10 Art Museums and How They Outrank Big Businesses in Reputation

The research conducted by myself and Patricia Heijndijk from the University of the Netherlands reveals a significant disparity between the reputations of art museums and the world's biggest companies. Despite substantial corporate reputation management investments, museums consistently outperform them in terms of public perception.

Research Methodology

Using the established tool "RepTrak," we surveyed over 12,000 individuals, including museum visitors and non-visitors, to assess various aspects of the museum's reputation. The results showed that museums scored, on average, 15 points higher than the most well-regarded companies, highlighting a considerable gap in reputation.

Key insights from the research include the strong performance of museums like the Louvre and Tate Modern and the influence of a museum's location on its overall evaluation. Additionally, museums' purpose-driven strategies, focused on serving the public, contribute significantly to their positive perception.

Implications for Businesses

Businesses can learn from museums by adopting purpose-driven strategies and prioritizing customer satisfaction. While replicating the emotional connection museums create with their visitors may pose a challenge, aligning corporate strategy with authentic purposes can lead to substantial benefits in reputation management.

Top Art Museums Around the World

Our reputation study ranks the 10 most visited art museums. Here's a glimpse into the world's top-ranked art museums:

The Louvre, France:

Centrally located in Paris, the Louvre is not only the world's biggest museum but also attracts millions of visitors, with 7.3 million seeking admission every year. Over 38,000 artifacts are housed on its premises, and work is performed by eight departments, including some iconic pieces like Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa. Now, the Louvre flaunts these high scores: 84.3% for the collection itself, 84.2% for contribution to society, and 83.3% for leadership in the museum world.

Van Gogh Museum, Netherlands:

The sole prerogative of the Vincent Van Gogh Museum is the artwork of the reputable Vincent Van Gogh, which makes the museum attracts over 2 million visitors annually. It is worth mentioning that as the place with the largest collection of Van Gogh and the world's most famous paintings, such as Sunflowers and Self-Portrait, the museum's grade in the world is second only in the global reputation score of 81.9%.

Rijksmuseum, Netherlands:

Initially established in The Hague and later moved to Amsterdam, the Rijksmuseum reopened in 2013 after a successful refurbishment project that took 10 years to materialize. The museum, with a collection of 8,000 items of art and history, including masterpieces by Rembrandt and Vermeer, is the third-best (by reputation score 81.9 points) museum in the world.

State Hermitage, Russia:

The State Hermitage Museum is a complex of more than 700,000 square feet, ranked second after the Palace of Versailles in France. Since its opening, it has received around 4.1 million visitors annually and is home to approximately 3 million art pieces, including monumental ones like Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel and Raphael's Rooms. With a total reputation score of 81.4%, NUS ranks seventh globally.

British Museum, U.K.:

The British Museum in London, with the biggest collection of artifacts, is devoted to the main aspects of human history and culture: art and artifacts. At 128,000 visitors annually, this museum houses some great historical artifacts, such as the Rosetta Stone and Michelangelo's sculptures. Although it is the fifth largest museum in the world, the College Museum has a great rating of 80.8 % and is one of the best collection museums in the world.

Musée d'Orsay, France:

The Musée d'Orsay is in Paris, and it hosts the largest collection of impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces from across the world. The museum, of course, attracts 3 million tourists who mostly come for the masterpieces of great artists, including Monet, Van Gogh, and Munch. Although it is the third most known destination for French travelers, it deserves sixth place, with a remarkable score of 80.6%.

Vatican Museums, Italy:

These Vatican Museums date back to 1956, and today, they host 70,000 masterpieces like the Sistine Chapel and Raphael Rooms. The site is visited by more than six million visitors every year. Therefore, it is ranked 8th globally, and thus, the site has a well-known image all over the world, especially in Asia, with a reputation score of 80.4 %.

Museo del Prado, Spain:

In Spain, planting the roots of the national art museum is identified with the Prado (Museo del Prado) to Madrid. Every year the museum is visited by more than 3 million people. The museum displays many Spanish works of the 11th-18th Centuries, as well as ambassadors of art heroes from other lands, such as Rembrandt himself. Its position is the eighth globally, with a 83.1% reputation in Spain.

National Gallery, U.K.:

The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square in London reports an annual visitor influx of 6.2 million. Its storage of more than 2,300 paintings from the era between the mid-13th century and 1900 ranks it ninth globally, with a reputation score of 79.5%. It is admired for its unique collection related to the establishment of discoveries and enlightenment.

Metropolitan Museum of Art, USA:

Located in Manhattan, New York, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is a leader among US art museums and is the number one museum visited, with over seven million visitors annually. The museum holds over 2 million objects, including paintings by Picasso and Van Gogh. It ranks tenth in the world and has obtained 79.3% of reputation based on feedback given by people from Asia and The Americas.

Each museum offers unique insights into the intersection of art, culture, and public engagement, providing valuable lessons for businesses aiming to enhance their reputations and connections with their audiences.