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Top 10 most visited museums in the world
From political history to art, museums can showcase a wide range of collections on a variety of subjects. Here are the top 10 most visited museums around the world.
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People take photos of the 'Mona Lisa' by Italian artist Leonard da Vinci at the Louvre in Paris. (AFP/Loic Venance)
M
useums are often must-visit places while on holiday. From political history to art, museums can showcase a wide range of collections on a variety of subjects.
Kompas.com has published a list of the top ten most-visited museums.
The list was compiled by the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) and AECO in 2017 based on The Global Attractions and Attendance Report.
1. The Louvre, Paris
The Louvre in Paris is one of the biggest museums in the world and holds a large collection of historical and highly valuable arts. One of its most famous items is the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. The Louvre Museum, housed in the Louvre Palace originally built as a fortress in the late 12th to 13th century, was officially opened in 1793. In 2017, the museum was visited by over 8.1 million people.
2. The National Museum of China, Beijing
Located in the Chinese capital of Beijing, the museum displays a collection of art and historical artifacts of the country. The National Museum is actually a combination of the Museum of the Chinese Revolution and the National Museum of Chinese History.
The museum is also located in the historical site of Tiananmen Square, where in 1989 students demonstrated against the government. In 2017, the number of visitors recorded was 8,063,000 people.
3 & 4. National Air and Space Museum and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, United States
While both museums are located in the US, they are in two different cities. The National Air and Space Museum is located in the country's capital of Washington DC and displays a collection of historical aerospace objects.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, meanwhile, is located in New York. The museum displays a vast collection of art spread across 19 curated departments. Each museum attracted seven million visitors in 2017.
Read also: Noteworthy art museums named after Indonesian painters
5. Vatican Museums, Vatican City
The Vatican Museums jumped up to number three from its previous spot of fifth in the top 10 list of most popular museums, welcoming over 6.6 million visitors in 2017. Many are Catholics on pilgrimage to Vatican City and those seeking to know more about Catholic history since the Renaissance.
6. Shanghai Science & Technology Museum, Shanghai, China
The Shanghai Science & Technology Museum in Shanghai, China, was opened in 2001 and displays an extensive collection on technology, which also makes for an interesting visit for children. The museum is interactive and attracted over 6.4 million visitors in 2017.
7. National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC
The National Museum of Natural History became more famous after the Hollywood film Night at the Museum, which was shot on location, was released. The museum displays the history of the Americas, including a range of flora, fauna, mineral and giant fossils. The museum welcomed 6 million visitors in 2017.
8. British Museum, London
As one of the largest museums in the world, the British Museum preserves and displays key historical items from different eras throughout civilization. The museum holds over eight million items in its collection, making it a must-visit museum while in London. Over 5 million visitors came to the museum in 2017.
9. Tate Modern, London
The Tate Modern museum in the English capital of London houses a modern art collection. It also often holds modern art exhibitions by renowned artists. In 2017, around 5.6 million people visited the Tate Modern.
10. National Gallery of Art, Washington DC
The National Gallery of Art in Washington DC completes the museum lineup in the US capital. Over 5.2 million people visited the museum in 2017. (liz/wng)
