A quarter of Americans visit an art museum each year, according to 2002 census figures. Hundreds of art museums dot American cities and towns, focusing on every kind of art from ancient carvings to post-modern, avant-garde installations. Art museums are a popular destination for tourists, art lovers, families, and students of art or art history.

The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., the largest museum complex in the world, includes several renowned art museums, including the National Gallery of Art, the Hirshorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the Phillips Collection, the American Art Museum, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, and the National Portrait Gallery. In 2007, 24.2 million people visited the Smithsonian institute, which contains over 136 million works of art and artifacts.

The Guggenheim museum, a famous museum of art in New York, was designed by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The Guggenheim's collection is varied, including works from the Cubist, Dada, Impressionist, Expressionist, and Pop-art movements among others. The Louvre museum in Paris, France, is one of the world's most visited art museums. The museum is housed in a former royal palace that dates back to medieval times. The Louvre boasts some of the world's most famous works of art, including the Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory, and the Venus de Milo. Another one of the world's famous art museums are the Vatican Museums in Rome, Italy, which display the art collection of the Roman Catholic Church. The famous Sistine Chapel, painted by Michelangelo, is part of the tour.

The Tate Modern in London, England, is one of the world's premier modern art museums. The Tate's collection includes surrealist, abstract, expressionistic, pop, and contemporary art.