Top Ten Art Museums in the United States

Andrew W. Mellon created the National Gallery of Art in 1937 as his gift to America. The neoclassical West Building showcases Mellon’s personal collection. In 1978, the more modern East Building opened and is comprised of mostly 20th-century works of art. Adjacent to the West building lays the National Gallery Sculpture Garden.

National Gallery of Art
4th and Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20565
(202) 737-4215
nga.gov

The Metropolitan Museum of Art houses an enormous collection of art from every part of the world, covering a stunning 5,000 years of creativity. A must-see for any visitor is the Temple of Dendur, an ancient Egyptian temple and the highlight of the museum’s Egyptian art gallery.

Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10028-0198
(212) 535-7710
metmuseum.org

The Museum of Modern Art was founded in 1929 with the intent of becoming the best modern art museum in the world. With an impressive and comprehensive collection of paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints and illustrated books, “MoMA” is considered the world’s premier modern and contemporary art institution.

Museum of Modern Art
11 West 53 Street
New York, NY 10019
(212) 708-9400
moma.org

Initially founded in 1895, the de Young reopened in 2005 following a major transition into new, state-of-the-art facilities. The museum’s permanent collection consists of American art from the 17th century through the 20th century, as well as art from Africa and the Pacific.

de Young Museum
Golden Gate Park
50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 750-3600
famsf.org/deyoung

The Museum of Fine Arts in Houston was the first art museum in Texas. It opened to the public in 1924. Visitors can enjoy extensive collections of Native American art, Frederic Remington paintings, Italian Renaissance masterpieces, the art of Jackson Pollock and other fine works from antiquity to the present day.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
1001 Bissonnet Street
Houston, TX 77005
(713) 639-7300
mfah.org

Opened in 1893, the Art Institute is known internationally for its comprehensive collection of Impressionist art, featuring one of the world's largest collections of Monet paintings. The Institute’s permanent collection also includes art from the early civilizations of Egypt, Greece and Japan.

Art Institute of Chicago
111 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois, 60603
(312) 443-3600
artic.edu

Founded in 1954 by philanthropist J. Paul Getty, the Getty Center moved to its current location in Los Angeles in 1997. European paintings, drawings, manuscripts, sculpture and decorative arts are displayed within stunning modern architecture and fascinating gardens. The Getty Villa resides at the location of the original Getty museum in Malibu, revamped in 2006, focusing on Greek, Roman and Etruscan antiquities.

J. Paul Getty Museum
1200 Getty Center Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90049-1687
(310) 440-7330
getty.edu/museum

The Guggenheim celebrated its 50th anniversary in May of 2009. Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural masterpiece houses a wide range of modern and contemporary art from the second half of the 19th century to the present time period.

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
1071 Fifth Avenue (at 89th Street)
New York, NY 10128
Phone: (212) 423-3500
guggenheim.org

The Smithsonian American Art Museum was founded in 1829 as a federal institution. It's the first and most important collection of American art. Covering more than three centuries, its permanent collection includes nearly every form of art media. In 1972, the museum opened the Renwick Gallery, dedicated to American craft and decorative arts.

Smithsonian American Art Museum
8th and F Streets, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20004
(202) 633-7970
americanart.si.edu

An excellent example of Greek Revival architecture and built over many decades, the original U.S. Patent Office gave way to the National Portrait Gallery, opening in 1968. The story of America is told through individuals: the good, the bad and the ugly who defined our culture. Presidents, artists, actors, activists, sports icons and even villains are represented through a variety of visual arts to engage the viewer in a retrospective of the United States.

National Portrait Gallery
Eighth and F Streets, NW
Washington, D.C., 20001
(202) 633-8300
npg.si.edu