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These 15 Famous Museums Offer Virtual Tours You Can Take from Your Couch

Experience the best museums — from London to Mexico City — in the comfort of your own home.

If you're a dedicated art lover, you likely go to great lengths to visit renowned museums and galleries. But even when you’re not traveling, you can still get a taste of the masterpieces, artifacts, and architecture at many famous institutions — and get inspired for future trips while you're at it.

Google Arts & Culture teamed up with more than 1,200 museums and galleries around the world to create a collection of online exhibits and virtual tours . Other museums have their own virtual tours, too, such as the Vatican Museums and the Louvre , which features a selection of exhibitions on their websites.

Top 5 Can’t Miss

• View legendary artifacts like the Rosetta Stone on a virtual stroll through the British Museum.
• Gaze up at the Sistine Chapel’s divine ceiling without the crowds at the Vatican Museums.
• The Met’s immersive 360-degree VR videos are arguably the best virtual museum tours.
• Get a glimpse of the four locations of National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, on a Google Street View tour.
• Peruse some of Van Gogh's most iconic works in the artist's namesake Amsterdam museum.

The British Museum, London

This iconic museum located in the heart of London allows virtual visitors to tour the Great Court, which was given a striking contemporary redesign in 2000. Move through other galleries to discover ancient artifacts like the Rosetta Stone and Egyptian mummies.

Vatican Museums

MihaiDancaescu / Getty Images

The next best thing to an after-hours tour , the Vatican Museums offers virtual access to more than a dozen of its galleries and richly decorated spaces. Explore the sumptuous murals of Raphael's Rooms and the Sistine Chapel, where you can zero in on Michelangelo's famous ceiling.

The Met, New York City

While you can explore highlights of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's encyclopedic collection — including the ancient Egyptian Temple of Dendur — via Google Arts & Culture , the institution offers its own virtual reality tours. The Met 360° Project comprises six videos that can be viewed with a VR headset for an immersive experience, complete with ambient soundtracks.

National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea

Don Eim/Travel + Leisure

One of Korea's popular museums can be accessed from anywhere around the world. Google's virtual tour gives you a taste of the museum's four locations with Street View visits and online exhibits. For a deeper dive, check out the museum's website for video walk-throughs of select exhibitions, including immersive VR versions.

Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

Anyone who's a fan of this tragic, ingenious painter can see his works up close (or, almost up close ) by virtually visiting this museum, home to the largest collection of art by Vincent van Gogh. Check out some of his most iconic paintings, including "Sunflowers" and "The Potato Eaters."

National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

This renowned American art museum offers three online exhibits through Google. An overview of American fashion from 1740 to 1895 features watercolors of garments from the colonial and Revolutionary eras. You can also browse through works from Baroque painter Johannes Vermeer and other Dutch genre painters of the period and take an in-depth look at an early work by Leonardo da Vinci.

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

If you can't get to D.C., take a stroll among the historic planes, rockets, and other craft on display at the country's top air and space museum . Check out the Wright Brothers' first bona fide plane, the Wright Flyer, which took to the skies in 1903, and astronaut Neil Armstrong's spacesuit from the Apollo 11 moon landing.

Guggenheim, New York City

NurPhoto / Getty Images

Google's Street View feature lets visitors tour the Guggenheim's famous spiral staircase without ever leaving home. From there, you can discover incredible works of art from the impressionist, post-impressionist, modern, and contemporary eras.

The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

European artworks from as far back as the eighth century can be found in this California art museum. Take a Street View tour to discover a huge collection of paintings, drawings, sculptures, manuscripts, and photographs.

Musée d’Orsay, Paris

You can virtually walk through this popular museum that houses dozens of famous French works from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Get a peek at paintings and sculptures by Monet, Cézanne, Gauguin, and Rodin, among others.

Pergamon Museum, Berlin

As one of Germany's largest museums, Pergamon has a lot to offer — even if you can't physically be there. This historical museum is home to plenty of ancient artifacts including the Ishtar Gate of Babylon and, of course, the Pergamon Altar.

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

Explore masterpieces from the Dutch Golden Age, including works by Vermeer and Rembrandt. Google offers a Street View tour of this iconic museum, so you can feel as if you're actually wandering its halls.

Uffizi Gallery, Florence

Housed in a purpose-built 16th-century palace, the Uffizi Gallery showcases the art collection amassed by the wealthy and powerful de' Medici family. Today, anyone can wander its halls from anywhere in the world to view world-famous works like Sandro Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus."

MASP, São Paulo

The nonprofit Museu de Arte de São Paulo was Brazil's first modern museum. Artworks placed on clear, raised frames make it seem like they're hovering in midair. Take a virtual tour to experience the wondrous display for yourself.

Frida Kahlo Museum, Mexico City

Getty Images / Andrew Hasson

Enter the world of 20th-century artist Frida Kahlo with a Street View tour of several spaces in Casa Azul, the modest, vivid blue-painted house where she was born, now the Frida Kahlo Museum . You can tour her studio and peek into other personal spaces like the kitchen and lush courtyard garden as well as view works by Kahlo and her husband Diego Rivera.

Related Articles

The Met 360° Project

This award-winning series of six short videos invites viewers around the world to virtually visit The Met's art and architecture in a fresh, immersive way. Created using spherical 360° technology, it allows viewers to explore some of the Museum's iconic spaces as never before.

Viewed more than 11 million times, this series affords an access and a perspective typically unavailable to the public. Viewers can experience the magic of standing in an empty gallery after-hours, witnessing a bustling space in time-lapse, or floating high above The Met Cloisters for a bird's-eye view. We strung cables, removed protective covers from works of art, and rigged cameras up high, all to allow viewers to explore The Met as never before.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at how we created the videos in a Digital Underground article written by Director/Producer Nina Diamond.

You may view these videos on YouTube on multiple devices:

• On your smartphone: Move your phone up, down, and behind you to see all directions.
• On your desktop computer: Use the mouse to scroll in all directions. (Note: For an optimal user experience, use Chrome or Firefox as your browser.)
• On Google Cardboard or a VR headset

Be sure to turn up the volume to hear the music, too.

Architect Richard Morris Hunt designed this majestic space in 1902. He never could have imagined that today the Museum's main entry greets more than six million visitors a year. Now you can experience its Neoclassical grandeur in a way no one ever has before.

Come explore not just behind the scenes, but everywhere in 360°. This video lets you soar past the colonnades, up toward the oculus in the ceiling, and cast a look down over the Grand Staircase and balcony. Aren't you curious who creates those colossal flower arrangements when you're still asleep?

The Met Cloisters

Take to the sky to explore the majestic vistas of The Met Cloisters. This branch of the Museum in northern Manhattan’s Fort Tryon Park is dedicated to the art, architecture, and gardens of medieval Europe.

Explore 360° views over the city, across the Hudson River, and high above two richly landscaped gardens. Inside, spin around to admire the medieval cloisters that form the core of the historic building, and listen to the resonant chimes from the bell tower, more than 100 feet above ground.

The Temple of Dendur

Immerse yourself in this 360° video capturing dawn to dusk in the Temple of Dendur. Built around 15 B.C. when the Roman Emperor Augustus ruled Egypt, the temple was a 1968 gift from Egypt to the United States in recognition of support given to save its monuments threatened by the Nile.

The temple's setting in The Sackler Wing was designed to approximate the light and surroundings of its original location in Nubia, including a reflecting pool that evokes the Nile.

The Met Breuer

On March 18, 2016, The Metropolitan Museum of Art opened The Met Breuer, its new space was dedicated to modern and contemporary art.

Whether you're a recent or longtime fan of the building's classic modernist design, or have just been struck by its bold form at Madison Avenue and 75th Street–here's your chance to enjoy a 360° perspective on architect Marcel Breuer's landmark 1966 creation. Scan up the jagged facade to the trapezoidal window with clouds above, or hover inside the entrance lobby over the sunken garden courtyard.

After four years, the Museum has now permanently closed its Breuer location. The Frick Collection will take over the building during the upgrade and renovation of its museum space at 1 East 70th Street.

The Charles Engelhard Court

Come explore the crown jewel of The Met's American Wing in spherical 360° video. Float in mid-air among the sculptures, including cheek-to-cheek with the gilded sculpture of Diana on its tall pedestal. Try tipping your view over the upper balcony's edge to witness the crowd below in time-lapse—all using your mouse, track pad, or smartphone. You can even peek at the easels of two artists at work.

