The top 100 most BORING tourist attractions in the world revealed: A railway trip in


The last thing any tourist wants is to buckle up for a boring attraction.

So a new study that reveals ‘the 100 most boring attractions across the globe’ serves a useful purpose for those keen to guarantee a holiday free from the mundane.

America, it seems, needs to up its game on the excitement front, with attractions in the country occupying the top seven spots, beating Shrek’s Adventure London into eighth place. And four Legoland Discovery Centers make the top 25.

The ranking, by Solitaired, was drawn up by an analysis of 66.7million Google reviews of 3,290 popular tourist attractions worldwide, spanning 384 cities across 71 countries. Researchers calculated a boredom score for each site by focusing on 11 keywords indicative of tiresome, lifeless and boring impressions, to determine the least interesting.

Branson Scenic Railway in Missouri takes the undesirable top spot as the world’s least interesting attraction, with a boredom score of five out of five. Departing from an old depot in downtown Branson, the heritage railroad travels through part of the Ozark Mountains on a 40-mile round trip.

While some reviewers on Google praised the ‘beautiful’ foliage and ‘magnificent’ vistas, others were unimpressed by the views’ limited to trees on both sides of the train’ during summertime, with ‘Sheena Youngers’ commenting that they were ‘a little bored after a while of just seeing treetops’.

Illuminarium Atlanta, in the U.S state of Georgia, earns the runner-up spot with a boredom score of 4.5, with Google reviewer ‘Beata Lech‘ saying they ‘left after 40 minutes’ despite paying $144 (£115) for four people and ‘Mardi Graz’ adding that it was ‘cool for about the first 15 minutes’ and ‘after that… just boring’.

But the immersive experience, which plays 4K interactive projections with 360-degree immersive audio and in-floor vibrations, also garners plenty of five-star views, with ‘Sunil Patel’ calling it ‘one of a kind’ and ‘Tiffany Rahming’ saying it’s a ‘must visit location’ with ‘beautiful images’ and ‘wonderful sound effects’.

