Top 10 Museums You Must Visit Abroad — The No. 1 Is Surprisingly Close

Traveling abroad allows you to explore not only classic artworks in local museums but also the history and glory of the country. Famous museums like the British Museum, the Louvre, and the Palace Museum are all must-visit hotspots. DailyView Network Temperature Meter used KEYPO Big Data Key Engine to compile a list of the most discussed museums among netizens — you’d regret missing them when visiting these places.

The British Museum houses over 8 million collections. (Provided by Dashih Images / Shutterstock)

No. 5: The British Museum

As one of the world’s largest and most renowned museums, the British Museum is incredibly famous, and admission is free, making it a must-visit on everyone’s travel list to the UK. The museum features architecture in the style of a Greek temple and houses over 8 million collections. Due to space limitations, a large number of items are not on public display.

No. 4: Van Gogh Museum

Located in Amsterdam, Netherlands, the Van Gogh Museum holds the world’s largest collection of works by Vincent van Gogh, including 200 paintings, 500 drawings, and over 850 letters written by Van Gogh to his brother Theo. Highlights include “The Potato Eaters,” “The Bedroom in Arles,” and one of the three versions of “Sunflowers” with yellow backgrounds.

The Louvre in Paris, France, is world-renowned. (Provided by Dashih Images / Shutterstock)

No. 3: The Louvre

Originally a royal palace, the Louvre in Paris is globally famous as the most visited art museum in the world. In addition to Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa,” it also houses Raphael’s “Madonna and Child with Saint John the Baptist” and the Venus de Milo statue. Moreover, the main entrance of the Louvre Museum, the glass pyramid designed by Chinese-American architect I. M. Pei, has become an iconic landmark of Paris.

No. 2: The Kremlin

Located in the heart of Moscow, the capital of Russia, the Kremlin consists of four palaces, four cathedrals, and 19 towers enclosed by fortress walls. Although its collection is not as extensive as other museums on this list, its architectural features and atmosphere have generated considerable discussion.

The Forbidden City in Beijing is grand and magnificent. (Provided by Dashih Images / Shutterstock)

No. 1: The Palace Museum (Forbidden City)

Majestic, grand, and imposing, the Palace Museum—formerly known as the Forbidden City—was the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Covering an area of 720,000 square meters with a built-up area of approximately 150,000 square meters, it consists of more than 70 palaces of varying sizes. It is the largest existing palace complex in the world and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. Both the main palaces where the emperor and empress resided and the Imperial Garden have retained their original appearance, allowing visitors to envision life within the palace—where emperors, officials, and concubines once walked—and almost see the historical figures coming to life.

The Palace Museum houses over one million precious cultural relics, including a large number of ancient artworks, making it China’s most abundant museum in terms of cultural artifacts.

Ranks 6 to 10 are, in order: The Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan, New York City, USA; Musée d'Orsay in Paris, France; The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, USA; Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain; and Centre Pompidou in Paris, France.