Flanked by stunning Tiffany stained-glass windows, The Charles Engelhard Court in The American Wing houses some of the Museum's most iconic sculptures, mosaics, and architectural elements.

Arms and Armor Galleries

Visit The Met's distinguished collection of arms and armor from Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and America. Experience the galleries from above and take a closer look at some of the key objects of sculptural and ornamental beauty—all in 360. This may be the only time you’ll ever get to stand in the middle of a parade of armored soldiers on horseback. No matter where you turn—from the flags overhead to the weapons gleaming below—you'll find unprecedented access to these masterpieces of original design and traditional craftsmanship.

Production Credits

Director/Producer Nina Diamond

Production Total Cinema 360 | Koncept VR (The Temple of Dendur in 360°, The Great Hall in 360°, The Met Breuer in 360°)

Koncept VR (The Charles Engelhard Court in 360°, The Met Cloisters in 360°, The Arms and Armor Galleries in 360°)

Composers Simon Fisher Turner (The Temple of Dendur in 360°, The Great Hall in 360°, The Met Breuer in 360°)

Austin Fisher (The Charles Engelhard Court in 360°, The Met Cloisters in 360°, The Arms and Armor Galleries in 360°)

Sound Engineer James Aparicio (The Charles Engelhard Court in 360°, The Met Cloisters in 360°, The Arms and Armor Galleries in 360°)

Graphics Natasha Mileshina

Special Thanks

Christina Alphonso, Massomeh Ansari, Seal Belair, Stephen Bluto, Olivia Boudet, Elaine Bradson, João Henrique Brandão, Libby Bressler, Kaelan Burkett, John Byck, Narsayah Chabilall, Marco Castro Cosio, Richard Carroll, Catherine Chesney, Jennie Choi, Skyla Choi, Jennifer Ciarleglio, Michael Cirigliano, Saul Cohen, Sheryl de la Pena, Cristina Del Valle, Michael Dominick, Tim Dowse, Kimberly Drew, Anne Dunleavy, Ariel Estrada, Kate Farrell, Sean Farrell, Dia Felix, Elizabeth Fiorentino, Jenny Foley, Alice Cooney Frelinghuysen, Scott Geffert, Christopher Gorman, Sarah Higby, Staci Hou, Edward Hunter, Alexandra Kozlakowski, Donald LaRocca, Caleb Leech, Chad Lemke, Griffith Mann, Theo Margelony , Heather Masciandaro, William Necker, Lauren Nemroff, Taylor Newby, Christopher Noey, Leila Osmany, Michael Ostergren, Barbara Padolsky, Kevin Park, Diana Patch, Matt Pezzolo, Josh Phagoo, Stuart Pyhrr, Luisa Ricardo-Herrera, Lisa Rifkind, Jose Rivero, Maruf Rizaev, Catharine Roehrig, Amy Romero, Tom Scally, Rebecca Schear, George Sferra, Sean Simpson, Bradley Strauchen-Scherer, Sree Sreenivasan, Pari Stave, Emily Sutter, Loic Tallon, Pierre Terjanian, Phil Tharel, Thayer Tolles, Nick Torres, Elyse Topalian, Maya Valladares, Van Vliet & Trap - Event Design, Elena Villaespesa Cantalapiedra, Sheena Wagstaff, Andrew Winslow, Sheralyn Younge, Sylvia Yount, Julie Zeftel, Seth Zimiles

2017 Webby Award, Best Culture & Lifestyle Video (Juried Award and People's Voice Award)

2017 Shorty Award, Best Cultural Institution

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The 75 Best Virtual Museum Tours Around the World [Art, History, Science, and Technology]

Jarrod West

Senior Content Contributor

456 Published Articles 1 Edited Article

Countries Visited: 21 U.S. States Visited: 24

Keri Stooksbury

Editor-in-Chief

43 Published Articles 3380 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 50 U.S. States Visited: 28

Table of Contents

Google arts and culture, 50 art museums with virtual tours, 5 natural history museums with virtual tours, 10 science and technology museums with virtual tours, 10 history museums with virtual tours, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our  Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

You can now access collections from many of the world’s top museums without ever leaving home! We’ve put together an ultimate list of 75 world-class museums that offer virtual tours you can visit from the comfort of your couch.

Many of the virtual tours include exhibit walk-throughs and the ability to examine some of the world’s best paintings, sculptures, and other pieces up close and personal. These virtual tours are jam-packed with enough details to make you feel like you’re really visiting the museum. The experiences are sure to entertain the whole family, an art or history buff, or even those who want to imagine the joys of travel!

We’ve broken our list into 4 easy-to-review sections, including art, natural history, science and technology, and history museums. So whether you prefer to take in a painting at the Van Gogh Museum, check out an SR-71 Blackbird at the Museum of Flight, or gaze upon the Rosetta Stone, this list has it all!

Many of the virtual exhibits in this article are offered through a collaboration with Google Arts and Culture. If you’re not familiar, Google Arts and Culture is an online platform that showcases high-resolution images and videos of artworks and cultural artifacts from more than 2,000 museums throughout the world. You can zoom in and out of images in great detail and view some of the best pieces of artwork ever created without leaving your couch.

The platform is available in 18 languages and has been praised internationally for increasing access to art to those who may have not had the opportunity otherwise. It’s available for web , iOS , and Android .

1. The Albertina Museum (Vienna, Austria)

Year Opened:  1805

The Albertina Museum features one of the most important European collections of international modern art and houses one of the largest and most important print rooms in the world with approximately 65,000 drawings and 1 million old master prints. Hundreds of the works housed in the museum, like “Study for the Last Supper” by Da Vinci and “The Water Lily Pond” by Monet, can be viewed online thanks to a partnership with Google Arts and Culture.

To view the online exhibits, click here .

2. Art Institute of Chicago (Chicago, Illinois)

Year Opened: 1879

The Art Institute of Chicago is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the U.S., hosting approximately 1.5 million people annually. Its collection features more than 5,000 years of human expression from cultures around the world and contains more than 300,000 works of art in 11 curatorial departments.

The online tour allows you to view major pieces from the museum’s collection, such as “American Gothic,” “A Sunday on La Grande Jatte,” and “Nighthawks.” The site also offers projects to get creative at home, educator resources, and JourneyMaker, a digital tool that allows visitors to create unique, personalized tours of the museum.

To view the online tour, click here .

3. Benaki Museum (Athens, Greece)

Year Opened: 1930

Established in 1930 by Antonis Benakis in memory of his father Emmanuel Benakis, the Benaki Museum houses Greek works of art from prehistoric to modern times and an extensive collection of Asian art. It also hosts periodic exhibitions and maintains a state-of-the-art restoration and conservation workshop.

The entire museum can be viewed virtually in great detail.

To view the online virtual tour, click here .

4. The Broad (Los Angeles, California)

Year Opened: 2015

The Broad is a contemporary art museum named for philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad. The Broad houses a nearly 2,000-piece collection of contemporary art, featuring 200 artists including works by Cindy Sherman, Jeff Koons, Ed Ruscha, Roy Lichtenstein, and Andy Warhol. Notable installations include Yayoi Kusama’s “Infinity Mirrored Room” (pictured above) and Ragnar Kjartansson’s expansive 9-screen video “The Visitors.”

The Broad has put together a series of YouTube videos to give you a first-hand look at the museum.

5. Centre Pompidou (Paris, France)

Year Opened : 1977

The Centre Pompidou, named after the president of France from 1969 to 1974, is the largest museum for modern and contemporary art in Europe and the second-largest in the world. The museum has more than 12,000 pieces of artwork on display, including works by Kandinsky, Dalí, and Valadon.

The Centre has dozens of videos available on its YouTube channel that provide walk-throughs of the museum and explanations of its most important works.

To view the video tours, click here .

6. The Dalí Theatre-Museum (Figueres, Spain)

Year Opened : 1974

Dedicated to the life and work of the surrealist artist Salvador Dalí, the Dalí Theatre-Museum displays the single largest and most diverse collection of works by the artist. In addition to Dalí paintings from all decades of his career, there are Dalí sculptures, 3-dimensional collages, mechanical devices, and other curiosities from Dalí’s imagination. Through the website, guests can take a virtual tour in 360-degree of the entire museum.

