Glance at any “places to visit” list in your holiday destination and a museum or two will invariably find mention. If you think of museums as old, dusty and dull places, think again. These spaces hold treasures that illuminate humanity’s collective past, showcase artistic heritage and highlight scientific achievements, all while inspiring and educating visitors about topics and ideas from new perspectives. You can easily lose track of time inside a museum because there is so much to take in, not least because they also function as social sites, fostering community engagement through events, exhibitions and programs that bring people together.
Here's a curated list of the most popular and beloved museums from around the world for you to check out on International Museum Day.
As one of the world’s most-visited museums, the National Museum of Scotland preserves a record of Scottish history and culture, with collections on Scottish archaeological finds and medieval objects; a world cultures gallery that demonstrates the country’s international links; an art, design and fashion gallery; a natural wonders gallery which includes the skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex at the entrance; and the Grand Gallery, whose high windows and light-filled atrium provides a spectacular start to your museum visit.
One of the more notable exhibits at the National Museum of Scotland is the stuffed body of Dolly the sheep, the first successful clone of a mammal from an adult cell. Other highlights include Ancient Egyptian exhibitions, one of Sir Elton John's extravagant suits, the Jean Muir Collection of costume and a large kinetic sculpture named the “Millennium Clock.” A Scottish invention that is a perennial favourite with visitors is the Scottish Maiden, an early beheading machine that predates the French guillotine.
Address: Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF, United Kingdom
Also known as the Museo del Prado, this institution is Spain’s national art museum and is located in central Madrid. It houses collections of European art dating from the 12th to the early 20th centuries, which include masterpieces of the various schools of European painting, especially Italian and Flemish art. Founded as a museum of paintings and sculpture in 1819, the numerous works by Francisco Goya—the single most extensively represented artist—as well as by Hieronymus Bosch, El Greco, Peter Paul Rubens, Titian and Diego Velázquez, are some of the highlights of the collection.
According to their official website, the Museo Nacional Del Prado receives three million visitors annually, making it one of Europe’s top museums.
Address: Retiro, 28014 Madrid, Spain
Situated in the West Kowloon Cultural District in Hong Kong, M+ is Asia’s first global museum of contemporary visual culture. It is dedicated to collecting, exhibiting and interpreting visual art, design and architecture, moving image, and Hong Kong visual culture of the 20th and 21st centuries.
The building spans a total area of 65,000 sq m and features 33 galleries alongside a learning hub, Moving Image Centre, a research centre and a roof garden, among other event and programming spaces. The M+ façade has one of the largest LED screens in the world, showcasing commissioned artworks on the Hong Kong skyline every evening.
There’s also the M+ cinema where you can watch films from a variety of genres, including dramas, documentaries, experimental films, recorded arts, classics and forgotten works.
Address: 38 Museum Drive, West Kowloon, Hong Kong
From its magnificent site on Sydney Harbour on Gadigal land, the Art Gallery of New South Wales is one of Australia’s flagship art museums and the state’s leading visual arts institution. Each year, over two million visitors walk through its doors to view Australian art, including indigenous Australian art, European art and Asian art.
The earliest work in the collection, by Tommy McRae, dates from the late 19th century. There are also desert paintings created by small family groups living in the remote Western Desert outstation, bark paintings of the saltwater people of coastal communities, and new media expressions of “blak city culture” by contemporary artists. In fact, the names of the two buildings that make up this institution were formally given Aboriginal names in 2024: Naala Badu (“seeing waters”) for the north building and Naala Nura (“seeing country”) for the south building.
One of the most popular exhibits is the ongoing “Happy Birthday 2U2” exhibition by Japanese artist and architect Hikoko Ito, which features 366 mailboxes—one for every birthday of the year, including leap years. Each box contains a birthday card, illustrated with an artwork she has selected from the Art Gallery of NSW collection, made and left by someone with that birthday. Visitors of all ages are invited to find their own birthday mailbox and take home a special birthday card.
Address: Art Gallery Road, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
The unique collection of vehicles at the Emirates National Auto Museum is unmissable for any car lover visiting Abu Dhabi. The pyramid-shaped car museum is located in Al Dhafra, a 45-minute drive from the city, and is home to over 200 cars owned by His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan.
The collection has racked up many records to its name: the largest collection of 4x4 vehicles (718) is found here, as is the world’s largest motorised model car (a 4:1 drivable scale replica of Willys M38). The collection also includes a wide range of military vehicles, classic American cars, a Mercedes “rainbow” collection of different-coloured cars and an 1885 steam-powered Mercedes.
There are plenty of photo opportunities even before you step into the museum, such as the retired passenger jet parked outside. Fans of the BBC television programme “Top Gear” will notice some familiar cars too.
Address: South of Abu Dhabi, Hameem Road, Off E11, Al Bihouth–Al Dhafrah, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Considered the oldest national museum and the largest art museum in Japan, the Tokyo National Museum (TNM) houses a comprehensive collection of artworks and antiquities from Japan as well as other Asian countries, with a focus on ancient and medieval Japanese art and Asian art along the Silk Road. In 2023, the museum held approximately 120,000 cultural properties, including 89 National Treasures, 319 Hōryū-ji Treasures and 649 Important Cultural Properties.
Inside the TNM are various galleries such as Honkan, which displays Japanese art from prehistory to the late 19th century; the Heiseikan and Hyōkeikan, which are used for special exhibitions; the Tōyōkan, the “Asian gallery” displaying the museum's collections of Chinese, Korean, Indian, and Southeast and Central Asian art; the Gallery of Hōryū-ji Treasures, which holds essential relics from the Hōryū-ji temple of Nara; and the Kuroda Memorial Hall, which has a collection of works by Western-style artist Kuroda Seiki. There are restaurants and shops within the museum's premises, as well as outdoor exhibitions and a garden where visitors can enjoy seasonal views.
Address: 13-9 Uenokōen, Taitō City, Tokyo 110-8712, Japan
The National Crafts Museum in Delhi celebrates India's diverse craft and weaving traditions. Situated at the corner of Pragati Maidan, the museum was designed by the renowned architect Charles Correa. At present, the museum’s collection consists of over 29,395 specimens in various crafts acquired over a period of 70 years from multiple states.
The exquisite examples of textiles include kalamkaris, jamawars, pashmina and shahtosh shawls; embroidered fabrics like kanthas, chikankari works and chakla; baluchar and jamdaani saris; phulkaris; ikat fabrics of Odisha; block printed textile fabrics of Gujarat and Rajasthan; himru textile pieces of Maharashtra; Naga shawls; chanderi saris; and a variety of tribal textiles of the Lambadi, Toda and Naga tribes.
Besides this, check out the Courtly Gallery for objects that were created for the homes and palaces of nobility; the Cultic Gallery for sculptures, paintings, textiles and other objects associated with the rituals of various religions; the Bhuta Gallery for a unique collection of sculptures of the Bhutacult of coastal Karnataka; and the Folk and Tribal Gallery for a diverse selection of paintings, masks, puppets, cow dung figurines, ornaments and jewellery, cane and bamboo objects, clay and terracotta, dokra art and objects of daily use made by the indigenous communities of India.
In 2015, the government of India announced that a hastkala (handicrafts) academy would be established in the museum premises.
Address: Bhairon Marg, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, Delhi 110001, India
