IN a surprising list, the Australian War Memorial in Canberra has been named number nine in the top 10 free tourist spots in the world, the only such place in Australia.

Casago, an American holiday home rental company, bearing in mind the rising cost of travel, with the average person on a day out in the US spending $55 on admission fees for museums, attractions and tour, set out to find the best free attractions in the world.

Using TripAdvisor reviews, the company researched which had the most five-star ratings.

According to Casago’s study, the historic Belgian city Bruges is the location of the best free tourist attraction in the world, with 94.5 percent of reviews of the Mini Harp Museum rating five stars. It’s a tiny  museum where visitors can enjoy the music of harpist Luc Vanlaere as he performs daily 40-minute concerts

In second place is the National Museum of the US Air Force, while the third is Horseshoe Falls, the biggest of three waterfalls that make up Niagara Falls in Canada.

War Memorial Director Matt Anderson welcomed the news, saying: “The Australian War Memorial is a world-class shrine, museum and archive and leaves a lasting impression on every person who visits.”

The top 10 

1. Luc Vanlaere Harpist (Mini Harp Museum), Belgium
2. National Museum of the US Air Force, US
3. Horseshoe Falls, Canada
4. National Infantry Museum and Soldier Centre, US
5. Lake Bacalar, Mexico
6. Golden Temple, India
7. Cerro Fitz Roy, Argentina
8. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, US
9. Australian War Memorial, Australia
10. Lanta Animal Welfare, Thailand

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