To view the virtual tour, click here .

7. Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, Michigan)

Year Opened: 1885

With more than 100 galleries covering over 658,000 square feet, the Detroit Institute of Arts has one of the largest and most significant art collections in the U.S. Its collection features works spanning from ancient Egypt and Europe all the way to modern contemporary art.

The museum has put together “ At Home With DIA ” to offer school field trips from home, weekly film screenings, senior resources, and home projects. DIA also has a partnership with Google Arts and Culture to provide online exhibits including:

• Frida Kahlo in Detroit
• Ordinary People by Extraordinary Artists
• Diego Rivera’s Detroit Industry
• Self Portrait on the Borderline between Mexico and the United States

8. Frick Collection (New York City, New York)

Year Opened: 1935

Located in the Henry Clay Frick House, the Frick Collection houses the art collection of industrialist Henry Clay Frick. The collection features some of the best-known paintings by major European artists, including Bellini, Rembrandt, and Vermeer, as well as numerous works of sculpture and porcelain.

The entire museum can be viewed virtually.

9. Galleria dell’Accademia (Florence, Italy)

Year Opened : 1784

The Galleria dell’Accademia, while small compared to other museums featured, is still the second most visited museum in Italy. Its command of visitors is in large part due to its display of perhaps the most famous sculpture in history — Michaelangelo’s statue of David.

You can view a short, video-guided tour of the museum, which includes 360-degree viewing, allowing you to get a close look at the museum’s offerings.

To view the video tour, click here .

10. Georgia O’Keeffe Museum (Sante Fe, New Mexico)

Year Opened: 1997

The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum is dedicated to the artistic legacy of Georgia O’Keeffe and her contributions to American Modernism. The museum’s collection includes many of O’Keeffe’s key works, ranging from her innovative abstractions to her iconic large-format flower, skull, and landscape paintings, to paintings of architectural forms, rocks, shells, and trees. Initially, the collection was made of 140 O’Keeffe paintings, watercolors, pastels, and sculptures, but now includes nearly 1,200 objects.

The museum website offers creative activities, stories, and education about Georgia O’Keeffe’s life, along with several virtual exhibits available through Google Arts and Culture, including:

• Georgia O’Keeffe
• American Modernism
• United States

11. Grand Palais (Paris, France)

Year Opened : 1900

The Grand Palais is a large historic site, exhibition hall, and museum dedicated to the organization of exhibitions, publishing books, art workshops, photographic agency, and hosting major fairs and events. The museum receives 2.5 million visitors each year. The partnership with Google Arts and Culture brings extensive online exhibits to life, from the construction of the building to the masterpieces that lie within it.

12. Hermitage Museum (Saint Petersburg, Russia)

Year Opened : 1764

The Hermitage Museum is the second-largest and eighth-most visited art museum in the world. The Hermitage has more than 60,000 pieces of artwork on display, including the “Peacock Clock” by James Cox, “Madonna Litta” by Leonardo Da Vinci, and works by Rembrandt, Michelangelo, and Antonio Canova.

The online tour is extremely comprehensive and allows you to virtually walk through all 6 buildings in the main complex, treasure gallery, and several exhibition projects.

13. High Museum of Art (Atlanta, Georgia)

Year Opened : 1905

The High Museum of Art offers over 15,000 works of art in its collection and is the leading art museum in the southeastern U.S. The museum focuses on 19th- and 20th-century American art, historic and contemporary decorative arts and design, European paintings, modern and contemporary art, photography, folk and self-taught art, and African art.

The museum’s partnership with Google Arts and Culture also offers online exhibits for viewing including:

• Bill Traylor’s Drawings of People, Animals, and Events
• How Iris van Herpen Transformed Fashion
• Incredible, Innovative, and Unexpected Contemporary Furniture Designs
• Photos From the Civil Rights Movement

14. The J. Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles, California)

Year Opened: 1953

The J. Paul Getty Museum is made up of 2 campuses — the Getty Center and Getty Villa — that receive more than 2 million visitors per year. The Getty Center features pre-20th-century European paintings, drawings, illuminated manuscripts, sculpture, and decorative arts and photographs from the 1830s through present-day from all over the world. The Getty Villa displays art from Ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria.

The museum has put together online resources like art books, online exhibitions, podcasts, and videos, all viewable on its website .

It has also partnered with Google Arts and Culture to showcase online exhibits including:

• 18th Century Pastel Portraits
• The Art of Three Faiths: Torah, Bible, Qur’an
• Eat, Drink, and Be Merry
• Getty Museum Acquisitions 2019
• Heaven, Hell, and Dying Well

To view the online galleries, click here .

15. Kunsthaus Zürich (Zürich, Switzerland)

Year Opened : 1910

The Kunsthaus Zürich features one of Switzerland’s most important art collections from the 13th century to the present day. While the museum places an emphasis on Swiss artists, including Alberto Giacometti, you’ll also find work from the likes of Monet, Picasso, and Warhol.

The museum’s partnership with Google Arts and Culture has digitized several of the museum’s best collections for viewing.

16. La Galleria Nazionale (Rome, Italy)

Year Opened: 1883

La Galleria Nazionale displays about 1,100 paintings and sculptures from the 19th and 20th centuries — the largest collection in Italy. It features work from famous Italian artists including Giacomo Balla, Umberto Boccioni, Alberto Burri, and foreign artists including Cézanne, Monet, Pollock, Rodin, and Van Gogh.

It has teamed up with Google to offer 16 virtual exhibits for online viewing.

17. Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) (Los Angeles, California)

Year Opened: 1910

LACMA is the largest art museum in the western U.S., attracts nearly a million visitors annually, and holds more than 150,000 works spanning the history of art from ancient times to the present.

The website (click LACMA @ Home ) includes exhibition walkthroughs, soundtracks and live recordings, online teaching resources, and courses.

To view the LACMA’s online virtual tour from Google Arts & Culture, click here .

18. Mauritshuis (The Hague, Netherlands)

Year Opened : 1822

The Mauritshuis is home to some of the best Dutch paintings from the Golden Age of Art. The museum consists of 854 works by artists like Johannes Vermeer, Rembrandt Van Rijn, and Jan Steen. Famous works include “Girl with a Pearl Earring” (pictured above) and “View of Delft” by Vermeer, and “The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp” by Rembrandt.

The museum has partnered with Google Arts and Culture to bring several of its best works to life for virtual viewing.

To view the Mauritshuis’ online exhibits, click here .

19. The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City, New York)

Year Opened: 1870

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, also known as “The Met,” is the largest art museum in the U.S. and the fourth most visited museum in the world with more than 6 million visitors each year. The permanent collection contains more than 2 million works from classical antiquity and ancient Egypt, paintings and sculptures from nearly all of the European masters (including Monet’s Water Lillies), and an extensive collection of American and modern art. It also has extensive holdings of African, Asian, Oceanian, Byzantine, and Islamic art.

The museum has extensive different online exhibits available for viewing through Google and its own Art at Home website .

20. Musée du Louvre (Paris, France)

Year Opened:  1793

The Louvre Palace, which houses the museum, began as a fortress under Philip II in the 12th century to protect the city from English soldiers that were in Normandy. It wasn’t repurposed as a museum until 1793. Now, the Louvre is easily one of the most historic art museums in the world. Not only is the Louvre the largest art museum in the world at 782,910 square feet (72,735 square meters), but it also had 9.6 million visitors in 2019, making it the most visited museum in the world as well. Featured masterpieces include “Mona Lisa,” “Winged Victory of Samothrace,” “Venus de Milo,” and “Hammurabi’s Code.”

The Louvre has several virtual galleries on display, including:

• The Advent of the Artist, including works from Delacroix, Rembrandt, and Tintoretto
• Egyptian Antiquities, featuring collections from the Pharaonic period
• Remains of the Louvre’s Moat — visitors can walk around the original perimeter moat and view the piers that supported the drawbridge dating back to 1190
• Galerie d’Apollon, destroyed by fire in 1661 and recently rebuilt for viewing

To view the Louvre’s virtual tour page, click here .

