Which of the Famous Art Museums Should You Visit?

By BrainFall Staff - Updated: April 30, 2024

Being able to take art in while you’re standing in front of it changes your perspective on it. Anybody can look up a picture online of a famous painting or sculpture. But actually standing in one of the galleries where some of the best art in the world is will fill you with a sense of wonder. Each exhibition or collection that curators and museum directors put together for upcoming events helps shape the art world. Whether you’re in New York at the Metropolitan Museum of Art or in Paris at the Louvre, you’ll feel like you’re a part of the art community and become enveloped in each exhibition.

You can find incredible galleries all around the world. Attending events, listening to a curator tell stories about the exhibitions and collections during programs, and finding so many ways to enjoy the art are what true travelers will seek to do. Artists work to have their collections put in these types of programs and exhibitions. Depending on what kind of art you like, there are museums you should visit. If you’re trying to figure out which museum you should go to next, you can answer some questions here, and we’ll tell you where to check out. Maybe you’ll even become a member.

Art museums

An art museum is one that is dedicated to the subject of art. Each museum has a variety of exhibitions, and each exhibition and collection is brought in for the public to enjoy. There are modern and contemporary museums as well as historical museums of art. Different forms of art may take place in the form of collage, advertising, film, canvas, photo, paper, glass, oil, and sculpture. You may even be able to get virtual access to some of the most renowned events if you and your family are members.

The mission of a museum of art is to display each exhibition or collection for the art community to see. Members may receive better perks and could get advanced access to shows. If you visit a museum, you can go to the gift shop and bring home a piece of culture that could last decades. You should pay attention to when the museum is open, as some are closed on certain days of the week. But the more features you can visit while you're at a museum, the better.

Which of the Famous Art Museums Should You Visit?

Ever find yourself itching for a good dose of culture with a side of awe-inspiring history? If you have, then we're with you! There’s nothing quite like standing before a work of art that’s been around for more centuries than any of us have had birthdays. It’s almost like time travel, but with better lighting and less risk of a paradox. We've all heard of the heavy hitters in the art museum world, the ones that are so famous they’re practically celebrities in their own right.

Now, picture this: halls echoing with the footsteps of fellow art admirers, walls adorned with pieces so renowned that they’re on first-name basis with the world. Yes, we’re talking about the Louvres of the world, where Mona Lisa's enigmatic smile beckons, or the MoMAs, where you can’t help but tilt your head in deep contemplation, even if it's just to look like you understand the abstract. And let's not overlook our dear ole’ friend, the Met, where you can waltz through thousands of years of creative genius before lunch.

But why daydream about these places when you could be planning your next great adventure? Every museum has its gems, and let’s face it, just choosing which one to visit can feel more overwhelming than trying to interpret a Jackson Pollock splatter. Don't fret, we're here to dish out a splash of fun guidance! Fasten your seat belts on your armchairs, art connoisseurs, because we are about to embark on a whimsical ride through the crème de la crème of famous art museums. Who knows, maybe by the end of it, you’ll find out exactly which hallowed halls are calling your name!

Deciding on Destinations: Art Across the Globe

When it comes to scratching that artsy itch, we've got the scoop on where to savor the crème de la crème of the art world.

The European Epicenters: Paris and London

Ah, Paris, the City of Light, where the Louvre awaits with its treasure trove of masterpieces, starring the demure Mona Lisa herself. Leonardo da Vinci's famous gal isn't the only showstopper; we're talking about 35,000 artworks playing hide and seek with your eyeballs!

Not to be outdone, London serves up a triple treat with the British Museum, the National Gallery, and the hip Tate Modern—a combo that's like the Full English Breakfast of art. From the ancient to the absurdly modern, they dish out everything from Velázquez to Rothko with a side of Picasso.

Art in the Americas: The Big Apple and Beyond

New York City, baby! It's the concrete jungle where art dreams are made of, with legends like the Met and MoMA strutting their stuff next to Central Park. At the Metropolitan Museum of Art, you can time travel from the pyramids of Ancient Egypt to the pop art of Warhol. Down the street, MoMA challenges your inner art critic with enough modern masterpieces to make your beret spin.

But let's not hog all the spotlight; trotting across the Americas, we find gems like the Art Institute of Chicago, where you can whisper sweet nothings to a Seurat, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., which shows off cool American cats like Hopper and Sargent. Don't miss the chance to play "Where's Warhol?" across their sprawling walls.

Experiencing Art: Periods, Pieces, and Personalities

We all have our whims and fancies when it comes to the grand tapestry of art. Diving into the world of art museums, one can find canvases pulsating with history, sculptures oozing with tales of yesteryears, and galleries that are practically time machines! Hold on to your sketchbooks – we’re about to embark on an art odyssey through periods, pièces de résistance, and the personalities that painted the town more than just red.

Modern Marvels: MoMA and the Warhol Effect

When you step into the realms of the Museum of Modern Art (oh, the beloved MoMA!), you're not just walking into a building; you're jazz-stepping into an echo chamber of 20th-century masterpieces. Think of Andy Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans, which are more than mere groceries – they're symbols of the bustling Pop Art era. Glide through galleries adorned with Warhol's work, and let the undefined contours of Modern Art play hopscotch in your mind.

Salvador Dalí: The Persistence of Memory – those melting clocks are not about your last-minute dash to catch a train!
Pablo Picasso: Every angle of his Les Demoiselles d’Avignon and Guernica is an emotional rollercoaster. We dare you to take a ride!

Travel Through Time: Renaissance to Realism

Ready to don your time-traveling top hat? From the heart-stirringly detailed strokes of Renaissance geniuses like Leonardo da Vinci (Yes, Mona Lisa’s enigmatic smile is worth the hype) to the profound depths of Realism, every painting is a portal. Saunter through the National Gallery of Art and witness a Monet or thirty. The whimsical water lilies! The blurry Parisian streets! Can you feel the 19th-century breeze yet?

Van Gogh: His The Starry Night at the Van Gogh Museum beckons with swirls of dreamy night skies.
Velázquez: Spanish Art at its finest, with each brushstroke at the Prado Museum whispering royal court secrets.

Scope of Sculptures: From the Ancients to Rodin

Do the Ancient Egyptians and their monumental statures intrigue you? Perhaps a trip down the British Museum where the Rosetta Stone and other ancient goodies could whisper sweet nothings about their world. Or take a stride through the Louvre in Paris and bid bonjour to the armless beauty that is the Venus de Milo. Not antique enough? The Vatican Museums are brimming with Roman sculptures that give new meaning to body language!

Michelangelo: The Sistine Chapel is his canvas, and oh boy, does it sing an angelic tune!
Rodin: Musee Rodin holds the key to introspective bronze talks – think reflections without the mirror!