Every year on the 18th of May, International Museum Day (IMD) is celebrated that commemorates the importance of Museums. Coordinated by the International Council of Museums (ICOM), the day brings together all the museum professionals to meet the public and raise awareness about the challenges that museums face. The real definition of museums according to ICOM is: "a museum is a non-profit, permanent institution in the service of society and its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment for the purposes of education, study and enjoyment." Virasat-E-Khalsa in Punjab Is Museum With Highest Footfall in India Declares Limca Book of Records (See Pics.)

People who love Museums, usually surround their travel plans accordingly and fortunately, the world is full of beautiful museums that are like a different world on their own. Museums have a long history dating back to the 3rd century B.C., when the first known museum was opened in the University of Alexandria in Egypt and after that, so many museums came up that has the ability to take you to a different era in no time.

List of the best museums in the world:

The British Museum (London)

This mesmerising museum has a natural history and library collections alone formed separate institutions. One of the greatest museums in the world, the British Museum in the Bloomsbury area of London, United Kingdom, is a collection of some eight million works. The museum among the largest and most comprehensive in existence a public institution dedicated to human history, art and culture.

The Louvre (Paris)

The Louvre also known as the Louvre Museum, is the world's finest and largest art museum in Paris. It is also one of the best historic monument is known to be France's finest cultural institution. The museum depicts the history and culture of the place in the most beautiful way.

The Natural History Museum (London)

The Natural History Museum in London is one of the biggest and the most beautiful natural history museum across the world. Exhibiting a vast range of specimens from different fragments of natural history, the museum is a must-visit. The existence of this museums dates back to the late 19th century when the British national collection was split 2 ways: one half became the British Museum (the museum of all mankind); the other became the Natural History Museum (the museum of all creation).

Galleria degli Uffizi (Italy)

The collections of this museum were born and cultivated by the enormously generous Medici family over a number of centuries and are considered as a result of their generous patronage are beguiling. Located adjacent to the Piazza Della Signoria, the Art Gallery is the pride of the Historic Centre of Florence in the region of Tuscany, Italy.

Vatican City (Italy)

The art gallery containing the finest works of Italian art from the Renaissance and High Renaissance and finest would be an understatement. The museum is special in its own different ways, for one, the dome of the museum was designed by Michelangelo, the portico created by Bernini, and St. Peter was martyred here. This museum is a once in a lifetime experience

The National Palace Museum (Taiwan)

This beautiful museum is located in Taipei and Taibao, Chiayi County, Taiwan and has a permanent collection of about 700,000 pieces of ancient Chinese imperial artefacts and artworks. The museum is one of its largest kind and the pieces in the collection found in the museums are the result of more than a thousand years of personal, sovereign collecting.

National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa)

If you want to really check out the art explaining the Middles Ages to the present day panning right from American, Indian, European, Inuit and Canadian works, the National Gallery of Canada is the best place.

India too has a number of museums, such as Allahabad Museum, ASI Museum Goa, Indian Museum Kolkata, ASI MuseumNagarjunaKonda, National Museum New Delhi and NGMA Bengaluru.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 18, 2019 08:30 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).