In the past, social media and art were considered two completely separate worlds. And yet, the most important social media are carving out an ever larger space in our daily lives, both private and professional, just think that buying Instagram followers is a practice that is becoming more and more widespread every day and involves not only brands and professionals. In this panorama, it was unthinkable that museums and the art world would remain excluded from the social universe.

Today, museums are experiencing a true digital revolution, using social media as a fundamental tool to communicate with their audience.

The best art museums to follow on Instagram

The integration of new technologies has become indispensable in everyday life and museums have adapted to stay in touch with the public and engage art lovers in a more direct and exciting way.

MUSEUMS AND SOCIAL MEDIA

More and more museums are experiencing the enormous potential of new communication technologies. While Facebook continues to dominate in terms of number of members, it is Instagram that is growing the fastest and, what is really interesting, it is mainly young people who are driving this growth. The best museums in the world have understood the trend and have not missed the opportunity to open their profiles. In our country, the response has been a little slower, however, it has been there and it started in Florence. The Uffizi, in fact, has a following of 150,000 Instagram users.
In short, even if some purists may turn up their noses, the concept of exhibitions is changing and museums are changing too.

But which are the most social museums globally?

MOST POPULAR MUSEUMS ON INSTAGRAM

• MoMA – New York’s Museum of Modern Art – undisputedly tops the list with an impressive 3.9 million followers.
  This extraordinary result is not surprising, considering the museum’s importance and relevance in the field of modern art.
  Their communication strategy on Instagram was meticulously designed, offering a balanced mix of images of their prestigious permanent collection and exciting temporary exhibitions.
  This approach allowed MoMA to create constant engagement with their audience, achieving a high number of likes and interactions for each post shared.

• Another prominent institution in the United States is the MET – Metropolitan Museum of Art, which has 2.6 million followers on Instagram.
  Their presence on social media is characterised by a well-defined strategy based on sharing the universally recognised and appreciated masterpieces of their collection. Each post published by MET receives a considerable number of likes, thanks to the careful choice of artworks to present to the online audience. This approach has helped to consolidate the MET’s prestigious position as one of the most influential and popular museums in the world.

• London’s Tate ranks as Europe’s number one museum with an impressive 2.3 million followers.
  The Tate’s Instagram account unites several of its venues, offering a variety of art content ranging from modern to contemporary art. The images shared on their Instagram platform capture the public’s attention, promoting British art and offering an in-depth look at their collections.

• The Louvre, flagship of the Ville Lumiere, confirms its irresistible charm, attracting no less than 2 million followers on Instagram, even though it does not post as frequently as the others.
  A curiosity: the Louvre in Abu Dhabi runs a separate account and is followed by 108,000 people who evidently also appreciate the institution’s Middle Eastern context.

• What about the famous Guggenheim Museum?
  Well, its different venues each have a successful account. The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, for example, has 330,000 members while the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice surprised everyone with its 187,000 passionate followers. The works on display are innovative and contemporary, which in fact, manages to attract an international audience.

• The Victoria and Albert Museum in London is surpassing 860,000 followers. The museum’s profile fits impeccably with its identity, cleverly alternating images from the world of fashion and works of art.

• The Parisian Centre Pompidou, on the other hand, has been skilful in reaching the 740,000 follower mark, partly because it tends to promote works of art that are less known to the general public on social media.

• The Musée d’Orsay, another iconic institution in Paris, uses its Instagram account mainly to promote events and share visitors’ photos.
  The 511,000 followers it has gained enshrine the winning approach.

• The Museo Nacional del Prado is a source of pride for Spaniards, not only for its works of art, but also for its social approach, which is very attentive and curated.
  The Prado publishes daily videos in which its curators comment on some of the works of art on display. It has climbed the Instagram charts, surpassing 330,000 followers.