Top 20 Largest Art Museums in the World

• Location: Paris, France
• Established: 1793
• Area: 72,735 m2

Louvre Museum located in the capital Paris, France with an area of 72,735 m2. The museum has undergone many phases of construction. Initially, the Louvre was a fortress built by King Philippe II in 1190. Then in the 14th century, under Charles V, the Louvre became a royal palace and continued to be expanded through dynasties. Since the French Revolution period, the palace became a national museum. The magnificent beauty of the museum began in the late 19th century when the original fortress was demolished and the buildings along the Seine River were constructed. In the 16th century, the palace was expanded by architect Pierre Lescot, who expanded it into a complex with two small courtyards. A decade later, Queen Catherine de Medici added the Tuileries Palace to the west of the Louvre Museum. The museum construction stalled for a while when King Louis XIV decided to move to the Versailles Palace.

Perhaps no further explanation is needed as the Louvre Museum is already too famous. The Louvre is a grand palace with splendid architecture situated on the banks of the romantic Seine River in Paris. It is a place where more than 35,000 masterpieces of art from the East, Egypt, Rome, Islam, and more are displayed and preserved. The Louvre is not only the largest art museum in the world but also the most visited museum and home to many priceless masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, the painting 'Raft of the Medusa', the statue 'Cupid and Psyche', the ancient Egyptian sculpture 'The Seated Scribe', the Venus de Milo, and more. It's not an exaggeration to say that stepping into the Louvre is stepping into an art paradise.

• Location: Beijing, China
• Established: 2003
  
• Area: 191,900 m2
  

National Museum of China is located at the eastern side of Tiananmen Square, the capital of Beijing, with an area of 191,900m2. It is currently holding over 1 million artifacts spanning Chinese history from prehistoric times to the end of the Qing dynasty. The exhibition space is arranged to recreate the rich culture of China through artifacts such as precious ceramics, jewelry, gold and silver, etc.

As one of the largest museums in the world, this museum possesses a collection with many valuable artifacts made of bronze, ceramics, and various artworks. National Museum of China is one of the largest museums in the world. It is an ideal destination to learn about the culture and history of lost Chinese dynasties. Visitors can spend almost the entire day exploring all the exhibition areas of the museum.

Right from the entrance, visitors will be overwhelmed by the grandeur of the exhibition areas. However, with nearly 1 million items on display, it will be impossible to visit each exhibit at National Museum of China. Start with the regularly changing exhibition halls, then move on to the collections you find interesting. Remember that you can always come back to see the basic exhibitions for free. The fixed exhibitions describe the 5,000-year history of China. Follow the history through artistic treasures such as precious ceramics, ancient gold and silver jewelry, ancient coins, or jade artifacts dating back to the Neolithic period. Statues of Buddha and Mao Zedong appear everywhere in the museum, so it's not an exaggeration to say that history, religion, and politics coexist in this museum.

• Location: Central St. Petersburg, on the banks of the Neva River, Russia
• Established: 1764
  
• Area: 66,842 m2
  

The Hermitage Museum is located in one of six grandiose palaces that used to be the Royal Palace on the banks of the Neva River, in the city of St. Petersburg with an area of 66,842 m2. This is also the oldest museum in the world with over 250 years of history. Currently, the museum is storing a massive collection of about 3 million artworks from all historical periods and regions worldwide. Visiting the Hermitage, you seem to travel to any area at any time. Perhaps that's why the Hermitage has been likened to a place that gathers all the beauty of the world.

The Hermitage is truly a unique museum, where it reflects the history and artistic achievements of almost all regions worldwide. The museum is actively expanding, establishing branches in Russia and many other countries. Besides, in the suburbs of Saint Petersburg, there is a restoration-conservation complex called the “ancient village” associated with this place. The museum has started constructing a modern building with a cubic shape with a height of 60m, inside of which there are many exhibition spaces and a library with over a million books. The famous Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas proposed to establish a modern facility, connecting the buildings of the Hermitage complex with the new area through corridors as art rooms, with transparent glass walls. The people of Petersburg are often cautious about modern architecture, especially when associated with masterpieces of great masters of the 18th - 19th centuries.

