Best Art Museums in the USA

Wondering what US cities have the best museums?

The United States truly boasts so many great art museums that it’ll be almost a ‘crime’ leaving anyone out! However, after much debate and deliberation with the team, we’ve come up with a selection of ten of the best art museums you can visit in the US. There are as follows:

Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

The Museum of Modern Art, also known as MoMA, is without a doubt one of the best art museums in the USA.

The museum is located in New York City on 53rd street, and boasts the best collection of modern masterpieces in the world by artists such as Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol and Salvador Dali amongst other notables.
Best Art Museums in the USA
Museum of Modern Art NYC quick tour
Besides great painting masterpieces, the Museum of Modern Art boasts other great collections on display such as sculptures, architecture and design, modern photography and films.

The MoMA is also an excellent art museum as it boasts programs aimed at teens and families such as hands-on workshops, play areas fro kids and talks on art making techniques.

The Art Institute of Chicago (AIC)

The building where the Art Institute of Chicago is actually housed is in itself a fine piece of construction and it’s most recognizable for the bronze statues of lions guarding the entrance to the museum.

The Art Institute of Chicago is located in downtown Chicago at 111 South Michigan Avenue, and boasts one of the finest collections of human art expression in the world.

Best Art Museums USA
Video Introduction to the Art Institute
Popular art works include: "Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" by Georges-Pierre Seurat, "Nighthawks" by Edward Hopper, and "American Gothic" by Grant Wood.

The Art Institute of Chicago is also one of the best museums in the country where you can appreciate African American art, as it boasts works by African American artists such as Archibald John Motley, Jr and Richmond Barthe.

Boston Museum of Fine Arts

The Boston Museum of Fine Arts is one of the best art museums in the USA and also one of the most visited museums in the country.

The Boston Museum of Fine Arts is located right in the centre of Boston and it’s one of the largest museums that you’ll ever set foot inside! The museum boasts three floors featuring paintings, collections and exhibition areas such as the renowned Art of the Americas Wing.
Best Museums in the USA

The Art of the Americas Wing is one of the biggest attractions at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts since this area contains over 50 galleries exhibiting pre-Columbian art works and ceramics, as well as colonial works by American painter John Singleton Copley.

There are also plenty of programs, events and activities to suit everyone such as gallery tours, studio art classes, museum concerts and MFA First Fridays.

MFA First Fridays happens every first Friday of each month at the Koch Gallery and it’s a great and stylish event where you can truly soak in a unique art atmosphere.

Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is located in NYC in New York State and it’s one of the most famous museums in the US where you can view American Art.
Best Art Museums in US
A walk inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York
The Met, as it’s also known as, boasts hundreds of great collections on world art and so many exhibits such as American decorative arts, European paintings and Egyptian art that you can easily spend an entire afternoon there, and still not get to see everything that the Metropolitan Museum of Art has on offer!

National Gallery of Art

The National Gallery of Art is located in National Mall in the heart of Washington DC, and it's just a short walk north of the Smithsonian Institution, which is another must-see museum in District of Columbia.

The National Gallery of Art is, without a doubt, one of the best art museums in the USA and the best thing about it is that admission is free!
Best Art Museums

Another reason why the National Gallery of Art receives so many accolades and it’s renowned across the United States is because the National Gallery of Art is the only museum in the US boasting the only Leonardo Da Vinci.

The National Gallery of Art is also one of the largest and most interactive museums in the country, so you can really a nice afternoon here without getting bored! There are many great collections on American and European art, and you’ll be able to also enjoy free audio tours.

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is located in Kansas City Sculpture Park in Missouri, and it’s another world class art museum in the US that doesn’t charge an admission fee!

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is most famously known for the two massive shuttlecocks sculptures located on the south side of the museum.
Best Museums in the US
Tourist Attractions in Kansas State
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is also renowned across the US for its amazing collection on Asian art, which includes Chinese paintings and ceramics as well as Japanese armors and blades.


There is also a great collection on 19th-20th century photography and print collections such as masterpieces Francisco Goya and Andy Warhol.

Philadelphia Art Museum

The Philadelphia Art Museum is not only one of the best art museums in the USA, but also one of the top attractions in the US.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art was immortalized on the movie Rocky Balboa by the scene where you see Rocky jogging up the front steps of the museum victorious.
Museums in the USA

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is located at 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway and it’s another popularly visited museum in the United States, especially on Sundays when admission is free.

The Philadelphia Art Museum boasts many great collections from American art to Asian art, as well as some of the oldest art works in the country such as Pieta and Epiphany painted between in early 15th and late 16th century respectively.

J. Paul Getty Museum

The J. Paul Getty Museum is split in two locations in California: the Getty Center at 1200 Getty Center Drive and Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades, which is around 20 minutes from the Getty Center.

The Getty Center and Villa is another world class museum in the US, and one of the top places to visit in Los Angeles.
Museums in US

If you’re fan of ancient and medieval art, you’ll love spending time at the Getty Museum since it boasts one of the best collections of ancient Greece and ancient Rome, and interesting photograph exhibits where you can see Felix Beato works such as the photograph of the Bronze Statue of Dai Bouts he took in late 1800’s.

The J. Paul Getty Museum also offers free talks and tours, as well as family programs such as hands-on activities and art workshops designed to engage family with their little ones.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is one of the best art museums in the USA, and it’s one of the few art museums on the west coast of USA dedicated to 20th century art, which includes paintings, sculptures and photography.
Art Museums

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is located at 151 Third Street, just a short walk down the road from Moscone Center in downtown San Francisco, and it’s another great museum in the US that has free admission days (every first Tuesday of every month).

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art also offers free public tours, summer youth programs and family programs where parents and kids can enjoy fun activities.

See. Culture Trip to New York City
Visiting Europe’s most Famous Museums for free
US West Coast Tourist Attractions
Best Water Parks in US
Top Ten Aquariums in the US
Tourist Attractions in Northeast USA
Best Museums in Hawaii
Best Farmers Markets in the US
Best Botanical Gardens in US
Best Things to do in Detroit
Most Popular Festivals in the US
Top States to visit in the US
Most Historic Cities in the US