The 3 Most-Visited Museums in the World
December 28th, 2011
[Photo: Flickr/Moyan_Breen]
Around the world, tourists flock to museums to view infamous artistic masterpieces, scientific artifacts, and pieces of history. For many, the museum is an inexpensive or even free way to spend an afternoon and take in the culture of places they visit. Travel + Leisure collected data from museums, government agencies, and reputable media outlets to tally up the annual attendance at the world’s most-visited museums – check out the three museums that made it to the top:
1. Musée du Louvre, Paris
For several years, the Louvre has attracted 8.5 million visitors annually—a number considerably greater than the 6.7 million that visit the Eiffel Tower. With over 35,000 masterpieces in the museum’s collection including infamous works like the Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa, it’s no wonder the numbers are so high.
2. Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Washington D.C.
Located on the national mall in Washington D.C., 8.3 million people visit the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum each year. The museum houses the world’s largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft ranging from the Wright Brother’s 1903 Flyer to a piece of lunar rock.
3. Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, Washington D.C.
6.8 million visitors flock to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History to view the massive 126 million item collection, which includes dinosaur fossils and the infamous Hope Diamond. It is also always improving its offering, adding Sant Ocean Hall, the world’s largest marine collection, in 2008, and the Koch Hall of Human Origins in 2010.
Need to see one of these museums for yourself? Stay with Courtyard when you get there.
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The World’s 5 Most-Visited Tourist Attractions
The 25 Most Photographed Places in the World
The Top 10 Travel Destinations in the World
The Top 10 Travel Destinations in the World
June 16th, 2011
7 continents, 195 countries, countless cities—how to choose where to go from all the options? Luckily, the heavy lifting’s already been done for you: TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards names the top 10 places to go in the world, selected by other travelers. As if that weren’t enough, you can also stay at a Courtyard at 6 of the top picks!
Courtyard Paris Arcueil Hotel Opens in France
March 18th, 2011
Paris in the springtime — Cole Porter and Frank Sinatra sang about it, and now Courtyard gives you one more reason to visit the City of Light.
Whether you’re in town to check out the Edouard Manet retrospective at the Musee d’Orsay, taking the kids to see Justin Bieber, planning your stay for the French Open, or simply going on that long overdue vacation, we’re making it easy for you: the newly opened Courtyard Paris Arcueil, located just south of Paris, has convenient access to both Paris Orly and Paris Charles de Gaulle Roissy Airports, as well as a direct line to the heart of downtown Paris. The business center, gym, and in-building market are all open 24 hours, meaning you can keep your 6 AM workout routine or have a leisurely drink in the lobby before finessing your business presentation. And if you’re looking for additional recommendations before hitting the town? Courtyard Paris Arcueil is the first in the country to feature an Interactive GoBoard, which clues you into restaurants, events and other local happenings.
Related Links:
Explore Courtyard Paris Arcueil Hotel
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Courtyard Opens Its 800th Hotel in Shanghai
Brian's Blog: Traveling Through France, Visiting a Courtyard Hotel
July 16th, 2008I was bitten by the “travel bug” at a very young age. I grew up on a small dairy farm in Brownsville, Wisconsin, which my family still runs today, and getting away from chores was always a most welcomed treat. My parents would pack up the family station wagon and we would drive all night to arrive 14 hours later at my grandparents’ home in Rogers, Arkansas. As an adult, I still love summer vacations just as much as I did as kid. I thought I would share a few thoughts on my recent trip to Europe.
I took a ten day vacation to France which included a few days in Paris, the “City of Light,” and then stayed in the country with a group of friends at a wonderful château in Bordeaux. We had a marvelous time enjoying the country and doing a fair share of wine tasting! As much as I enjoy the French countryside, I love Paris. It is an amazing city, steeped in culture, home to thousands of sidewalk cafes, and priceless architectural wonders like Notre Dame and the Louvre.
In Paris I stayed at our terrific Courtyard by Marriott Paris Neuilly. Neuilly is an upscale, gorgeous tree-lined neighborhood and the hotel sits in the heart of it all. The property recently underwent a full lobby renovation and it’s a real show stopper. It features a stylish international bar called 58 Bar and Lounge and a delightful restaurant called Brasserie Victor Hugo, named after the world-renowned French author. The wallpaper in the brasserie is Victor Hugo’s actual hand writing that was blown up to poster size and fills all sides of the room. I really enjoyed staying at this hotel, because it is tucked away in a residential part of the city, still close enough to the sites, but far enough away that you get a real sense of everyday life for your typical Parisian.
I’ll be traveling a little more throughout the summer and am looking forward to sharing my experiences from those trips with you as well. Until then, I’d love to hear from you about any summer trips you have planned for the summer or that you may have already taken – especially if they were in a Courtyard!
Thanks for helping me keep Courtyard on the go.
Brian
