Due to the current worldwide pandemic most museums and art galleries are unfortunately closed to the public. Luckily, that doesn’t mean that we’ve lost access to these world class museums. You can still browse lots of famous exhibits online, as well as historical landmarks, from the safety of your home thanks to virtual tours. Visit museums online for free and without the queues whilst you’re stuck at home. Here are my favourite 14 museums that you can visit online (as well as a few extras!).
As a Paris local, the first museum on my list is the world famous Louvre. Go on a virtual tour and enjoy the Louvre’s exhibition rooms and galleries without the crowds!
Another iconic Parisian museum (and my personal favourite) that you can visit online is the Musée d’Orsay. Admire the incredible interior of this former railway station, whilst enjoying art by French masters such as Monet and Cesanne.
The musée de l’Orangerie is an art gallery housing impressionist and post-impressionist paintings. Although it is a lot smaller than it’s neighbours, it is where you will find the iconic Water Lily murals by Claude Monet, as well as works by Cézanne, Matisse, Renoir and others. Thanks to virtual tours you can enjoy a 360 look at the Water Lilies.
The Palace of Versailles was the principal royal residence of France from 1682, under Louis XIV, until the start of the French Revolution in 1789, under Louis XVI. You can enjoy a private online virtual tour of the former home of French royalty, from the King’s bed chambers to the hall of mirrors.
Other French Museums you can visit online include the Quai Branly Museum and the Grand Palais. You can also go on a virtual tour up the Eiffel Tower!
The Rijksmuseum is a Dutch national museum dedicated to arts and history in Amsterdam. Their free interactive tour allows you to see masterpieces such as Vermeer’s The milkmaid and Rembrandt’s Self Portrait
The British Museum in London is an institution dedicated to human history, art and culture. On a virtual tour of this iconic London museum you can see the incredible Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies and other ancient wonders.
The world renowned Natural History Museum in London also offers free virtual visits of its many exhibits from mammals to dinosaurs! You can even check out iconic diplodocus skeleton in the entrance!
Other British Museums you can visit online include the National Gallery and the Victoria & Albert Museum.
Over the centuries the Roman Catholic Church and the Papacy amassed an immense art collection including several of the most renowned Roman sculptures and important masterpieces of Renaissance art. These can all be found in the iconic Vatican Museum. Go on a virtual tour around the seven spaces of the Vatican museum, don’t forget to look up, especially in the incredible Sistine chapel!
The National Palace of Sintra is the sole surviving medieval royal palace in Portugal. It combines various architectural styles including Gothic and Manueline elements. Thanks to virtual tours you can walk the corridors of the national palace and admire the beautifully decorated interior and colourful tiles.
Arguably America’s most famous museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is a New York icon and is featured in multiple movies and TV shows . You can take in their incredible collection for free thanks to 26 virtual exhibits!
The Museum of Modern Art is another iconic New York institution and was the first museum dedicated to collecting and presenting art from the modern era. Their collection offers an incredible overview of modern and contemporary art, from master pieces like Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night to more recent artists such as Andy Warhol and Cindy Sherman.
The MOMA doesn’t offer a virtual tour of the actual museum, however you can enjoy several of the exhibits online.
I had the chance to visit the Art Institute of Chicago late last year, and it did not disappoint. It is home to one of the largest permanent collections of any museum in the United States, with around 260,000 pieces of art from across the centuries, including Monet, Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec, Cézanne and more! Thanks to virtual tours you can actually ‘walk’ the halls and enjoy the artwork at the Art Institute of Chicago.
Other American Museums you can visit online include LACMA, the Guggenheim, the National Gallery of Art, the Getty Museum and Art Museum of the Americas.
If you love fashion and clothes you will definitely want to check out the virtual tour of the Kyoto Costume Institute. Here you will find outstanding examples of western clothing throughout the centuries.
One of Korea’s most popular museums can be accessed from anywhere in the world thanks to Google’s virtual tours! Explore six floors of Contemporary art from Korea and all over the globe.
Although it’s not the same as visiting the museums in person, Google Arts and Culture’s museum view tool gives you a great opportunity to explore famous exhibits online. The Google Arts & Culture project, has more than 2,500 spaces from around the world are accessible online. You can even go on virtual tours of famous attractions and landmarks!
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One of the few good things about being in quarantaine... be well and safe, greetings from Lisbon, PedroL
How amazing to be able to visit those museums online! Technology is really helping to promote culture to everyone everywhere!
There are some great suggestions on here! I actually haven't done a virtual museum tour yet as I didn't know if it was worth doing. But your post and screenshots of the actual tours has changed my mind! :D
Love the idea of virtual tours right now. I actually never really knew much about them until recently. I’ll definitely have to check a few of these out ?
Oh wow I didn't know you can visit so many museums without leaving your home! Thanks for sharing them, I will explore a few today afternoon :)
This is so cool! I had no idea that this was even possible, I'll definitely visit them tonight :)
These are a great way to curb my wanderlust during the lockdown. Thanks for sharing!