Top 10 Museums in the World 2026: Full List, Locations, Famous Collections and Key Facts

Museums are places where the history, art, culture and scientific achievements of humankind are kept. They can give insight into past kingdoms, archaeology, historical events and nature. Some museums have become some of the most visited places by tourists from around the globe. In the 2025 rankings, the Palace Museum in China was the most visited museum in the world. Below is a list of the top 10 most visited museums in the world in 2026, including information on their location, how many visitors they had, and what they are famous for.

Top 10 Most Visited Museums in the World 2026

The TEA Global Experience Index 2025 reported on October 27th 2026, that the world’s top 20 most visited museums received 161.4 million visits in 2025. This is a 5.4% increase from 2024.

There are 6 museums and historical attractions from China, whilst there are 2 from France, and 1 from the United Kingdom and Vatican City.

Source: Data from the 2025 TEA Global Experience Index found in the article.

Top 10 Most Visited Museums in the World with Locations, Famous Attractions and Interesting Facts

1. Palace Museum – China

• Location: Beijing, China
• Number of Visitors (2025): 19 million
• Also Known As: The Forbidden City
• The Palace Museum is located within the famous Forbidden City of Beijing. The museum contains important parts of Chinese imperial history and culture.
• Within the museum, you can find paintings, ceramics, jade items, calligraphy, artefacts and historic buildings. The Forbidden City was built during the Ming Dynasty and was home to emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties.
• Interesting Fact: The museum has approximately 1.8 million cultural artefacts.

2. Summer Palace – China

• Location: Beijing, China
• Number of Visitors (2025): 17.38 million
• The Summer Palace is a historic royal garden, used as a retreat by Chinese emperors and their families. The palace is famous for its beautiful gardens, lakes, bridges, temples and traditional Chinese architecture.
• The palace is known for its two key elements, which are Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill. The palace combines elements of nature with historic buildings and a traditional garden layout.
• Interesting Fact: The Summer Palace was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998 due to its significance as a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden art.

3. Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum – China

• Location: Xi’an, China
• Number of Visitors (2025): 10.97 million
• Famous For: Terracotta Army
• This museum is famously known worldwide as home to the Terracotta Army. The Terracotta Army consists of life-size clay figures of soldiers, horses and chariots that were made to accompany China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, in the afterlife.
• The figures all have unique faces, hairstyles and clothing. The Terracotta Army is an important archaeological discovery. The army was discovered by local farmers in 1974 when they were digging a well.
• Interesting Fact: The Terracotta Army was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987.

4. Louvre Museum – France

• Location: Paris, France
• Number of Visitors (2025): 9.05 million
• The Louvre Museum is one of the most famous art museums in the world. Located in Paris, the museum contains a vast number of artistic pieces and historical artefacts.
• The museum is famous for containing some of the most famous pieces of art, including Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, the ancient Greek statue Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace. The museum was originally associated with a royal palace however, it became a public museum during the French Revolution.
• Interesting Fact: The museum opened as a public museum in 1793.

5. Palace of Versailles – France

• Location: Versailles, France
• Number of Visitors (2025): 8.40 million
• This historic palace is famous for its grand buildings, luxurious interior and beautiful gardens. The palace became an important centre of power for the French royalty during King Louis XIV.
• The palace is famous for its Hall of Mirrors, royal suites, beautiful art and stunning gardens. The palace shows how powerful the French monarchy were.
• Interesting Fact: The Palace and Park of Versailles became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

6. Shenzhen Nanshan District Museum – China

• Location: Shenzhen, China
• Number of Visitors (2025): 7.46 million
• This museum is included in the 2025 rankings for the most visited museums globally. It is located in the Nanshan District of Shenzhen, a large city in southern China.
• The museum, as stated in the source, had 7.46 million visitors.
• Interesting Fact: This museum was ranked 6th place in the list of the most visited museums in the world in 2026.

7. Natural History Museum – United Kingdom

• Location: London, United Kingdom
• Number of Visitors (2025): 7.12 million
• The museum specialises in the natural world and science. There are a variety of exhibits within the museum, including animals, plants, minerals, fossils and the history of life on Earth.
• The museum is very popular for its dinosaur fossils, geological items and exhibits showing the diversity of life and evolution.
• Interesting Fact: The museum has millions of artefacts within its collections.

8. Vatican Museums – Vatican City

• Location: Vatican City
• Number of Visitors (2025): 6.93 million
• The Vatican Museums contain a vast amount of artefacts, sculptures and historical items collected by the Popes over the years.
• The museum is famous for its Sistine Chapel, which has a ceiling painted by Michelangelo. The museum is also famous for its Raphael Rooms and classical sculptures.
• Interesting Fact: The museum was started by Pope Julius II in the early 16th Century.

9. Opium War Museum – China

• Location: Dongguan, Guangdong, China
• Number of Visitors (2025): 6.93 million
• The Opium War Museum is linked to the Opium Wars and how they affected China during the 19th Century. The museum is located in Humen, Dongguan, Guangdong Province.
• The museum contains historical items relating to the conflicts.
• Interesting Fact: The museum is linked to the historical site of the Humen Opium Destruction.

10. National Museum of China – China

• Location: Beijing, China
• Number of Visitors (2025): 6.90 million
• The National Museum of China is located on the east side of Tiananmen Square in Beijing. The museum shows the history, culture and art of China with a vast amount of historical artefacts.
• There are many artefacts to see, including ancient bronzeware, ceramics, paintings, sculptures and other archaeological finds.
• Interesting Fact: The museum was opened in 2003 after merging the National Museum of Chinese History and the National Museum of Chinese Revolution.

Which Country Has the Most Museums in the Top 10?

China is dominating the 2026 rankings, with 6 of the top museums being from China. France has 2 museums, whilst the United Kingdom and Vatican City have 1 museum.

China has a lot of museums within the top 10 due to some of the most popular museums and historical attractions like the Forbidden City, Summer Palace and Terracotta Army Museum.