KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A new list of top tourist traps features two attractions in Kansas and Missouri.
A study published by USA Today Blueprint, which analyzed 23.2 million Google reviews of popular destinations, found the Titanic Museum in Branson, Missouri, and the Oz Museum in Wamego, Kansas, are among the top 100 tourist traps in the world.
The Titanic Museum came in at no. 33 on the tourist trap list, while the Oz Museum landed at no. 80.
USA Today also ranked the most overpriced attractions, where the Titanic Museum came in at no. 91, and the most overrated tourist spots.
The rating was based on over 17,000 reviews for the Titanic Museum and over 2,000 reviews for the Oz Museum.
USA Today looked at how often reviews mentioned the terms “tourist trap,” “expensive,” and “overrated.” They the outlet compared attractions by measuring how frequently these terms were used out of total reviews.
At the Oz Museum, for example, only two reviews mentioned the term “tourist trap” for a rate of 0.10%. Meanwhile, at the Titanic Museum, 37 reviews said “tourist trap” for a rate of 0.21% and 139 said “expensive,” a 0.80% rate.
In comparison, the Four Corners Monument — where Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah meet — took the top spot on the tourist trap list. Of over 10,000 reviews analyzed, 139 said this spot was a tourist trap, a 1.28% rate.
The Titanic Museum has a 4.6 rating on Google. It dubs itself as the “world’s largest Titanic museum attraction” with a self-guided tour, interactive exhibits and $4.5 million in artifacts. According to the museum’s website, tickets are $15 for kids 5 and older and adults are $32.
The Oz Museum, a tribute to all things “Wizard of Oz,” has a 4.7 rating on Google. The Wamego-based museum says it has exclusive exhibits, including the earliest L. Frank Baum books, collectibles and more. Admission to the museum is $8 for children, and $10 for adults.
Here are the top 25 top tourist attractions worldwide, according to USA Today:
- Four Corners Monument, Arizona
- Salem Witch Museum, Massachusetts
- Calico Ghost Town, California
- Crazy Horse Memorial, South Dakota
- International UFO Museum and Research Center, New Mexico
- Blue Lagoon, Grindavik
- Voodoo Doughnut, Oregon
- Capilano Suspension Bridge, Vancouver
- Penang Hill, Penang
- Pike Place Market, Washington
- Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin
- Tagallalang Rice Terrace, Ubud
- Guinness Storehouse, Dublin
- Amana Colonies, Iowa
- Fisherman’s Wharf, California
- Livraria Lello, Porto
- Navy Pier, Illinois
- House on the Rock, Wisconsin
- Skylon Tower, Niagara Falls
- Preservation Hall, Louisiana
- Blarney Castle, County Cork
- Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory, Vermont
- Winchester Mystery House, California
- Rovaniemi and Santa Claus Village, Lapland
- Elvis Presley’s Graceland, Tennessee
