A national museum can be a museum maintained and funded by a national government. In many countries it denotes a museum run by the central government, while other museums are run by regional or local governments. In the United States, most national museums are privately funded and operated, but have been designated by Congress as national institutions that are important to the country. In other countries a much greater number of museums are run by the central government.
The following is an incomplete list of national museums:
Afghanistan National Museum of Afghanistan
Albania The Albanian government operates several national museums, including: National History Museum (Albania) National Museum of Education (Albania) National Museum of Fine Arts (Albania) National Museum of Medieval Art (Albania) Marubi National Museum of Photography
Algeria National Museum of Fine Arts of Algiers National Museum of Antiquities and Islamic Art
Angola Museu Nacional de História Natural de Angola National Museum of Slavery
Argentina The Argentinian Ministry of Culture operates several national museums, including:
Historical House of the Independence Museum Museo Casa de Rogelio Yrurtia Museo Mitre Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (Buenos Aires) National Historical Museum (Argentina) National Museum of Decorative Arts National Museum of the Cabildo and the May Revolution Sarmiento Historical Museum
Armenia History Museum of Armenia National Gallery of Armenia
Australia The Australian Government operates several national museums through its various departments, including: Australian National Maritime Museum Australian War Memorial National Gallery of Australia National Museum of Australia National Portrait Gallery (Australia) Questacon
In addition, a number of states in Australia also operate "national museums". These include:
National Motor Museum, Birdwood, operated by the government of South Australia National Gallery of Victoria, operated by the government of Victoria
Austria Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna Natural History Museum, Vienna Museum of Military History, Vienna Österreichische Galerie Belvedere
Azerbaijan National Art Museum of Azerbaijan National Museum of History of Azerbaijan
Bahamas National Art Gallery of The Bahamas
Bahrain Bahrain National Museum
Bangladesh Bangladesh National Museum National Art Gallery (Bangladesh) National Museum of Science and Technology (Bangladesh) Bangladesh Military Museum
Barbados Barbados Museum and Historical Society
Belarus Belarusian National Arts Museum Belarusian National History Museum
Belgium The Federal Public Service for Science Policy Programming in Belgium operates several museum associations: Royal Museums of Art and History Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
Belize Museum of Belize
Bhutan National Museum of Bhutan
Bolivia National Museum of Archaeology National Museum of Art National Natural History Museum
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnian and Herzegovinian Museum of Literature Historical Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana Botswana National Museum
Brazil National Historical Museum, Brazil (Museu Histórico Nacional) National Museum of Brazil (Museu Nacional) National Museum of Fine Arts (Museu Nacional de Belas Artes) National Museum of the Republic (Museu Nacional da República)
Brunei The government of Brunei operates several museums including: Brunei Museum Brunei Darussalam Maritime Museum Malay Technology Museum Royal Regalia Museum
Bulgaria National Archaeological Museum National Historical Museum National Art Gallery National Gallery for Foreign Art National Museum of Natural History Earth and Man National Museum National Museum of Military History National Transport Museum
Burkina Faso National Museum of Music
Burundi National Museum of Gitega
Cambodia National Museum of Cambodia Angkor National Museum
Canada The following are national museums of Canada, established by the federal government of Canada and operated through an autonomous Crown corporation: Canada Agriculture and Food Museum Canada Aviation and Space Museum Canada Science and Technology Museum Canadian Museum for Human Rights Canadian Museum of History Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 Canadian Museum of Nature Canadian War Museum National Gallery of Canada Virtual Museum of New France
Former national museums that were later shut down includes: Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography Canadian Postal Museum
In addition to institutions established or operated by the Government of Canada, several provinces and territories have established their own provincial and territorial museums.
Central African Republic Boganda National Museum
Chad Chad National Museum (Musee National N'Djamena)
Chile National Air and Space Museum (Santiago) National History Museum National Museum of Fine Arts (Santiago) National Museum of Natural History (Santiago)
China National Museum of China Palace Museum Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution National Art Museum of China
Colombia National Museum of Colombia
Comoros National Museum of Comoros
Congo, Democratic Republic of the National Museum of the Democratic Republic of the Congo National Museum of Lubumbashi
Costa Rica National Museum of Costa Rica
Croatia Croatian History Museum
Cuba Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana Museo Nacional de Historia Natural Cubana
Cyprus Cyprus Museum
Czech Republic National Gallery Prague National Museum, Prague Prague Postal Museum
Denmark
Hirschsprung Collection National Gallery of Denmark National Museum of Denmark Natural History Museum of Denmark Ordrupgaard
Djibouti Djibouti Museum
Dominica The Dominica Museum
Dominican Republic Museum of the Dominican Man Memorial Museum of Dominican Resistance Museo del Ámbar Dominicano Trampoline Children's Museum Amber World Museum Alcázar de Colón Fortaleza San Luis Columbus Lighthouse Fortaleza San Felipe Museo Bellapart Museo de las Casas Reales
