The United States is home to some of the world’s most renowned museums, specializing in topics that range from modern art to prehistoric relics. People travel far and wide to experience these educational and deeply fascinating institutions, where they can spend hours wandering the halls and soaking in all the exhibits. Wondering which museums travelers are flocking to the most? According to the 2023 Museum Index compiled by economic consulting firm AECOM, these are the top 10 most-visited museums in the U.S.
10. California Science Center – Los Angeles, California
Number of annual visitors: 1.7 million
An estimated 1.7 million visitors checked out the California Science Center in 2023. The institution, located in Exposition Park next to the LA Memorial Coliseum, opened as the State Exposition Building in 1912, though it was later converted into the California Museum of Science and Industry in 1951. The museum opened its current incarnation in 1998, transforming itself into a public learning space containing science galleries, conference centers, and even an IMAX theater. General admission is free to its major exhibits.
The science center is divided into four major sections, beginning with World of Life, which analyzes everything from single-celled bacteria to the human body. The Creative World examines the connection between technology and transportation. Next up is Ecosystems, which contains 200 species of live plants and animals and immersive exhibits. Lastly, there’s the Air and Space segment, where you can find the space shuttle Endeavor, one of three remaining space shuttles in the country.
9. Houston Museum of Natural Science – Houston, Texas
Number of annual visitors: 1.8 million
Located just south of downtown, adjacent to the Houston Zoo, the Houston Museum of Natural Science is one of the most popular attractions in Texas’ most populous city. While entry to the museum is normally ticketed, free general admission is offered every Tuesday between 5 and 8 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis.
One of the most popular exhibits is the Cockrell Butterfly Center, which contains hundreds of colorful butterflies fluttering through a natural setting adorned with tropical plants. The Hall of Ancient Egypt, home to ancient artifacts dating back approximately 5,000 years, is also a must-see. Another fascinating exhibit is the Foucault Pendulum, a device invented by Jean Bernard Leon Foucault and demonstrated at the 1851 world’s fair in London. While watching the pendulum swing, you’ll notice that its path changes throughout the day due to the rotation of the Earth below.
8. National Air and Space Museum – Washington, D.C.
Number of annual visitors: 1.9 million
Part of the Smithsonian Institution, D.C.’s National Air and Space Museum saw an impressive 353% increase in visitors between 2022 and 2023. While you’ll need to reserve a timed-entry pass, admission is entirely free. But it’s not just a complimentary ticket that makes this place so popular — it’s also the awe-inspiring exhibits that tell the history of aviation in the United States.
The museum was formed by Congress in 1946, though some of the pieces contained within it date back long before, including kites acquired from China in 1876. The building itself didn’t open until 1976, when it began welcoming visitors in celebration of America’s bicentennial.
Popular exhibits at the National Air and Space Museum include the 1903 Wright Flyer, which was the original craft used by the Wright brothers in their successful efforts to pioneer human flight. You’ll also find the Bell X-1 craft in which Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier.
7. National Museum of American History – Washington, D.C.
Number of annual visitors: 2.1 million
Located on the National Mall, the National Museum of American History is another Smithsonian-led institution that offers free admission. The museum spans 800,000 square feet of exhibit space and contains upwards of 3 million artifacts that showcase America’s history. Exhibits here touch on topics such as politics, military history, and even pop culture.
Some of the most prized artifacts at the museum include one of the original U.S. flags attributed to Betsy Ross, George Washington’s uniform, and Abraham Lincoln’s top hat. In the pop culture section, you’ll come across eminently recognizable pieces such as Mister Rogers’ sweater, Archie Bunker’s armchair from All in the Family, and the ruby slippers worn by Dorothy in 1939’s The Wizard of Oz.
6. National 9/11 Museum – New York, New York
Number of annual visitors: 2.2 million
The National 9/11 Museum is a memorial dedicated to those who lost their lives during the 2001 terrorist attacks on New York City. Visiting this museum is a somber experience, as the 2 million-plus attendees who came in 2023 can attest. Throughout the 110,000 square feet of exhibits, you’ll find portions of the former World Trade Center, fire trucks recovered from the rubble, and video and audio testimonies from those who experienced the tragic events of September 11, 2001.