21. Musée d’Orsay (Paris, France)

Year Opened: 1986

The Musée d’Orsay is housed in the former Gare d’Orsay, a Beaux-Arts railway station built between 1898 and 1900. The museum holds mainly French art dating from 1848 to 1914, including paintings, sculptures, furniture, and photography. It is one of the largest art museums in Europe and had more than 3.6 million visitors in 2019. It houses the largest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces in the world, including works by Cézanne, Degas, Gauguin, Manet, Monet, Renoir, Seurat, Sisley, and Van Gogh.

The museum allows you to virtually walk through one of its popular galleries, featuring hundreds of paintings from French artists.

To view the Musée d’Orsay online gallery, click here .

22. Museo Nacional del Prado (Madrid, Spain)

Year Opened : 1819

The Museo Nacional del Prado is considered to have one of the greatest collections of European art in the world and offers guests the single largest collection of Spanish art. The collection currently comprises around 8,200 drawings, 7,600 paintings, 4,800 prints, and 1,000 sculptures. Well-known works include “Las Meninas” by Diego Velázquez, “The Third of May 1808” by Francisco De Goya, and “The Garden of Earthly Delights” by Hieronymus Bosch.

The museum’s online gallery allows you to get a close look at over 10,000 different pieces of art. The Prado also offers a 1-hour live show on Instagram every morning at 4 a.m. EST.

To view the online gallery, click here .

23. Museo Frida Kahlo (Mexico City, Mexico)

Year Opened: 1958

The Frida Kahlo Museum, also known as the Blue House due to its blue walls, is a historic museum dedicated to the life and work of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. The building was Kahlo’s birthplace, the home where she grew up, lived with her husband Diego Rivera for many years, and where she later died in a room on the upper floor. The museum contains a collection of artwork by Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and other artists, along with the couple’s Mexican folk art, pre-Hispanic artifacts, photographs, memorabilia, personal items, and more. Find out more in our guide to the best museums in Mexico City .

24. Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (Madrid, Spain)

Year Opened: 1990

The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, also called the Museo Reina Sofía, is one of the most popular art museums in the world. The museum includes large collections of Spain’s 2 most popular artists, Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí. Famous works on display include “Guernica” and “Woman in Blue” by Picasso and “Cubist Self Portrait” by Dalí.

You can view collections of artwork at the Reina Sofía through its partnership with Google Arts and Culture.

25. Museu de Arte de São Paulo (São Paulo, Brazil)

Year Opened: 1947

The Museu de Arte de São Paulo is Brazil’s first modern art museum. The museum is internationally recognized for its collection of European art, as it’s considered the finest museum in Latin America and all of the Southern Hemisphere. The museum primarily features Brazilian art, prints, and drawings, as well as smaller collections of African and Asian art, antiquities, decorative arts, and others, amounting to more than 8,000 pieces. MASP also has one of the largest art libraries in the country.

You can now take a virtual tour of online galleries the museum has to offer, including:

• Art from Brazil until 1900
• Art from Italy: Rafael to Titian
• Art from France: from Delacroix to Cézanne
• Art in Fashion
• Histories of Madness: The Drawings of Juquery
• Picture Gallery in Transformation

26. Museum of Broken Relationships (Los Angeles, California and Zagreb, Croatia)

Year Opened: 2010

The Museum of Broken Relationships is dedicated to failed love relationships. Its exhibits include personal objects left over from former lovers, accompanied by brief descriptions. The museum was founded by 2 Zagreb-based artists, film producer Olinka Vištica and sculptor Dražen Grubišić, after their 4-year relationship came to an end.

The virtual tour includes a close-up collection of dozens of the museum’s most interesting pieces.

27. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (Boston, Massachusetts)

The 17th largest art museum in the world, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) hosts one of the most extensive art collections in the U.S. It houses over 8,000 paintings, surpassed only by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and exceeds 1 million visitors each year. Pieces by world-renowned artists like Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Monet are featured alongside sculptures, mummies, ceramics, and other artifacts from ancient civilizations.

There are currently 16 online exhibits available for viewing.

28. Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (Houston, Texas)

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) is one of the largest museums in the U.S., and its collection features over 64,000 works from 6 continents. The collection places emphasis on pre-Columbian and African gold, Renaissance and Baroque painting and sculpture, 19th- and 20th-century art, photography, and Latin American art. Read our guide to the best museums in Houston for more information.

The museum has 14 online exhibits available for viewing in collaboration with Google Arts and Culture.

29. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) (New York City, New York)

Year Opened: 1929

Regarded as one of the largest and most influential museums of modern art in the world, MoMA’s art collection features an overview of modern and contemporary art, including works of architecture and design, drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, prints, illustrated books, and artist’s books, film, and electronic media. MoMA’s holdings include more than 150,000 individual pieces including Andy Warhol’s “Campbell’s Soup Cans” and Van Gogh’s “Starry Night,” in addition to approximately 22,000 films and 4 million film stills.

MoMA’s website offers 86,000 works of art that can be viewed online, along with a partnership with Google Arts and Culture to create a virtual display of its Sophie Taeber-Arp exhibit.

To view the website’s collection, click here . To view the Google exhibit, click here .

30. National Gallery (London, England)

Year Opened : 1824

The National Gallery features more than 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900, including works such as “Sunflowers” by Van Gogh, “The Virgin on the Rocks” by Da Vinci, and “The Arnolfini Portrait” by Jan Van Eyck.

Its website offers a few virtual tours, showcasing many rooms in the museum, the Sainsbury Wing, and a Google Virtual tour.

31. National Gallery of Art (Washington, D.C.)

Year Opened: 1937

The National Gallery of Art and its attached Sculpture Garden are located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. and are open to the public free of charge. The museum was privately established in 1937 for the American people by a joint resolution of the U.S. Congress.

The National Gallery is widely considered to be one of the greatest museums in the U.S. It ranks second in total visitors of all American museums, 10th in the world, and features incredible pieces including Jackson Pollock’s “Number 1,” Leonardo da Vinci’s “Ginevra de’ Benci,” and Degas’ “Little Dancer Aged 14.”

The museum has put together a collection of educational resources on its website for teachers, families, and children. It also features online exhibits through Google Arts and Culture including:

• American Fashion — highlights from 1740 to 1895
• Johannes Vermeer — Dutch Baroque painter

To view the National Gallery of Art online collection page, click here .

32. National Gallery of Victoria (Victoria, Melbourne, Australia)

Year Opened: 1861

The National Gallery of Victoria is Australia’s oldest, largest, and most visited art museum. The museum offers a wide variety of international and Australian art in its collection, including paintings, drawings, photography, and sculptures.

The online tour includes walk-throughs of exhibits, including highlights from the NGV Triennial 2020 and Chinese Collection, as well as exhibits featuring Goya and KAWS.

33. National Museum of China (Beijing, China)

Year Opened : 2003

The National Museum of China covers Chinese history from 1.7 million years ago to the end of the Qing Dynasty in 1911. Notable works include the “Houmuwu” Rectangle Ding, a rectangular bronze sacrificial vessel made in the late Shang Dynasty, the heaviest piece of ancient bronze ware in the world, and a Han Dynasty jade burial suit laced with gold thread. It is one of the largest museums in the world, and the second most visited art museum in the world, just after the Louvre.

The museum has virtual exhibits available for 360-degree viewing including:

• Resplendence of the Tang Dynasty
• Sunken Silver

34. National Museum of Korea (Seoul, South Korea)

Year Opened : 1909

The National Museum of Korea is the top museum of Korean history and art and has been committed to various studies and research activities in the fields of archaeology, history, and art, continuously developing a variety of exhibitions and education programs.

The museum’s virtual tour provides a 3D walk-through of exhibits, including 1,000 years of Korean design and 500 years of the Joseon Dynasty.

35. National Museum, New Delhi (New Delhi, India)

Year Opened: 1949

The National Museum, New Delhi is one of the largest museums in India. The museum has around 200,000 works of art, both of Indian and foreign origin, including paintings, sculptures, jewelry, ancient texts, armor, and decorative arts ranging from the pre-historic era to modern works — covering over 5,000 years.

