California Science Center (1)
Kit Leong via Shutterstock.

An essential part of any vacation or quick trip, for many people, is exploring museums with their endless halls filled with art, culture, and science. These spaces are key to making a travel experience feel truly immersive in the local culture.

According to The Arts Newspaper, museum visits worldwide are fortunately back to pre-pandemic levels, with record-high numbers. In light of this massive influx, the company Radical Storage set out to analyze the best and worst museums, reviewing over 82,000 visitor comments across the 100 most-visited museums in the world, as reported by The Arts Newspaper.

The study placed The California Science Center at number 6 among the world’s best museums, according to visitors. Known for its interactive exhibits and hands-on approach to science, the museum offers an experience that’s both educational and entertaining. Visitors often highlight the California Science Center’s permanent exhibits as a must-see, from immersive natural habitats and interactive human body displays to hands-on science and sports experiences, offering engaging learning opportunities for all ages.

The study didn’t just put the California Science Center in the spotlight, it also revealed the top museums around the world. From the U.S. to Europe and Asia, these are the 10 museums visitors loved the most:

    1. National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C.
    2. Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow
    3. National Museum of Korea, Seoul
    4. Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, Madrid
    5. Palacio de Cristal del Retiro, Madrid
    6. California Science Center, Los Angeles
    7. National Folk Museum of Korea, Seoul
    8. Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal, Montreal
    9. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
    10. National Maritime Museum, London

On the other hand, the study also revealed the least favorite museums in the world. The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., got the lowest score, with only 35.3% of reviews positive and 15.7% negative. Many visitors even described it as “dull,” far more than any other museum. The full list includes:

  1. National Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C.
  2. Science Museum, London
  3. American Museum of Natural History, New York City
  4. Natural History Museum, London
  5. Grand Palais, Paris
  6. Vatican Museums, Vatican City, Rome
  7. The British Museum, London
  8. Louvre Museum, Paris
  9. Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid
  10. Tate Modern, London