• Location: Rome, Italy
• Founded: 1506
  
• Size: 43,000 m2
  

The Vatican Museum, a treasure trove nestled in the heart of Rome, Italy, spans 43,000 m2. Its vast collection of art masterpieces, accumulated by Popes over centuries, astonishes any visitor. Home to almost all the most prestigious works from the Renaissance and traditional Roman artifacts, the museum impresses with its unique Renaissance architectural features like the spiral staircase, domed ceilings, and art-adorned walls and ceilings. Its most celebrated spot is the Sistine Chapel, where the genius Michelangelo painted the 'Last Judgment' on the ceiling.

The entire Vatican Museum complex houses 12 exhibition halls and 5 corridors showcasing masterpieces by Raphael, Michelangelo, and collections from Roman, Greek, and Egyptian civilizations. The most famous among these is the Sistine Chapel, built during Pope Sixtus IV Della Rovere's reign in the late 15th century. It serves as the conclave for electing new Popes and a venue for summit meetings between the Pope and world leaders. Above all, it preserves Michelangelo’s 'The Creation of Adam' and 'The Last Judgment' paintings on its ceiling and wall, which have amazed the world for four centuries. Michelangelo dedicated four years (1508-1512) to depict scenes from the Book of Genesis on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, laboriously painting while lying on a wooden scaffold.

• Location: Manhattan, New York, USA
• Established: 1870
• Size: 58,820 m²
• Architects: Richard Morris Hunt, Calvert Vaux, Jacob Wrey Mould

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET), located in the heart of Manhattan, New York, covers an area of 58,820 m² and is the custodian of over two million exquisite art pieces from around the globe. The vast collection makes it challenging to explore the MET in a day or even a week. What sets the MET apart is the diversity of its collection, encompassing art from every nation, continent, and era, including Western paintings by Picasso and Van Gogh, Ming dynasty Chinese furniture, Japanese art collections, and ancient sculptures from Africa.

Unlike other museums that might showcase items based on a few specific themes, the MET displays nearly every art period from all over the world. Visitors entering its grand, white stone ground floor, always bustling with people resting or waiting, are greeted by a spacious reception area adorned with a large, fresh floral arrangement. Those interested in Egyptian culture are directed to the left towards the Temple of Dendur, a preserved building from the 15th century BCE, leading to Egyptian art exhibitions arranged chronologically over 36 centuries, from 3000 BCE to 641 CE. The MET possesses numerous treasures brought back by archaeologists from Egypt, back when the Egyptian government allowed foreigners to take home half of the artifacts they excavated.

• Location: Mexico City, Mexico
• Established: 1916
• Area: 36,000 m²
• Architect: Ralph Harrington Doane

The National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City is the largest museum in Mexico. Consistently ranked among the world's top museums, it was ranked 5th on Trip Advisor's list in 2016 for its renowned collection of pre-Columbian artifacts and ethnography from Mexico's pre-Columbian era, including the Stone of the Sun and a dedicated room to the Maya culture.

The National Museum of Anthropology is one of the richest archaeological museums in Latin America, housing artifacts and ancient cultures from across Mexico. Visitors may need several days, even a week, to explore the museum's 36,000m² area. Its modern architectural solution, harmoniously blending with traditional elements, has been praised by experts as a tribute to Mexico's traditional cultural heritage, especially the Maya civilization.