The museum has partnered with Google to bring its online exhibits to life, including:

• Art of Caligraphy
• Cadence and Counterpoint
• Indian Bronzes
• Nauras: The Many Arts of the Deccan
• Pottery from Ancient Peru
• Treasures of National Museum, India
• Radha and Krishna in the Boat of Love

36. National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (Seoul, South Korea)

Year Opened: 1969

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art was first established in 1969 as the only national art museum in South Korea, accommodating modern and contemporary art of Korea and international art of different time periods. The museum features over 7,000 pieces of artwork, including works of contemporary Korean artists such as Go Hui-dong, Ku Bon-ung, Park Su-geun, and Kim Whan-ki.

Google’s virtual tour takes you through 6 floors of contemporary art from Korea and all over the globe.

37. National Palace Museum (Taipei, Taiwan)

Year Opened : 1965

The National Palace Museum has a collection of nearly 700,000 pieces of ancient Chinese imperial artifacts and artworks. The collection encompasses 8,000 years of history of Chinese art, including jade, paintings, bronzes, and porcelain that were formerly held in the Forbidden City of Peking.

The museum offers 360-degree virtual tours of many different exhibits.

To view the virtual tours, click here .

38. National Portrait Gallery (Washington, D.C.)

Year Opened : 1962

The National Portrait Gallery has a collection of over 21,000 works of art. The collection focuses on images of famous Americans and how they’ve shaped U.S. culture. A major attraction of the National Portrait Gallery’s collection is the Hall of Presidents, which contains portraits of nearly all American presidents. It is the largest and most complete collection in the world, except for the White House collection itself.

The museum has several collections featured on Google Arts and Culture, but also offers digital workshops, and distance learning resources for children and teachers.

To view the online resources, click here .

39. Pergamonmuseum (Berlin, Germany)

The Pergamonmuseum houses monumental buildings, such as the Pergamon Altar, the Ishtar Gate of Babylon, and the Market Gate of Miletus reconstructed from the ruins found in Anatolia, as well as the Mshatta Facade. The museum is subdivided into the antiquity collection, the Middle East museum, and the museum of Islamic art. It is visited by over 1 million people every year.

The museum has dozens of structures and other artifacts that can be viewed online.

40. Picasso Museum (Barcelona, Spain)

Year Opened: 1963

The Picasso Museum, located in the heart of Barcelona’s Latin Quarter, is visited by millions every year. They come to marvel at the best works of Picasso, perhaps the most famous painter of all, but stay to marvel at the best-preserved medieval architecture in Barcelona. With 4,251 works by the painter exhibited, the museum has one of the most complete permanent collections of his works.

The online tour offers a large selection of Picasso’s finest works, as well as virtual tours of the museum’s beautiful courtyards.

41. Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Year Opened: 1798

The Rijksmuseum was founded in The Hague in 1798 and moved to Amsterdam in 1808, where it was first located in the Royal Palace. The current main building was designed by Pierre Cuypers and first opened in 1885. The museum has on display 8,000 objects of art and history from the years 1200 to 2000, and a total collection of 1 million objects. The museum features masterpieces including Rembrandt’s “The Night Watch” and “The Jewish Bride,” plus works by Frans Hals and Johannes Vermeer, who are known to have been major contributors to the Golden Age of Dutch art.

Google offers a street view tour of some excellent art pieces located in the museum, and the museum has put together an entire virtual tour of all of the museum’s masterpieces viewable on its website.

To view the Google street view tour, click here . You can also view the museum’s From Home microsite and masterpieces tour .

42. San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (San Francisco, California)

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is composed of over 33,000 works of art spread throughout 7 gallery floors and 45,000 square feet of space. Following a 3-year closure for expansion, the museum reopened in 2016 and is now one of San Francisco’s must-see destinations.

SFMOMA’s website is updated regularly with videos and articles regarding current exhibits, projects, and artist showcases and provides behind-the-scenes looks of the museum. 

To view the museum’s multimedia features, click here .

Read our guide to the best museums in San Francisco to find out more.

43. Sistine Chapel at the Vatican Museums (Vatican City)

Year Opened: 1483

The Sistine Chapel, located inside of the Apostolic Palace (the official residence of the pope in Vatican City), is easily the most popular chapel in the world. The chapel is famous for its magnificent ceiling, painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512, and is considered to be one of the best artworks to come out of the Italian Renaissance. The primary panels of the ceiling showcase 9 scenes from the Book of Genesis, of which “The Creation of Adam” (pictured above) is the best known and most recognized.

Its website offers a virtual tour of the chapel’s most stunning sites, including the ability to marvel at Michelangelo’s ceiling from the comfort of your couch.

44. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York City, New York)

Year Opened: 1939

The Guggenheim Museum was established by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation in 1939. It is the permanent home of a continuously expanding collection of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, early modern, and contemporary art and also features special exhibitions throughout the year.

Google’s  Street View feature lets you tour the Guggenheim’s famous spiral staircase and some of its art pieces. It also offers a handful of online collections on its website .

45. Tate Modern (London, England)

Year Opened: 2000

Tate Modern is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the world, consisting of art dating from 1900 until today. The gallery receives over 5 million visitors a year, making it the sixth most visited art museum in the world and the most visited in the U.K.

The Tate Modern has published dozens of videos on its YouTube channel that give you an in-depth look at many of its exhibits, including the Andy Warhol exhibit and the Aubrey Beardsley exhibit.

To view the Tate Modern’s YouTube channel, click here .

46. Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum (Madrid, Spain)

Year Opened: 1992

Located in Madrid, the Thyssen has over 1,600 paintings inside its walls and was once the second-largest private collection in the world after the British Royal Collection. It includes works from the Italian primitives, the English, Dutch, and German schools, Impressionists, Expressionists, and European and American paintings from the 20th century. It also features pieces from the continent’s most celebrated artists including Rembrandt and Dalí.

The virtual tour includes a detailed look at the permanent collection, along with exhibits including the Rembrandt and Impressionist galleries.

47. Tokyo National Museum (Tokyo, Japan)

Year Opened : 1872

The Tokyo National Museum is the oldest and largest art museum in Japan, and one of the largest art museums in the world. At the museum, you’ll find a collection of artwork and cultural objects from Asia, ancient and medieval Japanese art, and Asian art along the Silk Road.

The museum has teamed up with Google’s Arts and Culture to provide an inside look at what the museum has to offer.

48. Uffizi Gallery (Florence, Italy)

Year Opened: 1581

The Uffizi was designed by Giorgio Vasari for Cosimo I de’ Medici, whose family members were by far the largest patrons of art in Renaissance Italy. The museum now spans over 139,000 square feet with 101 different rooms that house its art pieces, including famous pieces such as “The Birth of Venus.” Over 2 million people visit the Uffizi each year, making it the most viewed art museum in Italy.

The museum has teamed up with Google to showcase online galleries including:

• Piero di Cosimo, Perseus Freeing Andromeda
• The Santa Trinita Maestà, Cimabue
• The Creative Process Behind Federico Barocci’s Drawings
• Drawings by Amico Aspertini and other Bolognese artists

49. Van Gogh Museum (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Year Opened: 1973

The Van Gogh Museum is dedicated to perhaps one of the most famous artists of all time — Vincent Van Gogh. The museum contains the largest collection of Van Gogh’s paintings and drawings in the world, including over 200 paintings, 500 drawings, and over 750 personal letters. The museum has over 2 million visitors each year and is the 23rd most visited art museum in the world. Find out more in our review to the best museums in Amsterdam .

The museum has teamed up with Google to create online exhibits on Vincent Van Gogh’s love life and the books he loved to read. You can also visit the museum’s website for a selection of things to do for young children, including school lessons and coloring pages.

50. Victoria and Albert Museum (London, England)

Year Opened : 1852

The Victoria and Albert Museum collection spans 5,000 years of art from Europe, North America, Asia, and North Africa. The collection of ceramics, glass, textiles, costumes, silver, ironwork, jewelry, furniture, medieval objects, sculpture, prints and printmaking, drawings, and photographs is among the largest and most comprehensive in the world.

The virtual tour, in partnership with Google Arts and Culture, offers several online exhibits ranging from fashion to surrealism.

1. American Museum of Natural History (New York City, New York)

Year Opened : 1869

One of the largest natural history museums in the world, the American Museum of Natural History contains 34 million specimens of plants, animals, fossils, minerals, rocks, meteorites, human remains, and human cultural artifacts.

