Best museums of the world
Best Museums of the worldm. A great museum can transport you to a different era, inspire you with beautiful artwork and educate you about the brilliance of other cultures. Celebrate International Museum Day today by taking a look at the best museums from across the globe. Take a visual tour of museums around the world.
Kunsthistorisches Museum
What's in it? The Kunsthistorisches Museum features the historical art and artifact collections of the Hapsburgs, which include "Summer" by Giuseppe Arcimboldo and "Infanta Margarita Teresa in a Blue Dress" by Diego Velázquez. View photos of the museum.
The Louvre
What's in it? Within the Louvre resides an extensive collection of artwork from ancient times through to the 19th century. Perhaps the most famous piece featured at the Louvre is a mysterious oil painting by Leonardo da Vinci. View photos of the museum.
British Museum
What's in it? The British Museum explores the journey of human culture from ancient times through to the modern era. The museum hosts an extensive collection of antiques and artifacts, including the famous Rosetta Stone, the Benin Bronzes and the Elgin Marbles. View photos of the museum.
Egyptian Museum
What's in it? Some of the most famous artifacts residing in the Egyptian Museum are those that were found in the tomb of a powerful king. The gold mask of his mummy on display at the museum has become an iconic symbol of ancient Egypt. View photos of the museum.
Metropolitan Museum of Art
What's in it? The Metropolitan Museum of Art features a range of artwork from all periods of history.In addition to paintings and sculptures, the museum hosts a large collection of artifacts including numerous musical instruments and costumes worn by this famous rock group, and other celebrities. View photos of the museum.
The National Gallery
What's in it? The National Gallery in London is host to thousands of paintings dated from the 13th to the 19th centuries. The museum features several classic paintings, such as da Vinci's"Virgin of the Rocks,"van Gogh's "Sunflowers," and "The Water-Lily Pond" by Monet. View photos of the museum.
The Uffizi Gallery
What's in it? The paintings and sculptures found in the Uffizi Gallery are some of the world's most famous pieces of classical artwork including masterpieces by Rembrandt, Dürer and Raphael. Perhaps the most recognizable painting in the gallery is "The Birth of Venus"by Sandro Botticelli.View photos of the museum.
What's inside? Located in the world's smallest country, the Vatican Museums feature an extensive collection of architectural works, sculptures and paintings collected throughout history by the Roman Catholic Church. The most famous feature of the Vatican Museums is the Sistine Chapel with its ornate ceiling mural "The Creation of Adam" by Michelangelo. View photos of the museums.
Rijksmuseum
What's in it? The Rijksmuseum features a range of artwork with a particular focus on the Dutch Golden Age.Visitors to the museum can see a large collection of Rembrandt paintings and the works of Vermeer, including "The Milkmaid."View photos of the museum.
Smithsonian Institution
Where are the museums?
What's inside? Included among the 19 Smithsonian museums is the National Museum of Natural History, the National Air and Space Museum, the National Museum of the American Indian and the National Zoo. One of the most famous attractions at the National Zoo is the giant pandas.View photos of the museums.
The State Hermitage
What's in it? The State Hermitage museum contains the largest collection of paintings in the world. Among the artwork featured in the museum are works of prehistoric art, paintings from the Italian Renaissance era, Russian art, and modern pieces from artists such as Henri Matisse and André Derain.View photos of the museum.
Museo del Prado
What's in it? The Museo del Prado features European artwork from the 12th to 19th centuries. Some of the most famous paintings in the museum are "Las Meninas" by Spanish painter Diego Velázquez and "The Three Graces"by Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens. View photos of the museum.
Musée d'Orsay
What's in it? The Musée d'Orsay is host to the largest collection of impressionist and post-impressionist paintings in the world. It is a major tourist landmark as it features many world famous paintings including "Starry Night Over the Rhone Arles"by van Gogh and "Apples and Oranges"by Paul Cézanne. View photos of the museum.
Museum of Modern Art
What's in it? The Museum of Modern Art has been groundbreaking in bringing contemporary artwork into the public eye. The museum's collections include a range of photography, paintings, film, books and architectural works. One of the most famous paintings in the museum is "The Persistence of Memory"by Salvador Dali. View photos of the museum.
Guggenheim
What's in it? The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao has only been around since 1997, but is already recognized as one of the world's finest art museums. The building itself is revered as one of the greatest architectural achievements of the past three decades. Inside the museum the ever-changing exhibits showcase Avant-garde and abstract artwork. View photos of the museum.