TOP 100 MOST BORING TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN THE WORLD, ACCORDING TO 66.7MILLION GOOGLE REVIEWS
Attraction City, State Country Total Reviews Boredom Score (0 – 5)
1. Branson Scenic Railway  Branson, Missouri US 3,341
2. Illuminarium Atlanta  Atlanta, Georgia US 2,260 4.5
3. Jurassic Jungle Boat Ride Pigeon Forge, Tennessee US 3,112 3.7
4. Salem Witch Museum Salem, Massachusetts US 10,176 3.4
5. Lego Discovery Center Atlanta Atlanta, Georgia US 3,797 3.4
6. Adler Planetarium Chicago, Illinois US 2,145 3.3
7. Museum of Science & Industry Tampa, Florida US 4,469 3.1
8. Shrek’s Adventure London London UK  6,063 2.9
9. Legoland Discovery Center Dallas / Fort Worth Dallas, Texas US 4,832 2.9
10. Legoland Discovery Centre Toronto Vaughan Canada 4,347 2.8
11. Telus Spark Science Centre Calgary Canada 6,132 2.8
12. The London Dungeon London UK  17,604 2.6
13. Museum of Ice Cream New York City, New York US 5,880 2.5
14. The Shepherd of the Hills Branson, Missouri US 3,245 2.5
15. The Hershey Story Museum Hershey, Pennsylvania US 3,324 2.5
16. WA Museum Boola Bardip Perth Australia 3,446 2.5
17. International UFO Museum and Research Center and Gift Shop Roswell, New Mexico US 2,226 2.5
18. Torture Museum Amsterdam Netherlands 3,088 2.4
19. Phillip & Patricia Frost Museum of Science Miami, Florida US 7,489 2.4
20. MagiQuest Pigeon Forge, Tennessee US 3,390 2.4
21. Jungle Island Miami, Florida US 4,850 2.4
22. Skull Island: Reign of Kong Orlando, Florida US 5,140 2.4
23. Miami Seaquarium Miami, Florida US 13,755 2.3
24. Legoland Discovery Centre, Melbourne Melbourne Australia 3,682 2.3
25. Great Wolf Lodge Water Park Minnesota Bloomington, Minnesota US 6,217 2.3
26. Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Pigeon Forge, Tennessee US 7,354 2.3
27. Lake of Dreams Las Vegas, Nevada US 2,342  2.3
28. International Spy Museum Washington, D.C. US 13,321 2.3
29. Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood Los Angeles, California US 3,527 2.2
30. Omega Mart Las Vegas, Nevada US 12,797 2.2
31. Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre Hanoi Vietnam 13,452 2.2
32. Museum of Sydney Sydney Australia 2,291  2.2
33. Port Discovery Children’s Museum Baltimore, Maryland  US 2879 2.2
34.  Saunders Farm Ottawa Canada 2,345 2.2
35. Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Orlando, Florida US 9,311 2.2
36. The Health Museum Houston, Texas US 2,106 2.2
37. Tenement Museum New York City, New York US 4,611 2.2
38. National Leprechaun Museum of Ireland Dublin Ireland 2,782 2.2
39. Connecticut Science Center Hartford, Connecticut US 2,817 2.1
40. Crayola Experience Mall of America Bloomington, Minnesota  US 2,662 2.1
41. Museum of Death New Orleans New Orleans, Louisiana  US 6,744 2.1
42. Ghost Town Museum Colorado Springs, Colorado  US 2,305 2.1
43. The Ride NYC New York City, New York  US 2,501 2.1
44. Choco-Story, Chocolate Museum Bruges Belgium 7,059 2.1
45. World of Illusions Los Angeles Los Angeles, California  US 2,552 2.1
46. Ripley’s Believe It or Not! St. Augustine, Florida US 8,343 2.1
47. The Edinburgh Dungeon Edinburgh UK 5,644 2.1
48. Canada Science and Technology Museum Ottawa Canada 7,414 2.1
49. Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Feud Pigeon Forge, Tennessee US 13,538 2.1
50. Scandia Fun Center Sacramento, California  US 2,608 2.1
51. The New Children’s Museum San Diego, California  US 2,785 2.1
52. Immigration Museum (Museums Victoria) Melbourne  Australia 2,614 2.1
53. Crave Golf Club Pigeon Forge, Tennessee US 4,188 2.1
54. MOTAT Museum of Transport and Technology Auckland New Zealand 3,841 2.1
55. Museum of Us San Diego, California US 2,282 2
56. WonderWorks Orlando Orlando, Florida  US 9,177  2
57. TopJump Trampoline & Extreme Arena Pigeon Forge, Tennessee US 3,790  2
58. The Biosphere, Environment Museum Montreal Canada 5,438 2
59. Museum of Illusions Toronto Toronto Canada 3,104 2
60. Liberty Science Center Jersey City, New Jersey  US 8,457 2
61. Guinness World Records Museum Copenhagen Denmark 3,222 2
62. 1880 Train – Hill City Depot Custer, South Dakota  US 3,430 2
63. Fort Cornwallis Penang Malaysia 3,310 2
64. Michigan Science Center Detroit, Michigan  US 2,534  2
65. Children’s Museum of Atlanta Atlanta, Georgia US 2,736 2
66. Napa Valley Wine Train Napa, California  US 2,548 2
67. NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, Texas  US 2,564 1.9
68. Shankar’s International Dolls Museum Delhi India 5,935 1.9
69. Ontario Science Centre Toronto Canada 14,731 1.9
70. World of Coca-Cola Atlanta, Georgia  US 29,355 1.9
71. Heineken Experience Amsterdam Netherlands 9,953 1.9
72. Edmonton Valley Zoo Edmonton Canada 6,207 1.9
73. Meow Wolf Denver Convergence Station Denver, Colorado  US 12,415 1.9
74. Vancouver Christmas Market Vancouver Canada 3,119 1.9
75. Frietmuseum Bruges Belgium 3,541 1.9
76. Mona Berriedale Australia 11,067 1.9
77. Downtown Aquarium Houston, Texas  US 21,323 1.9
78. Alcatraz East Crime Museum Pigeon Forge, Tennessee  US 9,435 1.9
79. Funhaven Ottawa Canada 3,152 1.9
80. Luna Park Melbourne Melbourne  Australia 7,996 1.9
81. Big Foot Goa Goa India 7,387 1.9
82. Lisboa Story Centre Lisbon Portugal 2,112 1.9
83. Pigeon Forge Snow Pigeon Forge, Tennessee  US 3,176 1.9
84. Zak Bagans’ The Haunted Museum Las Vegas, Nevada  US 8,689 1.9
85. RiseNY New York City, New York  US 2,120 1.9
86. AREA15 Las Vegas, Nevada  US 17,037 1.9
87. Pacific Science Center Seattle, Washington  US 6,400 1.9
88. Kentucky Science Center Louisville, Kentucky  US 3,420 1.9
89. Whales of Iceland Reykjavik  Iceland 2,355 1.9
90. Winchester Mystery House San Jose, California  US 13,773 1.9
91. Twycross Zoo Warwickshire  UK 15,711 1.9
92. The Bell Tower Perth Australia 2,156 1.9
93. Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show Pigeon Forge, Tennessee  US 4,374 1.9
94. Louisville Mega Cavern Louisville, Kentucky  US 7,813 1.9
95. Moulin Rouge Paris France 10,715 1.9
96. Museo Correr Venice Italy 2,011 1.8
97. Wien Museum Mozart apartment Vienna Austria 6,746 1.8
98. Comics Art Museum Brussels Belgium 2,726 1.8
99. Sisters Grimm Ghost Tours & Oddities Parlor San Antonio, Texas  US 3,864 1.8
100. Glazer Children’s Museum Tampa, Florida  US 4,124 1.8
Source: Solitaired        
A new study reveals 'the 100 most boring attractions across the globe' and Branson Scenic Railway (pictured) in Missouri takes the undesirable top spot