• Location: Ueno Park, Tokyo, Japan
• Established: 1872
• Area: 38,000m²

The Tokyo National Museum, covering 38,000 m², is Japan's oldest and largest museum, established in 1872 and located in Ueno Park, the capital Tokyo. The museum's architecture reflects Japanese culture, and besides the main exhibition area, it also features restaurants, shops, and relaxation areas for visitors. Currently, the museum houses over 110,000 artifacts, primarily related to ancient Japanese arts such as tea ceremony, calligraphy, masks, lacquerware, as well as Asian art along the Silk Road. Notably, 87 artifacts are recognized as national treasures of Japan. In addition to exhibition activities, the Tokyo National Museum also conducts research and educational activities related to the history of the exhibited artifacts.

Visitors may spend several hours to several days exploring the museum's regular and special exhibitions. Many artifacts are designated as national treasures and important cultural properties. Foreign visitors will find satisfaction as many exhibits are labeled in English, Chinese, and Korean. English-speaking volunteers are available regularly in the exhibition rooms, and promotional materials are presented in seven languages. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday. On Friday evenings, it stays open later for special exhibitions. Visitors are required to pay a small entrance fee and an additional fee to view special exhibitions. Located in Tokyo's Ueno Park, the museum is a short walk from Ueno Station, served by subway and train services.

• Location: Yongsan District, Seoul, South Korea
• Established: 1945
  
• Area: 27,090 m2

The National Museum of Korea serves not only as a repository and exhibition space for artifacts related to Korean art and history but also as a cultural institution representing the nation. Since its establishment in 1945, alongside developing tour programs and exhibitions, the museum has organized numerous research and educational activities on archaeology, history, art, as well as traditional Korean cultural performances.

The building of National Museum of Korea features a modern design that optimizes natural lighting and provides full facilities for everyone, from children, the elderly to people with disabilities. With an area of 27,090 m2, the museum houses over 4,000 historical artifacts and faithfully reconstructs most cultural spaces, cultural characteristics, and beliefs belonging to the daily lives of Koreans from ancient times to the present. The National Museum of Korea has three main exhibition halls as well as a special outdoor exhibition area.

• Location: Brompton district, Kensington and Chelsea, London, UK
• Founded: 1852
  
• Size: 30,000 m2
  

The vast Victoria & Albert Museum serves as a collective home for over 4.5 million objects and 145 galleries. Across 30,000 m2, its collection spans over 5,000 years of history, with artifacts from every continent. Visitors can explore art ranging from textiles and woodwork to prints and photography. Established in 1852 and moved to its current location in 1857, it was initially called the Museum of Manufactures, then the South Kensington Museum. Renamed in 1899 by Queen Victoria, it boasts the world's largest post-classical sculpture collection, including a remarkable Italian Renaissance collection. The museum is a trove of hours-long exploration, offering everything from paintings and jewelry to metalwork. Don't miss the Japanese gallery with its armors, costumes, and artworks, and the fashion collection displaying styles from the 1600s to the 1960s.

• Location: Along the Seine River, Paris, France
• Established: 1986
• Area: 57,400 m2

The Musée d'Orsay, situated in Paris' 7th district by the scenic Seine River, was originally a station built for the 1900 World Fair. Transformed into a museum in 1986 under President Francois Mitterrand, it quickly became one of Paris' paramount art museums. The Orsay boasts an impressive 57,400 m2 space dedicated to late 19th and early 20th-century Western art, showcasing masterpieces of painting, sculpture, drawing, architecture, photography, and decorative arts. Key artists featured include Claude Monet, Édouard Manet, Edgar Degas, Paul Cézanne, Auguste Rodin, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Vincent van Gogh, and more, representing the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist movements.

• Location: Grant Park, Chicago, USA
• Established: 1879
  
• Area: 93,000 m2
  

The Art Institute of Chicago, established in 1879, is nestled in Grant Park, east of downtown Chicago. It stands as the second largest museum in the USA, right after the Metropolitan Museum in New York, showcasing over 300,000 artworks. Renowned for its European and American paintings and sculptures, the Institute boasts masterpieces such as Renoir's 'Two Sisters' and Monet's 'Water Lilies', attracting around 1.5 million visitors annually.

