In the time of a nationwide lockdown, we seem to be dealing with more complex issues than hoarding toilet paper and making sure we have enough food. If you’re at the end of your tether when it comes to all things cultural, consider these iconic virtual museum tours. Cabin fever setting in? Pour yourself a glass of vino and stroll through some of the world’s most immaculate museums – virtually, of course.
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Google Arts & Culture has teamed up with over 500 museums and galleries from around the world. So now you can experience the niceties of a museum stroll without leaving your couch (or your trusty leggings and slippers).
Guggenheim Museum, New York
Honestly, who hasn’t fallen prey to the honey trap of allure that the Guggenheim represents? At the moment, none of us can explore this wonder in the flesh. But lucky for us, Google’s street view feature allows us to walk the halls of the famed ode to art.
Traipse through the airy halls with their high white ceilings and marvel at the art currently being exhibited. This World Heritage Site is free to view with Google’s nifty tour. If you’re feeling starved of cultural treats, consider a tour of this world-renowned art museum.
Where do I tour? You can access the tour here. This tour requires some clicking, so it’s best accessed on your phone or computer, as Smart TV access could get a little tiresome.
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British Museum, London
The British Museum has launched a highly interactive website that allows you to explore the wonders contained inside this cultural staple. You can tour any or all of their five categories; namely, “Art and Design”, “Living and Dying”, “Power and Identity”, “Religion and Belief” or “Trade and Conflict”.
Make sure you have the sound turned up wherever you’re watching. It tour includes bright colours, thought-provoking sounds, and innovative interaction. The museum exhibits two million years of human history, and you get to engage with a slice of it, wherever you are in the world.
Where do I tour? You can access the full site here. It works best on laptops, desktops or TVs – just because you can get the real scale of it on bigger devices.
Musée d’Orsay, Paris
If you’re obsessed with all thing Parisian, you’ll adore the virtual museum tour of this French powerhouse. Here you can marvel at the works of French artists who lived between 1848 and 1914. Think Monet, Gaugin, Cézanne, and Renoir…
Google is currently hosting an online exhibit called “From Station to the Renovated Musée d’Orsay“. This informative exhibit gives you a run down of the history of how this famed museum came to be. So if your interests lie at the intersection of art and history, you simply cannot miss this.
Where do I tour? You can visit this museum here; the link will take you to a street view walk-through of the entire museum. But if you’re only interested in the above-mentioned exhibit, you can view that here.
Pergamon Museum, Berlin
The Pergamon Museum was founded in 1910 and has a lot to offer. You’ll find exhibits from Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Syria, and Greece. The offering is broad and oh-so-fascinating. From natural history to art, the Pergamon has it all.
Google offers you tours exhibit-by-exhibit, but also allows you to view individual pieces from the museum. You can also view pieces category by category. For example, if you’re only interested in Egyptian art, you can view just that.
Where do I tour? You can access a full walk-through of the museum in its entirety here.
National Silk Museum, China
Welcome to the world’s largest silk museum! It is also the largest centre for textile collection, exhibition, conservation, research and education in China. You will be able to learn about how silk is made, its history, and see some of the most awe-inspiring tapestries.
Silk was a coveted, contentious resource for hundreds of years. Even now, its synonymous with allure and prosperity. Well, you can learn all about it with this exceptionally thorough street view tour. You can walk the museum floor-by-floor, as well as explore its interior and exterior. It’s basically as good as being there.
Where do I tour? You can take a walk through this virtual museum tour here.
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By Features Writer Ashton Kirsten
