London's British Museum comes 15th in Lonely Planet travel list

Updated

London's British Museum has been named as a global must-see spot, alongside some of the world's most prestigious heritage sites.

In an ultimate travel list drawn up by travel website Lonely Planet, and dominated by members of Unesco's World Heritage Sites, the museum came in 15th spot behind Australia's Great Barrier Reef and the Taj Mahal in India.

The British Museum, founded in 1753, includes artefacts that date back millions of years and was visited by over six million people last year.

It houses around eight million items and was included in the top 20 due to it being "the greatest treasure house of Europe" according to those compiling the list.

The team of travel experts and authors rated the world's best sights in an effort to list the world's 500 best places to see on the planet, of which 34 came from the UK and Northern Ireland, including the Lake District, Snowdonia in Wales and Edinburgh Castle.

The number one spot in the list was taken by Cambodia's Temples of Angkor which is regarded as one of the world's most important archaeological sites.

To celebrate the release of Lonely Planet's Ultimate Travelist, three of the world's finest sand sculptors will recreate five sights from around the world on Peter's Hill in central London this week.

The top 20 of the Lonely Planet travel list is:

1. Temples of Angkor, Cambodia

2. Great Barrier Reef, Australia

3. Machu Picchu, Peru

4. Great Wall of China, China

5. Taj Mahal, India

6. Grand Canyon National Park, USA

7. Colosseum, Italy

8. Iguazu Falls, Brazil-Argentina

9. Alhambra, Spain

10. Aya Sofya, Turkey

11. Fez Medina, Morocco

12. Twelve Apostles, Australia

13. Petra, Jordan

14. Tikal, Guatemala

15. British Museum, England

16. Sagrada Familia, Spain

17. Fiordland National Park, New Zealand

18. Santorini, Greece

19. Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

20. Museum of Old & New Art, Australia

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