The International Council of Museums defines a museum as "a not-for-profit, permanent institution in the service of society that researches, collects, conserves, interprets and exhibits tangible and intangible heritage. Open to the public, accessible and inclusive, museums foster diversity and sustainability. They operate and communicate ethically, professionally and with the participation of communities, offering varied experiences for education, enjoyment, reflection and knowledge sharing.” ^[1]

The estimated total number of museums worldwide is around 104,000. Museum institutions are not evenly distributed globally, with Western Europe and North America housing around 61% of museums as of March 2021.^[2] The International Council of Museums comprises approximately 30,000 members in 137 countries.

Museums in...

Museums in...

• List of largest art museums
• List of most visited art museums
• List of museums with major collections of European prints and drawings

• Art museum
• Museum
• Virtual museum Includes list of virtual museums
• List of archives
• List of libraries
• List of national museums
• List of buildings and structures
• Lists of tourist attractions