The museum’s 360-degree virtual tours offer an up-close look at permanent exhibits, current exhibits, past exhibits, and research stations.

2. The British Museum (London, England)

Year Opened: 1759

The British Museum is one of the largest in the world and houses over 8 million works within its walls. Established in 1759, it was the first public national museum in the world. Visitors can tour the great court and view some of the most famous objects in history, like the Elgin Marbles of Greece and the Rosetta Stone of Egypt.

The Museum is the world’s largest indoor space on Google Street View and you can go on a virtual visit to more than 60 galleries.

The British Museum also has virtual galleries on display, including:

• Prints and Drawings

To visit the British Museum’s virtual tour page, click here .

3. National Museum of Anthropology (Mexico City, Mexico)

Year Opened: 1964

The National Museum of Anthropology is the largest and most visited museum in all of Mexico. The museum contains significant archaeological and anthropological artifacts from Mexico’s pre-Columbian heritage, such as the Stone of the Sun (or the Aztec calendar stone) and the Aztec Xochipilli statue.

The museum has made more than 100 items available for Google visitors to explore from home.

To view the museum’s online collection, click here .

4. National Museum of Natural History (Washington, D.C.)

Located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History is the 11th most visited museum in the world and the most visited natural history museum in the world. With over 325,000 square feet of exhibition space, the museum’s collections contain over 145 million specimens of plants, animals, fossils, minerals, rocks, meteorites, human remains, and human cultural artifacts — the largest natural history collection in the world. Highlights of the collection include the Hope Diamond and the Star of Asia Sapphire.

You can view all of these specimens from the comfort of your home as the museum has dozens of different online exhibits that can all be accessed on its website.

To view the museum’s virtual tour, click here .

5. Natural History Museum (London, England)

Year Opened: 1881

Undoubtably one of the best Museums in London , the Natural History Museum in London showcases 80 million life and earth science specimens of great historical and scientific value, even housing pieces collected by Charles Darwin. There are 5 categories within the museum: botany , entomology , mineralogy , paleontology , and zoology . Over 5 million people visit this museum each year, making it the most visited natural history museum in Europe.

One of the museum’s most prominent displays is the skeleton of an 82-foot long blue whale named Hope, which you can learn more about through a self-guided virtual tour, along with several other galleries. 

1. London Science Museum (London, England)

Year Opened : 1857

The London Science Museum holds a collection of over 300,000 items, including famous items such as Stephenson’s Rocket, Puffing Billy (the oldest surviving steam locomotive), the first jet engine, some of the earliest remaining steam engines, and documentation of the first typewriter.

Thanks to Google Street View, guests can take a virtual tour of the entire museum, or watch curator gallery guides on the museum’s YouTube channel.

To view the virtual tour or videos, click here .

2. Museo Galileo (Florence, Italy)

Dedicated to the scientist and astronomer Galileo Galilei, the Museo Galilei is housed in an 11th-century palace known as the Palazzo Castellini. The museum has a collection of over 5,000 ancient scientific instruments dating back to the 13th century, and among its most notable items is the telescope Galileo used to discover the satellites of Jupiter.

Visitors from around the world have the opportunity to explore the inside of the museum and can access more than 1,000 permanent exhibition objects through the online catalog.

3. The Museum of Flight (Seattle, Washington)

Year Opened: 1965

The Museum of Flight is the largest private air and space museum in the world and attracts over 500,000 visitors every year. The museum has more than 150 aircraft in its collection, including the Lockheed Model 10-E Electra (the aircraft Amelia Earhart was piloting when she disappeared over the Pacific Ocean), Boeing 747s, and the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird (pictured above).

The museum offers 360-degree tours that let you step inside dozens of these iconic aircraft.

4. The Museum of Natural Sciences of Belgium (Brussels, Belgium)

Year Opened: 1846

The Museum of Natural Sciences of Belgium is dedicated to natural history and is part of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences. The dinosaur hall of the museum is the world’s largest museum hall completely dedicated to dinosaurs, and its most important pieces are 30 fossilized Iguanodon skeletons, which were discovered in 1878 in Bernissart.

It has partnered with Google to set up virtual exhibits for viewing, including:

• 360-degree guided tour
• The Bernissart Iguanodons
• From Salehanthropus to Homo Sapiens
• Over 250 Years of Natural Sciences
• Past, Present, Future: The Marvels of Evolution

To view the museum’s online exhibits, click here .

5. Museum of Science, Boston (Boston, Massachusetts)

Year Opened: 1830

The Museum of Science, Boston, receiving over 1.5 million visitors annually, is a museum and indoor zoo with more than 700 interactive exhibits and over 100 animals, many of which have been rescued and rehabilitated.

The museum offers a phenomenal virtual tour full of digital exhibits, videos, and audio presentations.

6. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (Washington, D.C.)

NASA, founded in 1958, was created by the federal government to develop the civilian space program, as well as to conduct aeronautics, space, and astrophysics research. Since its inception, NASA has been responsible for historic space missions including the Apollo moon-landing missions, the Skylab space station, and the space shuttle.

NASA has partnered with Google Arts and Culture to bring many online exhibits to life to showcase the beauty of space exploration.

7. National Air and Space Museum (Washington, D.C.)

Year Opened : 1946

The National Air and Space Museum is a center for the history and science of aviation, spaceflight, planetary science, terrestrial geology, and geophysics. It is the fifth most visited museum in the world (the second most visited in the U.S.), and contains the Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia, the Friendship 7 capsule, the Wright brothers’ Wright Flyer airplane, and Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis.

The virtual tour offers a 360-degree walk-through of the entire museum.

8. National Museum of Computing (Bletchley Park, England)

Year Opened: 2007

The National Museum of Computing is dedicated to collecting and restoring historic computer systems. The museum is home to the world’s largest collection of working historic computers dating back to the 1940s, including a rebuilt Mark 2 Colossus computer, alongside an exhibition of the most complex code-cracking activities performed at the Park.

In the 3D virtual tour, viewers can move around the galleries looking at the machines and their descriptions with the added bonus of hyperlinks to video and text explanations providing further detail and history of the exhibits.

9. National Museum of the United States Air Force (Riverside, Ohio)

Year Opened: 1923

Located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Riverside, Ohio, the National Museum of the United States Air Force is the oldest and largest military aviation museum in the world, with more than 360 aircraft and missiles on display.

The virtual tour allows visitors to take a virtual, 360-degree, self-guided tour of the entire museum by navigating from gallery to gallery.

10. Oxford University’s History of Science Museum (Oxford, England)

Year Opened: 1683

Oxford’s History of Science Museum holds a leading collection of scientific instruments from the Middle Ages to the 19th century.

The museum, ever ahead of the times, has offered virtual tours since 1995. You’ll get to explore the fantastic exhibits and artifacts of some of the most important scientific discoveries in science history.

1. Acropolis Museum (Athens, Greece)

Year Opened : 2009

The Acropolis Museum is centered around the archaeological findings at the site of Athens’ most important structure — the Acropolis. The museum was built to house every artifact found on the rock and surrounding slopes, from the Greek Bronze Age to Roman and Byzantine Greece.

The museum has partnered with Google Arts and Culture to bring the museum to life virtually. Now you can view rock, marble, and sculptures certificates, all of which are thousands of years old, all from the comfort of your couch!

2. American Battlefield Trust Virtual Battlefield Tours

The American Battlefield Trust Virtual Battlefield Tours offers the incredible opportunity to experience 360-degree virtual tours of more than 20 American Revolution and Civil War battlefields. You can explore Gettysburg, with 15 different stops, each of which features icons that discuss in great detail the history and significance of the battle.

3. Anne Frank House (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Year Opened: 1957

What was once the house where Anne Frank went into hiding during WWII is now a museum dedicated to increasing awareness of Anne’s story and life in the attic. The Anne Frank House was established in cooperation with Anne Frank’s father, Otto Frank, and now welcomes over 1 million visitors from around the world each year.

The museum’s website offers a virtual reality tour of the annex, along with other educational resources about Anne’s life.

4. Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum (Hyde Park, New York)

Year Opened: 1941

The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum holds the records of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 32nd U.S. president (1933 to 1945). The museum showcases the history behind FDR’s story, his presidency, New Deal policies, assassination attempt, and wartime decisions.

The 360-degree online tour gives you a close look at original documents, artifacts, and videos from FDR’s life.

