The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) and AECOM published the TEA/AECOM 2019 Theme Index and Museum Index: The Global Attractions Attendance Report, a study of attendance at the world's most visited theme parks, amusement parks, waterparks and museums.
The 20 top-attended museums in North America saw an aggregate attendance decline of about 18.0% in 2019 compared to the previous year, with double-digit decreases at several facilities. History shows that these attendance swings at the top are primarily driven by the presence or absence of blockbuster exhibitions and construction-related closures. In 2019 the factors also included changes to visitor counting methods.
Top 20 Museums in North America |
Rank |
Museum, Location |
Change |
2019 |
2018 |
Admission |
1 |
The Metropolitan Museum of Art,
New York, NY, USA |
-8.0% |
6,770,000 |
7,360,000 |
Paid |
2 |
American Museum of Natural History,
New York, NY, USA |
0.0% |
5,000,000 |
5,000,000 |
Paid |
| 3 |
National Museum of Natural History,
Washington, DC, USA |
-12.5% |
4,200,000 |
4,800,000 |
Free |
| 4 |
National Gallery of Art,
Washington DC, USA |
-7.5% |
4,074,000 |
4,404,000 |
Free |
5 |
National Air and Space Museum,
Washington, DC, USA |
-48.4.4% |
3,200,000 |
6,200,000 |
Free |
6 |
National Museum of American History,
Washington, DC, USA |
-31.7% |
2,800,000 |
4,100,000* |
Free |
7 |
California Science Center,
Los Angeles, CA, USA |
-12.7% |
2,200,000 |
2,520,000 |
Paid |
8 |
National Museum of African American History and Culture,
Washington, DC, USA |
5.3% |
2,000,000 |
1,900,000* |
Free |
8 |
Smithsonian American Art Museum (with the Renwick Gallery),
Washington, DC, USA |
-36.5% |
2,000,000 |
3,150,000* |
Free |
10 |
Museum of Modern Art,
New York, NY, USA |
-28.2% |
1,992,000 |
2,774,000 |
Paid |
11 |
Houston Museum of Natural Science,
Houston, TX, USA |
-14.7% |
1,974,000 |
2,313,000 |
Free |
12 |
National Portrait Gallery,
Washington, DC, USA |
-26.1% |
1,700,000 |
2,300,000* |
Free |
| 13 |
The Art Institute of Chicago,
Chicago, IL, USA |
2.7% |
1,666,000 |
1,622,000 |
Paid |
14 |
U. S. Holocaust Memorial Museum,
Washington, DC, USA |
-3.0% |
1,600,000 |
1,650,000 |
Paid |
| 15 |
Field Museum of Natural History,
Chicago, IL, USA |
-2.0% |
1,494,000 |
1,525,000 |
Paid |
| 16 |
Denver Museum of Nature & Science,
Denver, CO, USA |
5.1% |
1,487,000* |
1,415,000 |
Paid |
| 17 |
Museum of Science,
Boston, MA, USA |
0.0% |
1,458,000 |
1,458,000 |
Paid |
| 17 |
The J. Paul Getty Museum,
Los Angeles, CA, USA |
-4.6% |
1,439,000 |
1,509,000 |
Free |
| 19 |
Museum of Science and Industry,
Chicago, IL, USA |
-10.7% |
1,388,000 |
1,500,000* |
Paid |
| 20 |
California Academy of Sciences,
San Francisco, CA, USA |
2.0% |
1,321,000 |
1,295,000 |
Paid |
| TOP 20 TOTAL ATTENDANCE 2019 |
|
49,763,000 |
58,850,000 |
|
TOP 20 TOTAL ATTENDANCE GROWTH 2018-19 |
-13.2% |
49,763,000 |
60,337,000 |
|
Source: TEA/AECOM 2019 Theme Index and Museum Index: The Global Attractions Attendance Report
* Adjustment versus the figure we published in last year’s report
|
