As Featured in 2023 Bucket List Edition: Museums to Marvel

THE NATIONAL ART CENTER | Tokyo, Japan
This undulating building promises to never give you the same experience twice. A self-proclaimed “empty museum,” it fills its concrete and glass walls with new exhibits every two weeks with subjects like Monet, Cartier, anime, calligraphy, Japanese watercolors, mixed media, and more to consistently amaze its over 2 million annual visitors.

TATE MODERN | London, England
When industrialist Henry Tate donated his collection of 19th-century British art and funded a gallery to display it, his namesake museum was born. Now one of the top international art galleries, it houses the UK’s official modern collection of art from 1900 to the present, including groundbreaking works by Warhol, Picasso, and Matisse.

THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO | Chicago, IL
Opened after the Great Fire of 1871 in an effort to bring Chicago back to life, this museum is now home to over 300,000 works of art. You can find the renowned institution on Michigan Avenue—just look for the two 8.5-foot-tall bronze lions guarding its front doors. You can’t miss them!

MUSÉE DU LOUVRE | Paris, France
When you think of this Parisian icon, your mind probably immediately goes to the Mona Lisa—but it has so much more to see. Originally built as a fortress in 1190, this must-visit marvel is now the largest art museum in the world, home to 380,000 works, including the Venus de Milo, The Wedding at Cana, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace.

UFFIZI GALLERY | Florence, Italy
Where better to see Renaissance art than in Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance? At this gilded gallery, you’ll find iconic pieces like Botticelli’sBirth of Venus, Caravaggio’s Medusa, and Artemisia Gentileschi’s Judith Slaying Holofernes.

MUSEO SUBACUÁTICO DE ARTE (MUSA) | Cancun, Mexico
Dive deep into the Gulf of Mexico between Cancun and Isla Mujeres, and you’ll find the world’s largest underwater museum: a collection of 500 sculptures by British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor and local Mexican artists.

MUSEUM OF MODERN ART (MOMA) | New York City, NY
Since its opening in 1929, this locale has been regarded as a pioneer collector and exhibitor of modern art. See works from the 19th century to today in every medium you can imagine: paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, photography, film, architecture, and design. Don’t have time to see everything? Learn something from one of its regular gallery talks, lectures, performances, or academic art classes.

VAN GOGH MUSEUM | Amsterdam, The Netherlands
You may have visited the interactive VanGogh experience, but have you ever seen his most important collections up close? Built in 1973, this museum honors the Dutch artist in his home country by showcasing some of his nearly 900 paintings and 1,100 other works, as well as art by those he influenced.

VATICAN MUSEUMS | Vatican City, Italy
These “museums” make up an entire city—literally. Spread among 16th-century Renaissance galleries, gardens, churches, and corridors, you’ll find more than 20,000 works, including Michelangelo’s famous Sistine ChapelandTheLast Judgment, Greek, and Roman statues, and the Raphael rooms. If you’re lucky, you may even spot the Pope!