20 most visited museums in the world. China dominates the ranking

Chinese museums are thriving due to a large local audience and free admission policies, with 91% of over 7,000 museums offering free entry. The Palace Museum in Beijing topped the global visitor rankings in 2025 with 19 million visitors, followed by the Summer Palace and the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of China. European museums also feature prominently, with the Louvre in Paris attracting 9 million visitors, ranking fourth worldwide. Notably, the Wawel Royal Castle in Krakow made the top twenty, drawing 3.5 million visitors, surpassing renowned institutions like the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Uffizi Gallery.