The Most Visited Museums In Europe

Museums are treasures troves of knowledge on different subjects. They preserve and protect historical, cultural, and natural specimens for centuries for the future generations of the world. Some of the most visited European museums are as follows:

10. Science Museum, London - 3.2 Million Visitors

This museum is located in South Kensington’s Exhibition Road. Founded in 1857, the Science Museum serves as one of London’s major attractions today. Entry to the museum is free of charge but it might be necessary to buy tickets to attend the temporary exhibitions hosted at the museum. Over 300,000 items are hosted at this museum including some of the earliest inventions of the Industrial Revolution period. Some of the famous exhibits here include the first jet engine, the Puffing Billy, Stephenson's Rocket, and others.

9. Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris - 3.2 Million Visitors

The Centre Pompidou is a large complex building that is located in Paris. The building houses the Public Information Library and a museum, the Musée National d'Art Moderne. This museum is largest museum of modern art in the entire continent. It is the ninth most visited European museum.

8. Museo Reina Sofía, Madrid - 3.3 Million Visitors

The Museo Reina Sofía is the eighth most visited museum in Europe. The museum was opened in 1992 and is named after Queen Sofía. It is located near the Atocha metro and train stations of Madrid. The Reina Sofía is dedicated to Spanish art and hosts numerous paintings by legendary Spanish artists. Several temporary art exhibitions are also held at the museum throughout the year. The Reina Sofía also has a library with thousands of books, videos, and sound recordings related to art.

7. The State Hermitage Museum - 4.1 Million Visitors

The world’s second largest museum of art and culture, the State Hermitage Museum is located in St. Petersburg, Russia. The museum was established in 1764 and opened to the public since 1852. There are more than 3 million items in the museum including the world’s largest painting collection.

6. Natural History Museum, London - 4.6 Million Visitors

This is one of the most popular attractions in London and Europe’s sixth most visited museum. The museum exhibits a massive array of specimens of natural history. The museum is divided into five main sections of zoology, botany, paleontology, entomology, and mineralogy. About 80 million items are housed in the museum. The dinosaur skeletons present here are also a major attraction.

5. Tate Modern, London - 5.8 Million Visitors

This modern art gallery of London is the fifth most visited museum in Europe. The exhibits here include modern art displays from all corners of the globe as well as British modern and contemporary art. No admission charges are required to visit the permanent exhibits of the Tate Modern. However, temporary exhibitions held at the venue are usually not free.

4. Vatican Museum, Vatican City - 6 Million Visitors

Located in the Vatican City, the Vatican Museums are a group of art and Christian museums. These museums display Papal collections of great historical, cultural, and religious significance. Numerous renowned sculptures and paintings of Renaissance art are housed at this museum. About 70,000 works are present in these museums of which about 20,000 are exhibited.

3. National Gallery, London - 6.3 Million Visitors

This art museum is located in Trafalgar Square in Central London. The museum was established in 1824 and since then has been visited by art and culture lovers from across the world. The National Gallery houses more than 2,300 paintings featuring the works of notable painters of international repute. The paintings displayed here date from the mid-13th century to 1900. Entry to the main collection of the museum is free of charge.

2. British Museum, London - 6.4 Million

The British Museum is Europe’s second most visited museum. It is located in Bloomsbury, London. The museum hosts about 8 million items that are dedicated to human art, culture, and history. The British Museum was founded in 1753 and opened to the public in 1759. The museum is noted for its comprehensive collection of Egyptian antiquities, the largest in the world. The museum hosts 140 mummies and their coffins. A massive wealth of Greek and Roman antiquities are also kept in the museum like sculptures from the Parthenon, ancient bronzes and jewelry, Greek vases, Roman glass and mosaics, and more. The museum also hosts important collections from other parts of the world.

1. Louvre, Paris - 7.4 Million Visitors

The Louvre is the most visited museum in Europe. It is the world’s largest art museum and a major landmark of Paris. The museum is located on the Seine River’s Right Bank. The museum encompasses an area of 782,910 square ft and houses a collection of about 38,000 items dating from prehistorical periods to the modern times. The museum is located in the historical monument of the Louvre Palace that was built in the 12th century. Collections at Louvre include ancient and modern paintings and drawings, sculptures, decorative arts, prints, and more. Ancient Egyptian, Roman, Greek, and Near Eastern antiquities are also housed at this museum. A number of original artworks by some of the world’s most legendary artists and painters like Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, are also exhibited at the Louvre.