
Best time to visit: Jan-Dec
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art is an encyclopedic art museum in New York City
- By floor area, it is the largest art museum in the Americas, and is the most-visited museum in the United States
- The museum's permanent collection consists of works of art ranging from the ancient Near East and ancient Egypt, through classical antiquity to the contemporary world
- It includes paintings, sculptures, and graphic works from many European Old Masters, as well as an extensive collection of American, modern, and contemporary art
- The Met also maintains extensive holdings of African, Asian, Oceanian, Byzantine, and Islamic art
- The museum is home to encyclopedic collections of musical instruments, costumes, and decorative arts and textiles, as well as antique weapons and armor from around the world
7. Vatican Museums, Vatican City, Italy
- The Vatican Museums are a renowned collection of art and Christian museums located within Vatican City, which is an enclave in Rome
- Established in the early 16th century, these museums house an extensive collection amassed by the popes over the centuries
- The museums contain art, archaeology, and ethnographic collections, including works from the Renaissance and Baroque periods
- Among the highlights are the Sistine Chapel, known for Michelangelo's ceiling, and the Raphael Rooms, which feature frescoes by the artist Raphael
- The Vatican Museums comprise about 54 museums and galleries, totaling approximately 1,400 rooms
Featured in The Best of Italy
8. Uffizi, Florence, Italy
Best time to visit: May-Sept
- The Uffizi Gallery is a renowned art museum located in Florence, and is famous for its collections of ancient sculptures and paintings, spanning from the Middle Ages to the Modern period
- The gallery is particularly noted for its extensive collection of Italian Renaissance art, showcasing masterpieces by artists such as Botticelli, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Caravaggio
- Originally constructed in the 16th century as the offices of Florentine magistrates, it was later transformed into a public museum in 1765
- The museum's archicture itself is a significant example of Rennaissance design, and contains some of the most important artworks in Western art history
Featured in The Best of Italy
9. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Best time to visit: April-May, Sept-Nov
- The Rijksmuseum is the national museum of the Netherlands dedicated to Dutch arts and history and is located in Amsterdam
- The museum has on display 8,000 objects of art and history, from their total collection of 1 million objects from the years 1200–2000, among which are some masterpieces by Rembrandt, Frans Hals, and Johannes Vermeer
Featured in The Best of The Netherlands