5. National Museum of African American History and Culture (Washington, D.C.)

Year Opened: 2003

The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African-American life, history, and culture. It was established by an Act of Congress in 2003, following decades of efforts to promote and highlight the contributions of African-Americans. To date, the Museum has collected more than 36,000 artifacts.

The museum website offers more than 15 different online exhibits covering African American history and culture.

Check out its online virtual tour  and digital resources guide .

6. National Museum of American History (Washington, D.C.)

The Smithsonian National Museum of American History has more than 1.8 million objects that highlight the history of the U.S — including the original Star-Spangled Banner, Julia Child’s kitchen, Abraham Lincoln’s top hat, Indiana Jones’ fedora and whip, and more!

The museum offers about 100 online exhibits from its encyclopedic collections, each with a mix of photos, video, graphics, and text on topics ranging through the nation’s entire history.

7. National Museum of Scotland (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Year Opened : 1866

The National Museum of Scotland is dedicated to Scottish antiquities, culture, and history. The museum contains artifacts from around the world, encompassing geology, archaeology, natural history, science, technology, art, and world cultures. Popular items from the collections include Dolly the Sheep, the Arthur’s Seat coffins, and the Cramond Lioness sculpture.

The Museum’s galleries have been captured digitally in partnership with Google Arts & Culture, along with a virtual walk-through thanks to Google Street View.

8. National Women’s History Museum (Alexandria, Virginia)

Year Opened: 1996

Founded in 1996 by Karen Staser, the National Women’s History Museum researches, collects, and exhibits the contributions of women to the social, cultural, economic, and political life of our nation in the context of world history.

Its website currently features 29 different online exhibits!

9. Terra Cotta Warriors of Xi’an at Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum (Xi’an, China)

Year Opened: 1974 (created third century B.C.)

The Terracotta Army at Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. It is a form of funerary art buried with the emperor in 210 to 209 B.C. to protect the emperor in his afterlife. The sculptures include warriors, chariots, and horses. Estimates from 2007 were that the 3 pits containing the Terracotta Army held more than 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses, and 150 cavalry horses, the majority of which remained buried in the pits near Qin Shi Huang’s mausoleum.

The online experience allows you to get up close and personal with the sculptures in a full 360-degree experience!

To view the online virtual experience, click here .

10. U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (Washington, D.C.)

Year Opened: 1980

The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum is the country’s official memorial to the Holocaust. It is located on the National Mall alongside other monuments dedicated to freedom. Each year, the museum encourages its 1.6 million visitors to promote human dignity, confront hatred, prevent genocide, and strengthen democratic values. The museum’s collection includes millions of archival documents, artifacts, photographs, footage, and a list of over 200,000 registered survivors and their families, among other historical items.

Its website offers a wide selection of educational resources, including a virtual tour, and is available in 16 languages.

There you have it — 75 amazing #MuseumsAtHome options filled with one-of-a-kind artifacts covering art, science, history, and natural history, all of which can be “visited” virtually while you lounge in your pajamas! So whether you’re a massive fan of art, looking for an educational experience for your children, or simply need a way to keep yourself entertained, you can’t go wrong with a virtual tour of any of these world-class museums.

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Virtual Travel

A Smithsonian magazine special report

Smart News | March 20, 2020

Ten Museums You Can Virtually Visit

Museums are closing their doors amid the coronavirus crisis, but many offer digital exhibitions visitors can browse from the comfort of home

Nadine Daher

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, museums and cultural institutions across the globe are closing their doors to the public. But while visitors can no longer roam the halls of these institutions, virtual tools and online experiences mean anyone with an internet connection can browse world-class collections from home.

The Smithsonian Institution , of course, has its own array of virtual tours, experiences and educational resources . Among the other experiences on offer: Scroll through an extensive trove of 3-D photographs from the Minneapolis Institute of Art , explore online exhibits from the National Women’s History Museum in Virginia, or admire artistic masterpieces from the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Spain. Additionally, around 2,500 museums and galleries, including the Uffizi Galleries in Florence and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, are offering virtual tours and presenting online collections via the Google Arts and Culture portal.

For those in search of armchair travel inspiration, Smithsonian magazine has compiled a list of ten museums that have found new ways to fulfill their critical mission of cultivating creativity and spreading knowledge.

The Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza

Home to the world’s second largest private collection of art, the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza owns masterpieces by giants of virtually every art movement—to name just a few, Jan van Eyck, Titian, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Picasso and Dalí. To spotlight these artistic treasures, the Madrid museum offers an array of multimedia resources . Users can take a virtual tour of the entire building (or a thematic tour covering such topics as food, sustainability, fashion and even “inclusive love”); browse current and closed exhibits ; and watch behind-the-scenes videos featuring interviews, lectures and technical studies.

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea

Committed to offering a culturally rewarding experience since opening its doors in 2013, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul (MMCA) has established itself as a prominent cultural platform and leader in Korean art. In collaboration with Google Arts and Culture, the MMCA is now offering a virtual tour of its collections. This experience takes visitors through six floors of modern and contemporary art from Korea and around the world. Those seeking an educational walkthrough can follow along by tuning into curator-led recorded tours.

The Anne Frank House

The Anne Frank House , established in cooperation with the famed diarist’s father, Otto, in 1957, strives to inform the public through educational programs and tours of the building where the teenager and her family hid during World War II. To delve deeper into the story detailed in Frank’s diary, online visitors can watch videos about her life; virtually explore the Secret Annex ; look around the house where she lived before going into hiding; and view the Google Arts and Culture exhibition “ Anne Frank: Her Life, Her Diary, Her Legacy .”

The Vatican Museums

Home to some 70,000 artworks and artifacts spanning centuries, continents and mediums, the 5.5-hectare Vatican Museums are among Italy’s finest cultural institutions. Virtual visitors can tour seven different sections of the sprawling complex, enjoying 360-degree views of the Sistine Chapel , perhaps best known for Michelangelo’s ceiling and Last Judgment fresco; Raphael’s Rooms , where the Renaissance artist’s School of Athens resides; and lesser-known but equally sumptuous locations such as the Pio Clementino Museum, the Niccoline Chapel and the Room of the Chiaroscuri.

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

“Since its founding, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum has maintained a belief in the transformative powers of art,” reads the Manhattan museum’s website . “In uncertain times such as these, art can provide both solace and inspiration.”

In a nod to this mission, the Guggenheim , a cultural center and educational institution devoted to modern and contemporary art, has opened up its collections to online visitors. The building itself, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, is an architectural masterpiece; audiences can listen to an audio guide of its history or journey up its spiral halls via a Google Arts and Culture virtual tour . For those who want to take a deeper dive into the museum’s collections, the Guggenheim’s online database features some 1,700 artworks by more than 625 artists.

The London National Gallery

Take a virtual tour of 18 gallery rooms, enjoy a panoramic view of the museum’s halls and click through a wide collection of artistic masterpieces using the National Gallery ’s virtual tools . Based in London, this museum houses more than 2,300 works reflecting the Western European tradition between the 13th and 19th centuries. Collection highlights include Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers and J.M.W Turner’s The Fighting Temeraire .

NASA Research Centers

For those fascinated by space exploration, NASA offers online visitors the chance to take a behind-the-scenes look inside its facilities. Visitors can take virtual tours of the organization’s research centers, where aeronautic technology is developed and tested, and learn more about the functions of different facilities. The online tour of Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, covers 16 locations, including the Flight Research Hangar and the Katherine Johnson Computational Research Facility. The virtual tour of the Glenn Research Center in Ohio, meanwhile, takes visitors inside facilities such as the Supersonic Wind Tunnel, where high speed flight is researched, and the Zero Gravity Research Facility, where microgravity research is conducted.

The National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City

Home to the world’s largest ancient Mexican art collection, in addition to an extensive collection of ethnographic objects, the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City preserves the country’s indigenous legacy and celebrates its cultural heritage. In collaboration with Google Arts and Culture, the museum has made some 140 items available for online visitors to explore from their homes. Among the objects available for viewing are the famous Aztec calendar sun stone and the striking jade death mask of ancient Mayan king Pakal the Great.

