espresso 17 April 2020 - by Béatrice Bernard-Poulin
The Smithsonian, Washington, D.C.
The Smithsonian, Washington D.C.’s National Museum of Natural History, is fascinating and full of wonderful treasures. The website offers a comprehensive, room-by-room virtual tour of its current exhibits and 360-degree photos of some of its past exhibits.
The Louvre, Paris
The Louvre, one of Paris’s most iconic monuments, offers free virtual tours that allow you to peek at some of its most popular exhibits, including Egyptian Antiquities and The Advent of the Artist, and to learn more about the artifacts, thanks to numerous information bubbles.
The Guggenheim, New York
The Guggenheim is one of the many sites listed here that you can visit thanks to the Google Arts and Culture website. You can take a virtual tour of the museum (including its famous spiral staircase), admire some of the museum’s artwork and discover the stories behind five exhibits, all from the comfort of your home.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Thanks to the magic of the internet, you can truly feel like you are at the Metropolitan Museum of Art without ever leaving your couch. The Met 360 Project offers, as its name implies, 360-degree views of different areas of the museum, while Google Arts and Culture provides access to an astonishing 200,805 artworks in addition to two virtual tours and 27 virtual exhibits.
The Vatican Museums
If you have always wanted to see Michelangelo’s famous Sistine Chapel ceiling but are not planning on visiting the Vatican anytime soon, you will love The Vatican Museums’ virtual tours. Thanks to 360-degree views, you will be able to admire it for hours, and without hurting your neck, too!
Musée d’Orsay, Paris
There are two ways to visit the Musée d’Orsay without leaving your home. The first, Tourist Tube, offers like-you-were-there 360-degree views of the museum’s beautiful exterior and its surroundings. The second, Google Arts and Culture, offers a virtual tour, a virtual exhibit and access to many of the museum’s most famous artifacts, including works by Cézanne, Monet, van Gogh and more.
The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
No need to move to admire both the spectacular interior and the exterior of The J. Paul Getty Museum. For a peek at the building’s architecture, head on over to Xplorit, where you’ll be taken on a virtual tour including stunning views of the Los Angeles skyline. Then, Google Arts and Culture will take you inside with a virtual tour, three virtual exhibits and much more
National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul
South Korea’s National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art is one of the country’s most popular. Thanks to Google Arts and Culture, you’ll be able to feel like you were there thanks to no fewer than six virtual tours and seven virtual exhibits. A great opportunity to discover the history of Korean art and its most famous artists!
International Center of Photography, New York
New York’s International Center of Photography currently has a Visual History of Hip-Hop exhibit that you can visit virtually—music and all! Gesso.fm provides an audio guide of the exhibit along with photos of many of the artworks, and the museum has even shared a Spotify playlist to go along with the exhibition.
National Museum, New Delhi
New Delhi’s National Museum is another landmark that you can visit thanks to Google Arts and Culture. Two virtual tours, seven virtual exhibits and more than 600 artworks are currently available online, helping you discover a great collection of archaeology, jewellery, paintings, decorative arts, manuscripts and more.
Natural History Museum, London
Head on over to London’s Natural History Museum thanks to Google Arts and Culture. Kids and adults alike will enjoy this visit and a peek at the 298,857 elements available for free online viewing, including many insect, butterfly and plant specimens, amongst others. There are also two virtual tours and 14 virtual exhibits.
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
Vincent van Gogh fans, rejoice! You don’t have to go to Amsterdam and visit the museum to admire this painter’s art. As many as 164 of the master’s artworks are available for free viewing on the Google Arts and Culture website, along with four virtual tours of the Van Gogh Museum and two virtual exhibits.
The Dalí Museum, St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg’s Dalí Museum is truly spectacular. Since you cannot currently visit, the museum’s website offers a very complete virtual tour, allowing you to view every corner of the museum—inside and out. You can even click on artworks and architectural elements to learn more about them
The British Museum, London
Visit the British Museum thanks to Google Arts and Culture. With three virtual tours, no fewer than 45 virtual exhibits and over 7,000 artifacts, including world-famous objects such as Parthenon sculptures and Egyptian mummies, you’ll truly feel like you were there.
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
Discover the works of Vermeer, Rembrandt and many others thanks to a virtual tour of the Rijksmuseum. On Google Arts and Culture, you’ll have access to eight virtual tours, 11 virtual exhibits and 164,511 pieces of artwork, including Verspronck’ Girl in a Blue Dress.
Museo Frida Kahlo, Mexico City
La Casa Azul in Mexico City is where Frida Kahlo lived and died, and it is now home to a museum honouring her artistic legacy, Museo Frida Kahlo. Discover the museum through four virtual tours and one virtual exhibition on Google Arts and Culture. You will also be able to view many portraits of the artist’s life as well as many artworks.
National Gallery, London
Located in London’s Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery is home to 2,300 pieces of artwork from the 13th to the mid-20th century. While you can’t visit at the moment, you can enjoy a virtual tour on Google Arts and Culture, along with 12 virtual exhibitions.
Museo Nacional de Antropología, Mexico City
The Museo Nacional de Antropología is dedicated to investigating, conserving, and exhibiting the most important archaeological and ethnographic collections in Mexico. On Google Arts and Culture, you’ll be able to enjoy a virtual tour and admire close to 150 artifacts to learn more about them.
Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Originally built to display the Grand Ducal Magistratures of Tuscany, Florence’s Uffizi Gallery is famous for its outstanding collections of ancient sculptures and paintings. Get a glimpse on Google Arts and Culture, where you can take a virtual tour and admire four virtual exhibits.
MASP, São Paulo
The Museu de Arte de São Paulo, or MASP as it is most commonly known, is a private, non-profit museum founded by Assis Chateaubriand in 1947. You can visit without setting foot in Brazil thanks to the two virtual tours and six virtual exhibits available on Google Arts and Culture.
