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Art is everywhere! From the Northern parts of the Artic to the Sahara desert, each culture has unique art, filled with culture and history. Visiting museums along your travels is a must-do, as it allows you to immerse yourself in the rich culture of the destination, as well as learn more about the magical places you’re traveling to.
Famous artworks throughout history are also spread to all corners of the world. Whether you are an art lover, a historian, a fan of art history, or are on a hunt to see the most famous artwork, visiting art museums will always be a hit. For those who have a bucket list of ‘must-see’ pieces, this list shares 10 places to see the most famous art in the world.
Table of Contents
Source UnsplashLouvre Museum
Paris, France
The Louvre Museum in Paris, France is arguably one of the best museums in the world to see the most famous works of art. From the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci to Venus de Milo by Alexandros of Antioch to the Victory of Samothrace from the Hellenistic era, the Louvre truly has some of the most spectacular pieces of all time.
The Louvre is also the largest museum in the world. There have been calculations done that to see every piece of art in the museum for 30 seconds, one would need to spend 200 consecutive, around-the-clock days to see the thousands of art pieces.
Source UnsplashMoMA
New York, New York, USA
The Museum of Modern Art or MoMA for short hosts many famous pieces from world-renowned artists. One of the most famous pieces at MoMA is The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh. Visitors can also other notable artists’ pieces such as Andy Warhol’s realism piece Campbell’s Soup Cans, Pablo Picasso’s cubism piece Les Demoiselles D’Avignon, as well as surrealist Salvador Dali’s The Persistence of Memory.
Source UnsplashMuseo de Arte Moderno
Mexico City, Mexico
Visitors can see famous artist Frida Kahlo’s most famous piece, The Two Fridas, here at this gorgeous museum. This museum also features prominent Mexican artists and has the largest collection of 20th-century Mexican art anywhere.
Source UnsplashThe Mauritshuis
The Hague, Netherlands
Just a short trip outside Amsterdam, you’ll find the coastal city of The Hague. The Mauritshuis museum boasts many Dutch artists and hosts its most famous piece by Johannes Vermeer, Girl with a Pearl Earring. This beautiful museum also holds many works by the famous painter Rembrandt van Rijn and other Dutch painters.
Source UnsplashThe Uffizi Gallery
Florence, Italy
One of Italy’s most prominent art museums, the Uffizi Gallery is home to The Birth of Venus, painted by Sandro Botticelli. The Uffizi Gallery also holds many other famous art pieces including sculptures, busts, and famous paintings by artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino (Raphael), and Michelangelo.
Source UnsplashGalleria dell’Accademia
Florence, Italy
When prompted to think of the most famous sculpture, David is sure to come to mind. This magnificent piece was created by Michelangelo when he was only 26 years old. This piece has been intriguing audiences since the 16th century and has been in its home at the Galleria dell’Accademia since 1872. This museum is also host to the largest collection of Michelangelo sculptures in the world.
Source UnsplashArt Institute of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, USA
A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, created by Georges Seurat is one of the most influential pieces at the Art Institute of Chicago. This robust, colorful piece was created by adding millions of small dots to create a beautiful Pointism piece, showcasing turn-of-the-century Parisians in a park. The Art Institute of Chicago is also home to American Gothic, picturing a man holding a pitchfork, standing next to his daughter.
Source UnsplashThe National Museum
Oslo, Norway
The National Museum is the largest collection of artwork in Norway. You can find the classic painting, The Scream, by Edvard Munch, in addition to many of his other masterpieces.
Source UnsplashMusée Rodin
Paris, France
Musée Rodin, or Rodin Museum, is a museum dedicated to the works of Auguste Rodin. Featuring a sculpture garden, a ‘hotel’, and an interior museum, there are dozens and dozens of jaw-dropping pieces to view. Also no, you, unfortunately, can’t stay overnight in the hotel! It’s another lovely gallery for more Rodin sculptures.
The most famous art piece in his collection is The Thinker. This famous sculpture features a sitting man with his head resting on his hand, in a state of thought.
Source UnsplashMetropolitan Museum of Art
New York, New York, USA
Another world-renowned art gallery in the United States, located in New York City, is the Metropolitan Museum of Art, also known as The Met. This gallery features classical, more historical pieces than its MoMA counterpart. The Met features Water Lilies, the most well-recognized painting by impressionist painter Claude Monet.
There are many ways to experience cultures while traveling, and art is a beautiful, sometimes raw, and emotional depiction of just that.
What masterpieces are you most excited to see? What famous art and artists did I miss? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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I have had the travel bug since I was young. Living in Colorado, and my parents being from New York, gave us lots of opportunities to go visit family back East. In my professional career as an event planner, I’ve had many experiences in other states, cities, and even other countries. I have been blessed with the ability to see so many different places, people, and cultures.