Spanning an impressive 93,000 m2, The Art Institute of Chicago is celebrated for its vast collection of modern European and American art, including iconic works by Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, and Mary Cassatt. The museum also features ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman art, artworks from across Asia, and contemporary pieces. Prepare for hours or even days of exploration with comfortable footwear. Located on the eastern edge of downtown Chicago, adjacent to Lake Michigan, it was originally founded as both a museum and a school of fine arts in 1879. The building at its current location since 1893 still retains the original structure, flanked by the iconic bronze lion statues at its entrance. The European paintings and sculptures collection, particularly famous, begins on the second floor, right above the Michigan Avenue entrance.

• Location: Athens, Greece
• Established: 2009
• Area: 25,000 m2
• Architects: Bernard Tschumi, Michael Photiadis and associates

Located in the historic Makriyianni district, along Dionysiou Areopagitou Street, The Acropolis Museum stands merely 300 meters from the Acropolis itself, and about two kilometers from Syntagma Square, the main square of Athens. The museum's entrance is at the start of the pedestrian Dionysiou Areopagitou street, creating a central pathway to the unified network of the city's archaeological sites. The Acropolis metro station is situated to the museum's east.

In 2000, the Organization for the Construction of the New Acropolis Museum initiated a new tender process under the directives of the European Union. This process materialized with the awarding of the design to Bernard Tschumi with Michael Photiadis and their team, completed in 2007. Today, the new Acropolis Museum spans an impressive 25,000 m2, offering over 14,000 m2 of exhibition space. It stands as one of the unique archaeological museums globally, not only for its architectural design but also for its innovative display of precious archaeological findings, right at the archaeological site of discovery. The museum, with its distinctive design, is built on the unique world heritage site of the Acropolis hill in Athens.

• Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Established: 1973
• Area: 15,175 m2
• Architects: Gerrit Rietveld and Kisho Kurokawa

The Van Gogh Museum is an art museum dedicated to the works of Vincent van Gogh in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It houses the largest collection of Van Gogh's paintings and drawings in the world. Opened in 1973, the museum consists of two buildings designed by Dutch architect Gerrit Rietveld and Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa. Both buildings feature an open design, marked by innovative designs that draw light into the museum's interior spaces.

The museum preserves the world's largest collection of Van Gogh's works, with 200 paintings, 400 drawings, and 700 letters by the artist. Additionally, with a large space of 15,175 m2, the museum also displays notable artworks by other artists from the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist movements who were contemporaries of Van Gogh. It also hosts major 19th-century art exhibitions.

• Location: London, UK
• Established: 1753
• Area: 25,700 m2

The British Museum is the largest museum in the United Kingdom, housing national ethnography and archaeology collections with over eight million diverse artifacts, ranging from prehistoric bones to fragments of Athens' Parthenon and Assyrian palaces.

Although The British Museum showcases magnificent artworks, its main draw is the Egyptian exhibit, boasting the world's second-best collection of Egyptian relics outside Egypt, notably the Rosetta Stone, believed to have been inscribed in 196 BC. Founded in 1753, the British Museum first opened its doors in 1759. In 1997, upon the opening of the British Library building to the public, the British Museum was amalgamated, comprising the former national museum and the national library. With over 8,000,000 artifacts, only about 50,000 are displayed at a time. Therefore, when visiting England, you may need to dedicate a week to fully appreciate all the exhibits here. Visitor numbers to the museum continue to rapidly increase.

• Location: Nanjing, China
• Established: 1933
• Area: 70,000 m2
• Architect: Liang Sicheng

Nanjing Museum in Nanjing is among China's largest museums, with a collection exceeding 400,000 items. Notably, it houses one of the world's largest collections of Ming and Qing dynasty porcelain. The Nanjing Museum, one of China's earliest museums, showcases an impressive blend of Chinese and Western architectural styles. The main building, designed by Liang Sicheng in the 1930s, features a traditional Chinese front with a yellow-tiled roof and a modern Western rear. It uniquely tells the story of Chinese culture, displaying medieval oil lamps, porcelain from the Ming and Qing dynasties, jade sculptures, paintings, and lacquerware.

