Introduction
The art-lover’s world is vast, and it’s all too easy to fall into the trap of seeing only what’s close at hand. While there’s no shame in exploring the local art scene first, it can be very rewarding to branch out and explore the wider world of museums with your eyes. To help you get started on an inspiring journey through some of our planet’s greatest galleries—and maybe even inspire you to travel farther than you ever thought possible—here are 10 international destinations every art lover should visit before they die:
The Louvre, Paris
The Louvre, Paris
The Louvre is the world’s most visited museum and home to 35,000 works of art from 5,000 years of human history. It’s also one of the largest museums in the world at 77 acres! This iconic building was originally built as a fortress for King Philippe-Auguste in 1190 A.D., but has since been converted into an art gallery by King Louis XIV in 1671 A.D.. The museum houses some of the greatest pieces ever created including Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa which has been there since 1797 A.D..
Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
The Hermitage is the largest museum in the world. It holds more than 3 million works of art, including an extensive collection of European painting and sculpture from the 12th century to early 20th century. The museum was founded by Catherine the Great in 1764 as a repository for all things related to Western art so that it could be studied and enjoyed by Russians who had little access to such masterworks during her time period. Today, it’s located on Palace Square in St. Petersburg and houses dozens upon dozens of galleries containing paintings by Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-69), Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) and other famous artists whose works were either stolen or looted during World War II but eventually returned after lengthy negotiations between Russia’s government officials and those who currently own these pieces today–including some very wealthy individuals like Bill Gates!
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (the Met) is one of the world’s largest and most visited art museums. It has a collection of more than two million works of art, divided into two locations: the main building on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan and The Cloisters in northern Manhattan.
The museum was founded in 1870 by a group led by members Alexander Hamilton (who was also the first secretary), John Jay Knox and Jervis McEntee as an outgrowth of New York’s 1853-54 New York World Fair; it opened its doors to the public on February 20th 1872 with an exhibition consisting mostly of plaster casts made for Parisian expositions during previous decades but also including paintings by artists such as Rembrandt van Rijn, Raphaelle Peale and Jean-Louis David amongst others.[1]
The British Museum, London
The British Museum, London
The largest museum in the world, the British Museum houses more than 7 million objects and is a public body. Established in 1753, it was created by royal charter from King George II and has been open to the public ever since. The building itself was designed by Sir Robert Smirke and features an Egyptian façade on its northern wing that faces Montague Street (a street named after William Montagu who was an early benefactor). There are galleries devoted to various periods of history including Ancient Egypt; Mesopotamia; Greece; Rome; Asia Minor & Cyprus; Europe & North Africa 1400-1750 A D.; Europe 1500-1700 A D.; Oceania & Africa 1800-1900 A D.; Medieval Europe 1000-1500 A D., etcetera… You get the idea! It’s basically one big celebration of art history with something new around every corner!
The Prado Museum, Madrid
The Prado Museum, Madrid
The Prado Museum was established in 1819 and has a collection of over 7,800 paintings. The museum also has a collection of 3,000 sculptures and 1,000 drawings. There are 8,400 prints and 8600 books on display at the museum as well.
Uffizi Gallery, Florence Italy
One of the most famous galleries in the world, the Uffizi Gallery is home to some of the greatest works of art ever created. The building itself was originally constructed as a private palace for Cosimo I de’ Medici, Duke of Florence in 1560 and has since been expanded several times to accommodate its growing collection.
The museum houses paintings by such masters as Botticelli, Caravaggio and Raphael; sculptures by Michelangelo; drawings by Leonardo da Vinci; frescoes by Fra Angelico (who painted some sections while lying on his back); tapestries woven during the Renaissance period; ancient Roman statues etcetera ad infinitum!
National Gallery of Art, Washington DC
The National Gallery of Art is located in Washington DC and houses one of the largest collections of European art in America. It also has a large collection of American art, including paintings by Rembrandt and Gilbert Stuart.
The National Gallery owns more than 2,300 Japanese prints, which make up the largest such collection in the Western Hemisphere.
The museum has an extensive modern and contemporary art collection that includes works by Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol
Museo del Prado, Madrid Spain
The Museo del Prado is the world’s third-largest art museum and houses more than 7,600 paintings from some of history’s most renowned artists. The museum was founded in 1819 by King Ferdinand VII, who donated his own collection to kickstart what would become one of Spain’s greatest cultural treasures. It now holds thousands of Spanish masterpieces; including works by Velazquez, Goya and El Greco.
The best part? You don’t even have to leave your home country to see this magnificent collection! The Prado Museum is located right in Madrid–the capital city of Spain–so if you’re planning on visiting sometime soon or already live there (why not?), make sure your itinerary includes checking out this incredible museum at least once during your stay!
These museums are must-sees for art lovers
It’s easy to see why so many people flock to these museums. For one thing, they house some of the most famous works of art in the world–you can get a sense of what it was like for people who saw those pieces when they were first created.
For example, at the Louvre you might find yourself staring up at Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa or Michelangelo’s David; at Tate Modern you could be looking at Picasso’s Guernica; and in New York City there are multiple museums offering visitors an opportunity to view works by artists such as Pablo Picasso and Jackson Pollock (the Museum of Modern Art) or Andy Warhol (the Whitney).
Conclusion
So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and start exploring some of the world’s best museums!
