World’s Most Visited Museums 2026: Ranking Reveals Wonders

The new edition of the TEA Global Experience Index™, the annual report from the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA), has revealed which museums are the most visited in the world.

Analyzing attendance data recorded in 2025 by the leading international cultural attractions, the ranking paints a picture in which China remains unchallenged at the top, while Europe continues to be one of the most beloved destinations for those passionate about art, history, and culture.

The most visited museums in the world

The TEA report examines the major international cultural institutions, comparing the visitors welcomed during 2025. The standings show a clear Asian predominance.

The most visited museum in the world

Claiming the top spot is the Palace Museum in Beijing, which in 2025 recorded 19,000,000 visits. Located within the Forbidden City, the ancient residence of Chinese emperors is one of the country’s most important historic complexes.

China occupies as many as 12 positions in the world’s top 20. TEA attributes this to the breadth of the domestic audience and the widespread availability of free admission.

This ranking uses criteria different from those used in our article on the most visited museums worldwide. The TEA report adopts a broader definition of museum, including archaeological parks and museum hubs.

The top 20 most visited museums in the world

Here is the top 20 of the most visited museums in the world.

1. The Palace Museum, Beijing, China – 19,000,000;
2. The Summer Palace, Beijing, China – 17,381,000;
3. Museum of the Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum, Xi’an, China – 10,970,000;
4. Louvre Museum, Paris, France – 9,046,000;
5. Palace of Versailles, France – 8,400,000;
6. Shenzhen Nanshan District Museum, China – 7,455,000;
7. Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom – 7,117,000;
8. Vatican Museums, Vatican City – 6,934,000;
9. Opium War Museum, Dongguan, China – 6,929,000;
10. National Museum of China, Beijing, China – 6,900,000;
11. Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul, South Korea – 6,887,000;
12. National Museum of Korea, Seoul, South Korea – 6,507,000;
13. British Museum, London, United Kingdom – 6,440,000;
14. Prince Kung’s Mansion Museum, Beijing, China – 6,120,000;
15. Sanxingdui Museum, China – 6,080,000;
16. Chengdu Wuhou Shrine Museum, China – 6,030,000;
17. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, United States – 5,984,000;
18. Nanjing Museum, China – 5,860,000;
19. Shenyang Palace Museum, China – 5,852,000;
20. China Science and Technology Museum, Beijing, China – 5,530,000.

The most visited museums in Europe

Europe also retains a leading role in international cultural tourism. The European ranking includes major museums, royal residences, and archaeological sites, with France and the United Kingdom particularly represented. Italy also enters the top 20.

The Louvre in Paris takes the top spot

The crown goes to the Louvre Museum in Paris, which with more than 9 million visitors also ranks fourth worldwide. The famous French museum houses masterworks such as the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo.

The complete list of the 20 most visited museums in Europe

Italy manages to claim three places in the European top 20: the Vatican Museums, which appear in the global top 10, the Pompeii Archaeological Park, eleventh with over 4.1 million visitors, and the Uffizi Galleries in Florence, which close the ranking in the twentieth position with nearly 2.9 million admissions.

Here are the 20 most visited museums in Europe in 2025 according to TEA’s index data (the numbers denote the total visits recorded by each museum during the year):

1. Louvre Museum, Paris, France – 9,046,000;
2. Palace of Versailles, France – 8,400,000;
3. Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom – 7,117,000;
4. Vatican Museums, Vatican City – 6,934,000;
5. British Museum, London, United Kingdom – 6,440,000;
6. State Russian Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia – 5,087,000;
7. Peterhof State Museum-Reserve, Saint Petersburg, Russia – 5,049,000;
8. Topkapi Palace, Istanbul, Turkey – 4,700,000;
9. Tate Modern, London, United Kingdom – 4,514,000;
10. National Gallery, London, United Kingdom – 4,148,000;
11. Pompeii Archaeological Park, Italy – 4,119,000;
12. Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna, Austria – 3,963,000;
13. State Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia – 3,846,000;
14. Orsay Museum, Paris, France – 3,785,000;
15. Prado National Museum, Madrid, Spain – 3,513,000;
16. Wawel Royal Castle, Krakow, Poland – 3,478,000;
17. Victoria and Albert Museum, London, United Kingdom – 3,332,000;
18. Humboldt Forum, Berlin, Germany – 3,300,000;
19. State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia – 3,076,000;
20. Uffizi Galleries, Florence, Italy – 2,909,000.