5 Famous Art Museums in the USA

Honouring and preserving the works of prominent artists and painters from across the world, art museums in the United States are among the popular attractions of the country. Scattered across the length and breadth of the nation, these museums are home to ancient paintings, sculptures and several other art forms.

Image Credits:  Kai Pilger

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Located in the New York City, Metropolitan Museum of Art, famously known as The Met, is one of the largest art museums in the United States. Established in 1870, it exhibits over 5,000 years of art from every corner of the world. More than five million visitors visit this museum every year to check out the collection of Roman statues, musical instruments, modern artworks and Egyptian artefacts. Paintings by Whistler and Sargent are among the top hits here at The Met.

Museum of Modern Art, New York

Located in Midtown Manhattan, MoMA is home to an extensive selection of modern and contemporary art, works of architecture, photography, prints, sculpture, paintings, illustrated books and many other interesting objects. There is a permanent library inside the museum which features over 300,000 books, around 1,000 periodical titles and over 40,000 files of ephemera along with several sources related to the history of traditional and modern art. Art exhibitions, creative workshops and information exchange through different mediums are among the major draws here.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles

Featuring works of world renowned artists and painters, Los Angeles County Museum is one of the must visit attractions in California. Established in 1961, this museum is an interesting conservatory of over 120,000 objects including paintings, sculptures, photographs and illustrations. The 6^th century shrine with four tirthankaras, sculpture of Lord Mahavira, statue of Hindu Lord Shiva in Nataraja from and other antique objects can be found here. Islamic art form and Greek and Roman sculptures are also displayed.

Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC

Situated halfway between the Washington Monument and US Capitol, Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden is a striking art museum in the city. It is home to a wide range of beautiful paintings and sculptures dating back to the early 15^th and 16^th centuries. Works of notable artists and painters like Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Mary Cassatt, Thomas Eakins, Henry Moore, Mark Rothko, Hans Hofmann, Morris Louis, Kenneth Noland, John Chamberlain and Francis Bacon are exhibited here. Tours, exhibitions and workshops are held on a daily basis.

Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia

Established in 1928 with an aim to preserve old paintings and sculptures, Philadelphia Museum of Art is one of the oldest art museums in Philadelphia. Located in the northwest end of the city, the museum is known for featuring various kinds of artwork including sculptures, paintings, prints, drawings, photographs, armours and decorative arts. The Henry Ossawa Tanner’s Annunciation (acquired in 1899), Pablo Picasso and Nous autres musiciens (Three Musicians, 1921) are among the most valuable possessions of the museum.