London has been named the best city in the world for art galleries in Time Out’s latest global survey of cultural destinations, ahead of Paris and New York.
The ranking was based on responses from more than 24,000 people worldwide about culture in their cities. Some 81.1 percent of surveyed Londoners said art galleries were what their city did best, compared with 67.9 percent of respondents in Paris and 67.7 percent in New York.
London also placed third for museums, with 88.4 percent of residents praising the city’s offerings, behind Paris and Madrid. Many of London’s leading public institutions, such as the British Museum and Tate Modern, offer free access to their permanent collections, broadening public access to art across periods and media
The ranking comes during a significant year for London’s cultural landscape. The city has welcomed new institutions including V&A East and V&A East Storehouse, the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration, and the Museum of Youth Culture.The London Museum is also scheduled to open its new location this November in Smithfield, East London.
London’s current exhibition calendar also includes several major presentations. Tate Modern is staging “Frida: The Making of an Icon” an exhibition examining how Frida Kahlo shaped her public identity and became a globally recognizable cultural figure. The Hayward Gallery is hosting a major Anish Kapoor exhibition, while Kew Gardens has installed more than 30 works for “Henry Moore: Monumental Nature.”
Other highlights include “Marilyn Monroe: A Portrait” at the National Portrait Gallery, the Royal Academy of Arts’ 258th Summer Exhibition, and “Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art” at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Tate Modern is also presenting “Tracey Emin: A Second Life,” billed as the largest survey yet of the British artist’s four-decade career.
The art ranking forms part of Time Out’s 2026 guide to the world’s best cities. London placed fourth in the publication’s overall city ranking but took the top position when the results were narrowed to cultural offerings.