Outside are two expansive fountains where the two main buildings of the former World Trade Center once stood. This memorial spans 8 acres and contains cascading waterfalls that descend 50 feet into a small void below. Each of these pools is lined with the engraved names of those who lost their lives on 9/11, as well as those who perished during the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
5. Museum of Modern Art – New York, New York
Number of annual visitors: 2.8 million
Midtown Manhattan is home to the world-famous Museum of Modern Art, also known as MoMA. An estimated 2.8 million visitors passed through MoMA’s doors in 2023, making it the fifth-most popular museum in the U.S. and the first art museum to crack the top 10 most-visited U.S. museums.
The institution traces its roots to a 1928 lunch among three women — Abby Rockefeller, Lillie P. Bliss, and Mary Quinn Sullivan — who conceived a space to exclusively exhibit modern art. By 1931, MoMA hosted its first solo exhibition dedicated to the works of Henri Matisse, and in 1939, it moved into a custom-built space.
Though there’s a rotating exhibition dedicated to modern art pieces, MoMA also serves as the permanent home of several of the world’s most famous paintings in a collection called “The Unmissables.” This includes Pablo Picasso’s “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon,” Claude Monet’s “Water Lillies,” and Vincent Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night.” MoMA also contains works from Warhol, Mondrian, Dalí, and many more artists who revolutionized the craft.
4. National Gallery of Art – Washington, D.C.
Number of annual visitors: 3.8 million
Few museums dedicated to art are more popular than the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Former Treasury Secretary Andrew W. Mellon, who served under four U.S. presidents from 1921 to 1932, conceived of the museum in the late 1920s. An avid art collector, Mellon believed that the United States deserved a world-class art institution, and thus the National Gallery was born. The museum was dedicated in 1941 and has since grown to include more than 150,000 individual works.
Must-see exhibits include Leonardo da Vinci’s “Ginevra de’ Benci,” which is the only one of da Vinci’s paintings located in the Americas. You’ll also find the acclaimed 1897 sculpture The Shaw 54th Regiment Memorial by Augustus Saint-Gaudens and Louise Bourgeois’ 1997 macabre work Spider.
3. National Museum of Natural History – Washington, D.C.
Number of annual visitors: 4.4 million
The National Museum of Natural History is the most popular museum in the nation’s capital. Also run by the Smithsonian, the museum contains 148 million specimens and artifacts showcasing details about the flora, fauna, and mineral makeup of planet Earth, as well as the surrounding solar system. As with other Smithsonian-run institutions, admission to this museum is free.
When you walk in, you’ll immediately be taken aback by an actual moai head from Easter Island. Another popular attraction is the Hope Diamond, which was extracted from an Indian mine in the 17th century and is among the largest, purest diamonds on display.
2. American Museum of Natural History – New York, New York
Number of annual visitors: 5 million
The American Museum of Natural History, located on the west side of Central Park in New York City, is the most popular non-art museum in the U.S. In 2023, around 5 million people came to this institution to explore its many educational dioramas and see real dinosaur bones in the flesh. In fact, 85% of the dinosaur skeletons on display here contain real fossil material instead of being made from casts, making the detailed specimens all the more impressive.
The museum was built beginning in 1874 and opened a new Rose Center for Earth and Space in 2000. One of the most iconic exhibits at the museum is the 94-foot-long blue whale model hanging overhead, which was constructed in the 1960s using 21,000 pounds of foam and fiberglass. Other sites to check out on a self-guided tour include fossilized dinosaur footprints and a larger-than-life sliver from a giant sequoia tree.
1. Metropolitan Museum of Art – New York, New York
Number of annual visitors: 5.3 million
No museum in the U.S. is more popular than the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Located on the east side of Central Park in New York City, this stunning building is home to some of the world’s most magnificent works of art. Its origins date back to 1866, when a group of Americans in Paris agreed to create a “national institution and gallery of art” in the states. The museum was incorporated on April 13, 1870, and later that year, it acquired its very first object, a Roman sarcophagus.
The museum moved to its current site on March 30, 1880, and has since grown to showcase art from over 5,000 years of human history. Essential pieces to witness with your own eyes include Van Gogh’s “Self-Portrait With a Straw Hat,” Emanuel Leutze’s “Washington Crossing the Delaware,” and a self-portrait by Rembrandt.
The Met is also known for its vast collection of antiquities, including those from ancient Egypt. This includes the Temple of Dendur, which was built around 10 BCE in Nubia as a dedication to the Egyptian goddess Isis. Amid regional flooding, the temple was rescued in the 1960s and relocated to New York City, where it’s been on display since 1978.
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