Ecuador National Museum of Ecuador Museum of Anthropology and Contemporary Art Pumapungo Museum
Egypt Grand Egyptian Museum National Museum of Egyptian Civilization Egyptian Museum Luxor Museum Alexandria National Museum Aswan Museum Nubian Museum Sharm El Sheikh Museum Hurghada Museum Imhotep Museum Museum of Islamic Art Coptic Museum Egyptian National Military Museum
Eritrea National Museum of Eritrea
Estonia Art Museum of Estonia Estonian National Museum Estonian History Museum
Ethiopia National Museum of Ethiopia
Fiji Fiji Museum
Finland Ateneum Finnish Museum of Natural History Kiasma National Museum of Finland Sinebrychoff Art Museum
France Musée du Louvre Musée Delacroix Louvre-Lens Musée d'Orsay Musée de l'Orangerie Centre Georges Pompidou (Musée National d'Art Moderne) Centre Pompidou-Metz Musée de l'Armée National Archaeological Museum, France National Museum of Prehistory Musée de Cluny - National Museum of the Middle-Ages (Musée National du Moyen-Age) Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations (MuCEM) Musée national de la Renaissance Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac Musée national des Monuments Français Musée Guimet Musée national de Céramique Musée national Adrien-Dubouché Musée Picasso Musée Rodin Musée Gustave Moreau Musée Camille Claudel Musée Magnin Musée de la Musique Cité nationale de l'histoire de l'immigration Muséum national d'histoire naturelle Museum of Air and Space (Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace) Museum of Natural History () Museum of Science and Industry (Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie) National Navy Museum (Musée national de la Marine) Musée national de la Marine, Rochefort National Railway Museum (Musée Français du Chemin de Fer) Musée National de l'Automobile
Gambia Gambia National Museum
Georgia Georgian National Museum. Branches: Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia, Tbilisi Samtskhe-Javakheti History Museum, Akhaltsikhe Open Air Museum of Ethnography, Tbilisi Art Museum of Georgia, Tbilisi Museum of the Soviet Occupation, Tbilisi Dmanisi Museum-Reserve of History and Archaeology, Dmanisi Vani Museum-Reserve of Archaeology, Vani Museum of History of Tbilisi, Tbilisi Museum of History and Ethnography of Svaneti, Mestia Institute of Palaeobiology, Tbilisi Sighnaghi Museum, Sighnaghi Bolnisi Museum, Bolnisi Art Palace of Georgia - Museum of Cultural History
Germany Bavarian National Museum German Historical Museum (National Historical Museum) German Museum of Technology (Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin) German National Museum (Germanisches Nationalmuseum) Glyptothek The Max Planck Institutes Modern Art Museum (Pinakothek der Moderne) National Gallery Deutsches Museum New Pinakothek (Neue Pinakothek) Old Pinakothek (Alte Pinakothek)
Ghana National Museum of Ghana
Greece Athens War Museum National Archaeological Museum, Athens National Gallery National Historical Museum, Athens State Museum of Contemporary Arts
Grenada Grenada National Museum
Guatemala Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología Guatemalan National History Museum Museo Nacional de Arte Moderno "Carlos Mérida"
Guinea Sandervalia National Museum
Guinea-Bissau National Ethnographic Museum
Guyana National Museum of Guyana
Haiti National Museum of Haiti
Holy See (Vatican City) Vatican Museums Vatican Library Vatican Secret Archives Saint Peter's Basilica Apostolic Palace Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran Sistine Chapel
Hong Kong Hong Kong Museum of Art Hong Kong Museum of History Hong Kong Heritage Museum Hong Kong Science Museum
Hungary Hungarian National Museum Hungarian National Gallery Hungarian Natural History Museum Museum of Ethnography (Budapest) Museum of Fine Arts (Budapest) Semmelweis Museum of Medical History
Iceland National Gallery of Iceland National Museum of Iceland
Isle of Man Manx National Heritage (Eiraght Ashoonagh Vannin)
India National-level museums in India come directly under the administrative control of Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
National Museum, New Delhi Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya Indian Museum Government Museum, Mathura National Gallery of Modern Art Allahabad Museum Government Museum, Chennai Salar Jung Museum Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum Government Museum and Art Gallery, Chandigarh City Palace, Jaipur City Palace, Udaipur National Handicrafts and Handlooms Museum Victoria Memorial Jaisalmer War Museum Hazarduari Palace Sabarmati Ashram Cavalry Tank Museum, Ahmednagar National Rail Museum, New Delhi Railway Museum, Mysore Albert Hall Museum Madame Tussauds Delhi 23 science centers under the National Council of Science Museums 44 site museums under the Archaeological Survey of India
Indonesia Museums listed below are operated by Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology and other ministries. National Museum of Indonesia Basoeki Abdullah Museum Formulation of Proclamation Text Museum Fort Vredeburg Museum Museum of National Awakening National Gallery of Indonesia National Press Monument Some government-operated museums in Taman Mini Indonesia Indah Youth Pledge Museum
Iran Abgineh Museum of Tehran (Glassware and Ceramics Museum of Iran) Arg-é Bam Carpet Museum of Iran Golestan Palace Iranian National Museum of Medical Sciences History Malik National Museum of Iran Naghsh-i Jahan Square National Car Museum of Iran National Museum of Iran Niavaran Palace Complex Pars Museum of Shiraz Pearl Palace (Morvarid Palace) Reza Abbasi Museum Sadabad Palace
Iraq National Museum of Iraq
Ireland Irish Museum of Modern Art National Gallery of Ireland National Museum of Ireland. Branches: National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology, Dublin National Museum of Ireland – Decorative Arts and History, Dublin National Museum of Ireland – Natural History, Dublin