A new study reveals ‘the 100 most boring attractions across the globe’ and Branson Scenic Railway (pictured) in Missouri takes the undesirable top spot

In third place is Tennessee’s Jurassic Jungle Boat Ride, which scored 3.7 on the boredom scale. The eight-minute boat ride, in Pigeon Forge, takes visitors along an indoor winding river passing jungle scenes with cave sets, waterfalls and mechanical dinosaurs.

Google reviewer ‘M K’ said the $18.99 (£15.25) amusement is ‘not worth it’ as it ‘was not maintained’ with some dinosaur statues ‘held together with tape’ and others with ‘garbage stuffed’ in their mouths. While others awarded it five stars, with one person hailing it an ‘awesome attraction to do with little children’.

In fourth place, with a boredom score of 3.4, it’s the Salem Witch Museum, a museum in Massachusetts based on the 1692 Witch Trials.

The 100-strong ranking, by Solitaired, was drawn up by an analysis of 66.7million Google reviews of 3,290 popular tourist attractions worldwide, spanning 384 cities across 71 countries. Shrek's Adventure London is the least interesting site outside of the U.S, as this map shows

 The 100-strong ranking, by Solitaired, was drawn up by an analysis of 66.7million Google reviews of 3,290 popular tourist attractions worldwide, spanning 384 cities across 71 countries. Shrek’s Adventure London is the least interesting site outside of the U.S, as this map shows

Illuminarium Atlanta, in the U.S state of Georgia, earns the runner-up spot with a boredom score of 4.5

Illuminarium Atlanta, in the U.S state of Georgia, earns the runner-up spot with a boredom score of 4.5

In third place is Tennessee's Jurassic Jungle Boat Ride, which scored 3.7 on the boredom scale. The eight-minute boat ride, in Pigeon Forge, takes visitors along an indoor winding river passing jungle scenes with cave sets, waterfalls and mechanical dinosaurs

In third place is Tennessee’s Jurassic Jungle Boat Ride, which scored 3.7 on the boredom scale. The eight-minute boat ride, in Pigeon Forge, takes visitors along an indoor winding river passing jungle scenes with cave sets, waterfalls and mechanical dinosaurs

The walkthrough experience offered by Shrek's Adventure London gets a 2.9 boredom score, placing it eighth on the global list

The walkthrough experience offered by Shrek’s Adventure London gets a 2.9 boredom score, placing it eighth on the global list

This map reveals the least interesting U.S attractions. Those occupying the top seven spots also make up the top seven in the global ranking, suggesting that America needs to up its game on the excitement front

This map reveals the least interesting U.S attractions. Those occupying the top seven spots also make up the top seven in the global ranking, suggesting that America needs to up its game on the excitement front

In fourth place, with a boredom score of 3.4, it's the Salem Witch Museum, a museum in Massachusetts based on the 1692 Witch Trials

In fourth place, with a boredom score of 3.4, it’s the Salem Witch Museum, a museum in Massachusetts based on the 1692 Witch Trials

The London Dungeon (12th, 2.6) is the runner-up in the UK's list

The London Dungeon (12th, 2.6) is the runner-up in the UK’s list

Coming fifth, it’s the Lego Discovery Center Atlanta in Georgia (3.4), which features a Lego playground with two rides, Lego build and play zones and a 4D cinema.

Shrek’s Adventure London earns eighth place with a boredom score of 2.9, with The London Dungeon (12th, 2.6)  the runner-up in the UK’s list.

This walkthrough experience, featuring 10 fairytale themed live shows, was described by one Google reviewer as ‘very basic’ with actors doing ‘a little performance’ and another saying ‘everything is done at a sub-optimal standard’. While five-star reviewers described it as ‘an amazing experience’ with ‘so many things to see and do’.

Australia’s least interesting attraction, according to the ranking, is the WA Museum Boola Bardip in Perth (16th, 2.5), which tells stories of Western Australia through interactive exhibits. 

Among more peculiar sites to make the list are the Netherlands‘ Torture Museum in Amsterdam (18th, 2.4), the U.S’s Health Museum in Texas (36th, 2.2) and the Museum of Death New Orleans, Louisiana (41st, 2.1). 

MailOnline Travel has contacted Branson Scenic Railway for comment.



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