• Location: Chongqing, China
• Established: 2005
• Area: 42,497 m2

The Three Gorges Museum is among the largest museums in China. It opened in 2000, replacing the former Chongqing Museum, to serve educational, conservation, and scientific research purposes related to the cultural heritage and natural environment of Chongqing and the Three Gorges area.

The museum's exterior features sloping walls atop a large dome. It houses an array of bronze sculptures, large reliefs, and a 1-kilometer 'Ecology Corridor.' With a total area of 42,497 m2, including 23,225 m2 of exhibition space, the museum presents four main themes: the glory of the Three Gorges, the ancient history of Ba-Yu (early Chongqing), Chongqing's 20th-century urban development, and the Anti-Japanese War. Art lovers are encouraged to visit the Three Gorges Museum.

• Location: North Adams, Massachusetts
• Established: 1999
• Area: 23,225 m2
• Architect: Cambridge architectural firm of Bruner Cott & PGS

The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) is a museum located in North Adams, Massachusetts, and is one of the largest museums of visual and performing arts in the United States. The museum's origins date back to 1986 when a group from the Williams College Museum of Art sought a large enough space to display art. They were then directed by the mayor to this abandoned complex. After observation, they realized its potential as more than just a one-time exhibition space.

It took several years to fundraise and organize the development of the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. Throughout this process, the MASS MoCA development project has created not only a museum but also a space for artistic performances. The museum was granted $18.6 million by the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund after a public-private partnership recommended state government support for the project.

• Location: Jerusalem, Israel
• Established: 1965
• Area: 18,500 m2

The Israel Museum is the largest museum and the primary cultural institution in the Middle East. It is also one of the largest museums in the world, housing over 500,000 different art collections. It boasts the most diverse collection of archaeological artifacts related to the Great Bible. A must-visit spot when touring the Israel Museum is the Shrine of the Book, home to the famed Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest handwritten biblical manuscripts in the world.

Other collections include extremely rare Jewish manuscripts such as Passover Haggadahs and a section dedicated to modern and contemporary art featuring works by Auguste Rodin, Pablo Picasso, and Claes Oldenburg. The Israel Museum was established in 1965 and remains one of the world's leading encyclopedic museums. Israel also hosts several other prominent museums.

• Location: Tainan, China
• Established: 1977
• Area: 19,700 m2

Shandong Art Museum, established in 1954, is the first large-scale provincial comprehensive museum in China. It is divided into two parts, the eastern part established in 1904 by British Baptist missionary JS Whitewright in a temple, and the western part established in 1942. Since 1977, the Shandong Art Museum has undergone several renovations, and today, it houses the city's history and the museum's own century-plus history.

Shandong Art Museum is nationally renowned as a cultural hub, an important educational institution, and an integral part of the national museum system. With modern facilities, elegant artistic styles, unique landscapes, and distinctive culture, the museum has become a cultural space for appreciating art.

• Location: Singapore
• Established: 2015
• Area: 64,000 m2

The Singapore National Museum stands as a premier global museum housing over 8,000 modern Southeast Asian artworks. Established to provide understanding, elevate art and culture, and propagate Singapore's heritage and cultural relations with other Asian civilizations worldwide.

The Singapore National Museum sits within Singapore's administrative district, encompassing two national monuments: the former Supreme Court and City Hall. The museum spans 64,000 m2, with an exhibition area of 18,000 m2, making it Singapore's largest art museum. Both the Supreme Court and City Hall play pivotal roles in Singapore's history. Facing a flat expanse known as Padang, the buildings are connected by new bridges and underground levels, blending both old and new architectural styles while retaining the inherent charm of these historical landmarks.