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 are regarded as one of the world’s most important archaeological sites.

The top 20 spots around the world

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, US
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