Last Updated on June 22, 2020 by Iris Sinilong

Art has a special spot in my heart.  Whenever I visit new places, I search for art galleries to visit- large and small.  They are a source of inspiration and discovery.  Art has also become a major part of travel for others too.  Every year, famous art galleries and museums are visited by the millions.  Not many visit Paris without a trip to the Musée du Louvre.  The museum is a landmark and a part of both Parisian culture and Parisian travel.  And with this, the famous works of art become important sights to see if only to say you’ve seen them.   When people from all over the world gather to view da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, they become connected.  They will each gaze upon the same painting that has become an enduring and appropriated pop-culture icon, but react to it differently. Maybe they’ll feel fascinated, enlightened, fulfilled, overwhelmed, hopeful, satisfied, disappointed, bored, or indifferent.  Perhaps they won’t get the tranquil experience they imagined among the crowds and the noise.  Perhaps they’ll uncover the mystery of her smile.

Below are five other famous works of art that one should see while travelling.  If you’ve seen them, or any others, tell us in the comment section below!

New York City

In the Museum of Modern Art is van Gogh’s most recognizable painting, Starry Night.  It was created in Saint-Remy, France in June 1889 while van Gogh spent time in an asylum.

Madrid

Picasso’s Guernica is exhibited at the Museo Reina Sofia.  This anti-war mural was painted in 1937 in Paris to reflect the turmoil of the Spanish Civil War.

Washington

Le Pont Japonais a Giverny by Monet is showcased in the National Gallery of Art.  This impressionist landscape was painted in 1899.

Oslo

In the National Gallery of Norway is The Scream by Munch painted in 1893.  Munch created several versions of this scene using paint, pastels, and lithograph prints.

Milan

The Last Supper by da Vinci is in the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie. (Okay, we cheated. It’s not a museum per se, but who could leave it out?)  The 15th century mural was commissioned by the church and documents an important moment in religious history.