• The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY. U.S.

Attendance 2016: 6,700,000

Located in New York City, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is the largest art museum in the United States. Since its founding in 1869, the Museum is renowned for its exhibitions and scientific collections. The permanent collections consist of art from classical antiquity and ancient Egypt, paintings and sculptures from nearly all the European masters, and an extensive collection of American and modern art. The museum is home to encyclopedic collections of musical instruments, costumes and accessories, as well as antique weapons and armor from around the world. Several notable interiors, ranging from first-century Rome through modern American design, are installed in its galleries.

• National Gallery, London, U.K.

Attendance 2016: 6,263,000

The National Gallery is located in the Trafalgar Square of Westminster, London. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings of Western European tradition from the 13th to the 19th centuries. The Gallery is an exempt charity, and a non-departmental public body of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Its collection belongs to the public of the United Kingdom and entry to the main collection is free of charge.

9. Vatican Museums, Vatican City

Attendance 2016: 6,067,000

The Vatican Museums were founded by Pope Julius II in the early 16th century. Located in Vatican City, they display works from the immense collection built up by the Popes throughout the centuries including some of the most renowned classical sculptures and most important masterpieces of Renaissance art in the world. The museums contain roughly 70,000 works, of which 20,000 are on display, and currently employ 640 people who work in 40 different administrative, scholarly, and restoration departments.

• Tate Modern, London, U.K.

Attendance 2016: 5,839,000

Tate Modern is a modern art gallery located in London. It is Britain's national gallery of international modern art and forms part of the Tate group (together with Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool, Tate St Ives and Tate Online). It holds the national collection of British art from the 1900s to present day and international modern and contemporary art. As an executive non-departmental public body and an exempt charity, there is no admission charge for access to the collection displays.