The Louvre remains the world's number one most visited museum.

Art museums continue to attract massive numbers of visitors worldwide. In 2025, the 100 most visited institutions recorded over 200 million visitors, according to The Art Newspaper's annual ranking. This figure is still lower than that of 2019 (230 million), but significantly higher than the years marked by the pandemic.

A top 10 dominated by Europe and Asia

Unsurprisingly, the Louvre Museum retains its top spot with over 9 million visitors projected for 2025, according to The Art Newspaper. It surpasses the Vatican Museums, which record 6,9 million visitors, and the National Museum of Korea in Seoul, which climbs to third place with 6,5 million visitors.

This South Korean growth is particularly striking: museum attendance has jumped by more than 70% in a single year, as highlighted by The Art Newspaper. It has thus surpassed major institutions such as the British Museum in London (6,4 million) and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, which is approaching 6 million visitors.

The rest of the ranking confirms a strong European and international presence, notably with the Russian Museum in Saint Petersburg, the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, and the new Shanghai Museum, recently opened and already very popular.

Increased attendance, driven by new audiences

Beyond the top spots, several trends are emerging. The post-pandemic recovery is confirmed, with increased visitor numbers in many institutions. Some museums, like the one in Seoul, are even recording spectacular growth, driven by the increasing interest in certain cultures worldwide.

London also stands out with two institutions in the top 10: the Tate Modern and the National Gallery. Meanwhile, major cultural capitals continue to attract a large share of visitors, even as new hubs emerge.

This ranking also serves as a reminder that, despite competition from digital media, museums remain essential places for discovery and cultural tourism, capable of attracting millions of visitors each year.