According to UNESCO, the United States recorded the highest number of museums globally, with approximately 33,082 institutions as of March 2021. Germany and Japan followed on the list, with around 6,741 and 5,738 institutions, respectively. Overall, the current estimated total number of museums worldwide is nearly 104 thousand.
Leading countries worldwide ranked by estimated number of museums as of March 2021
The source specifies that the estimated number of museums is based on: “the Report on the implementation of the 2015 UNESCO Recommendation on Museums and Collections (figures collected by the OCLC (Online Computer Library Center), based on the Museums of the World directory published by Saur, and figures from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) in Washington, D.C., for American museums). These statistics have been amended from those provided by the 56 Member States for the monitoring of the Recommendation (in 2019), by data provided in the first UNESCO survey of museums and COVID, conducted in April 2020 by 45 UNESCO field offices, and by the present survey of Member States in March 2021”.
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UNESCO. (April 15, 2021). Leading countries worldwide ranked by estimated number of museums as of March 2021 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 21, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1201825/top-countries-by-number-of-museums-worldwide/
UNESCO. "Leading countries worldwide ranked by estimated number of museums as of March 2021." Chart. April 15, 2021. Statista. Accessed December 21, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1201825/top-countries-by-number-of-museums-worldwide/
UNESCO. (2021). Leading countries worldwide ranked by estimated number of museums as of March 2021. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 21, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1201825/top-countries-by-number-of-museums-worldwide/
UNESCO. "Leading Countries Worldwide Ranked by Estimated Number of Museums as of March 2021." Statista, Statista Inc., 15 Apr 2021, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1201825/top-countries-by-number-of-museums-worldwide/
UNESCO, Leading countries worldwide ranked by estimated number of museums as of March 2021 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1201825/top-countries-by-number-of-museums-worldwide/ (last visited December 21, 2024)
Leading countries worldwide ranked by estimated number of museums as of March 2021 [Graph], UNESCO, April 15, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1201825/top-countries-by-number-of-museums-worldwide/
