Museums are vital cultural institutions that preserve and exhibit the rich history, art, and science of our world. In the United States, several museums stand out due to the vastness of their collections. Here’s a comprehensive look at the largest 15 museum collections in the U.S., ranked by the number of items they hold.
Smithsonian Institution
The Castle serves as the main visitor center for the Smithsonian Institution, providing information about all Smithsonian museums and research facilities.
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, USA, was established in 1870, with its Beaux-Arts facade designed by Richard Morris Hunt. The museum’s architecture combines various styles, with significant extensions and renovations. It houses one of the most comprehensive art collections in the world.
Art Institute of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, 1879. The Art Institute of Chicago holds a collection of over 300,000 artworks and artifacts. The museum is renowned for its extensive collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings, including works by Monet, Renoir, and Seurat. The museum’s iconic lion statues and the modern wing designed by Renzo Piano are highlights.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Los Angeles, California, 1965. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art is the largest art museum in the western United States, with a collection of over 150,000 objects. LACMA’s collections encompass the history of art from ancient times to the present, including a significant collection of Asian art, Islamic art, and contemporary art.
Getty Center
Los Angeles, California, 1997. The Getty Center is part of the J. Paul Getty Trust, the world’s wealthiest art institution. The Getty’s collection includes over 100,000 artworks, with notable strengths in European paintings, drawings, sculpture, and decorative arts, as well as photography. The museum’s hilltop campus, designed by Richard Meier, offers stunning views of Los Angeles.
American Museum of Natural History
New York City, New York, 1869. The American Museum of Natural History houses over 34 million specimens of plants, animals, fossils, minerals, rocks, meteorites, human remains, and cultural artifacts. The museum is famous for its dinosaur skeletons, extensive dioramas, and the Rose Center for Earth and Space.
Museum of Modern Art
At The Museum of Modern Art and MoMA PS1, we celebrate creativity, openness, tolerance, and generosity. We aim to be inclusive places—both onsite and online—where diverse cultural, artistic, social, and political positions are welcome. We’re committed to sharing the most thought-provoking modern and contemporary art, and we hope you will join us in exploring the art, ideas, and issues of our time.
National Gallery of Art
Washington, D.C., 1937. The National Gallery of Art features a collection of over 150,000 paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, photographs, prints, and drawings. The gallery’s holdings span Western art from the Middle Ages to the present. The West Building, designed by John Russell Pope, and the East Building, designed by I.M. Pei, are architectural highlights.
Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland, Ohio, 1913. The Cleveland Museum of Art boasts a collection of over 61,000 works of art, ranging from ancient to contemporary. The museum is known for its comprehensive Asian and Egyptian art collections, as well as European and American paintings. The recent expansion, designed by Rafael Viñoly, enhances its architectural allure.
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1876. The Philadelphia Museum of Art houses over 240,000 objects, including Renaissance, American, and Impressionist masterpieces. The museum’s iconic neoclassical building, with its famous “Rocky Steps,” offers stunning views of the city and serves as a cultural hub for exhibitions and educational programs.
Field Museum
Chicago, Illinois, 1893. The Field Museum’s collection contains over 40 million specimens and artifacts, including fossils, minerals, and cultural artifacts. The museum is famous for “Sue,” the largest and most complete T. rex skeleton ever found, as well as extensive collections in anthropology and natural history.
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
San Francisco, California, 1935. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art features a collection of over 33,000 artworks, including painting, sculpture, photography, architecture, design, and media arts. The museum’s recent expansion, designed by Snøhetta, makes it one of the largest modern and contemporary art museums in the world.
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Houston, Texas, 1900. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, holds a collection of over 70,000 works, ranging from antiquity to the present. The museum’s collections are especially strong in American art, European paintings, and Latin American art. The recent addition of the Nancy and Rich Kinder Building, designed by Steven Holl, has significantly expanded its exhibition space.
Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Kansas City, Missouri, 1933. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art features a collection of over 42,000 works of art, including a significant collection of Asian art, European and American paintings, and modern and contemporary art. The museum’s iconic Shuttlecocks sculptures and the Bloch Building, designed by Steven Holl, are architectural highlights.
