The World's 'Most Powerful' Art Gallery Is in London: National Gallery Tops Global Ranking

The 200-year-old Trafalgar Square institution, The National Gallery, has been named the world's most culturally dominant art institution — and it's currently undergoing its biggest ever revamp.

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The Telegraph has revealed a ranking comparing five of the world's greatest art hubs in terms of cultural dominance, and the London institution scored highest with an 8/10 power ranking. Scores were based on footfall, masterpieces, and recent acquisitions. The gallery's plans to build a whole new wing as part of Project Domani helped boost its rating.

The groundbreaking £750 million Project Domani is the biggest transformation in the gallery's 200-year history. The substantial funding will go towards a (somewhat controversial) expansion of its collection to include 20th and 21st-century art, as well as a roof garden and larger exhibition space.

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New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art came second with 7/10, ahead of the National Museum of Korea, the Vatican Museums, and the Musée du Louvre, all tied at six points. The National Gallery also ranked fourth on Time Out's list of the 25 best museums in London for 2026, described as having "wall to wall art bangers" with "everything from Van Gogh to Caravaggio — and it's all free."