San Francisco’s De Young Museum

One of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco , the de Young Museum ’s new copper-clad building in Golden Gate Park combines art with architecture. The collection features a priceless array of American art dating from the 17th to the 21st centuries, as well as artifacts from Africa and Oceania, modern and contemporary art, costumes, and textiles. Through Google Arts and Culture, the de Young offers 11 exhibits, including “ Cult of the Machine ” and “ Ruth Asawa: A Working Life .”

Housed in a large fortress along the banks of Paris’ Seine River, the Louvre regularly tops rankings of the most-visited museums in the world, with millions of visitors flocking to its halls in search of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa , the Venus de Milo and other instantly recognizable artworks. Virtual tours offered by the Louvre include a walkthrough of the Egyptian antiquities wing and a view of the museum’s moat, which was built in 1190 to protect Paris from invaders.

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Nadine Daher | | READ MORE

Nadine Daher is a digital intern at Smithsonian magazine. She is a senior at Northwestern, where she studies journalism and international studies.

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Go explore American art Beyond the Walls, a virtual reality experience that transports you directly into the galleries of the Smithsonian American Art Museum.  Beyond the Walls blends photorealistic 3D capture imagery of artworks from the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection with augmented elements which let you interact with and learn about the museum’s collection using a headset and handheld controller.

Beyond the Walls  is a high fidelity, immersive museum experience, and is compatible with Oculus and Vive headsets.  Available for FREE download after July 15.

Tips for a Great Virtual Reality Experience

• The experience requires use of a VR headset, so find a place where you are free to move and rotate safely.
• To “click” on an a teleport marker within the space, press the trigger, point to the teleport location with your handheld controller and release the trigger.
• Although headphones are not required, they are highly recommended for the audio narration track and ambient sound of the media artworks.
• Although a VR headset can be used at any age, we recommend this experience for 13 years of age and older.

Learn more about the artworks from Beyond the Walls at the Smithsonian American Art Museum

This virtual museum presents a selection of unique paintings, sculpture, and multimedia artworks for you to engage and interact with as you freely explore the museum’s east wing from inside a VR headsets. Four of the museum’s artworks serve hotspots which feature a little bit of extra VR “magic”:

Frederic Edwin Church

Frederic Edwin Church,  Aurora Borealis ,  1865, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum

In this painting, Frederic Edwin Church has taken the aurora borealis—ethereal, dynamic, and alien—and captured it in oil paint, making you believe that you are standing underneath that phenomenon, witnessing the colors reflected off the ice. In VR, you can stand closer to the painting than might ever be permitted in real life, allowing you to examine its texture and observe its rich custom frame. VR users standing in front of the painting can trigger a teleportation hotspot which sends them to a remote mountain in Iceland, where they are suddenly in a dark landscape, looking around at jaw-dropping, 360-degree 6K video footage of an actual aurora blazing in the sky, provided by designer and photographer Olafur Haraldsson. The ability to compare and contrast the two scenes offers rich opportunities for learning and observation.

Augustus Saint-Gaudens

Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Roman Bronze Works,  Adams Memorial ,  modeled 1886-1891, cast 1969, bronze, Smithsonian American Art Museum

In 1885, Marian Hooper “Clover” Adams, an amateur photographer and the wife of the writer Henry Adams, committed suicide by drinking poisonous chemicals used to develop film. Her grieving husband commissioned prominent sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens to create a memorial to her that would express the Buddhist idea of nirvana, a state of being beyond joy and sorrow. Saint-Gaudens modeled a powerful shrouded figure, and then worked closely with architect Stanford White, who designed a secluded, contemplative setting for Clover’s gravesite in Rock Creek Cemetery in Washington, D.C.. Decades later, the Smithsonian American Art Museum acquired a bronze cast made after the original in the cemetery. When standing in front of SAAM’s bronze cast in VR, you can choose to teleport to Clover’s actual gravesite, coming face-to-face with the same sculpture, but this time in the context of the private outdoor memorial for which it was originally intended. Soft sunshine filters through a bank of trees, which move softly in the background, and the bench surrounding the sculpture allows for a moment of quiet contemplation. Flashing back and forth between the museum’s version and the outdoor version, you can notice the differences, sometimes subtle, that distinguish the two casts, and the effects of weather on the outdoor installation.

Hiram Powers

Hiram Powers,  Model of the Greek Slave ,  1843, plaster and metal pins, Smithsonian American Art Museum

The original marble sculpture of the Greek Slave propelled its artist, Hiram Powers, to international stardom. The Greek Slave was almost immediately associated with the anti-slavery movement in the United States, as abolitionists used images of it to promote their cause. The 3D model that appears in the VR app was rendered from a scan of the original plaster model that dates to 1843; in fact, this VR edition is a not work that exists in the real world at all. The presence of this sculpture in VR provides an opportunity to draw parallels between contemporary 3D scanning technology and nineteenth-century mechanical reproduction techniques, and to talk about the slippery (and often unhelpful) concept of “the original,” when it comes to sculpture.

Alex Prager,  Face in the Crowd ,  2013, three-channel video installation, color, sound; 11:52 minutes, Smithsonian American Art Museum

The only contemporary artwork to appear in the Beyond the Walls  VR experience is a selection from a video installation by Los Angeles-based artist Alex Prager. When you experience it in the physical museum, Face in the Crowd is installed in a black box gallery, where video plays asynchronously on three of the walls. The experience in VR looks no different, with one notable exception: the artist herself is standing in the room with you. You can walk up to Prager (or around her—she was volumetrically scanned and has been fully rendered in three dimensions) as she tells you about the inspiration for her artwork as you experience it “together.”  Prager’s artwork deals with the anxiety of being swept up by the masses while trying to create and maintain a sense of self—conditions long present in the physical world—and how this anxiety can be amplified in the virtual spaces we inhabit today. 

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Virtual tours Enjoy the Louvre at home! Online tours

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Visit the museum rooms and galeries, admire the palace architecture and enjoy the views!

From afar. Travelling Materials and Objects

Through materials and objects, this exhibition describes exchanges between distant worlds – exchanges often far more ancient than the explorations of the 16th century.   From deepest antiquity, carnelian, lapis lazuli, ebony and ivory circulated along trade routes...

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The Advent of the Artist

For its 5th edition, the Petite Galerie takes a closer look at the transition from the typically anonymous craftsman of the classical period to the artist of the Renaissance, featuring works by Delacroix, Rembrandt, Tintoret and more.

Power plays

This third Petite Galerie exhibition focused on the connection between art and political power, from antiquity to the present day.

The Body in Movement

In its second season, the Petite Galerie explored one of the performing arts: dance. How did artists use different materials and techniques to represent movement?

Founding Myths: From Hercules to Darth Vader

The very first Petite Galerie exhibition looked into how illustrators, sculptors, painters, puppeteers, filmmakers, and musicians around the world have drawn inspiration from myths, given them form, and brought them to life.

What activities does the Louvre offer that can be enjoyed from home?

Events at the auditorium (in French)  

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“Mona Lisa Beyond the Glass” virtual reality experience  

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10 Art Museums You Can Visit Virtually

Visiting incredible art at museums around the world is one of the best parts of traveling. But sometimes travel is not possible for various reasons. Thankfully, we live in a modern world with virtual capabilities, and many art museums offer virtual tours, live streams, and other ways to access their collections without having to open your door, let alone hop on a plane. While some museums have their own online offerings, the Google Arts & Culture page has links to more than 2,500 museums that show parts or all of their collections and offer tours through Google’s street view. From the Louvre in Paris to the Met and Guggenheim in New York, all you have to do is go online to see incredible art and fulfill your wanderlust. Here are 10 museums you can virtually visit from the comfort of your couch.

The Louvre (Paris)

 kwanchai_k photograph/Getty Images

One of the most famous and largest museums in the world, the Louvre offers a selection of online tours of its exhibition rooms, galleries, and even its incredible glass pyramid and stone façade. For example, explore the Egyptian Antiquities Room and the recently restored Galerie d’Apollon, which has a painted ceiling that features an a homage to the Sun King, Louis XIV, with a central panel depicting Apollo Slaying the Serpent Python. Access the virtual Louvre by going directly to the museum’s website for online tours .

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City)

 Mario Tama/Getty Images

New York’s largest museum, the Met has a collection that represents more than 5,000 years of art from around the world. From paintings and sculptures by masters like Paul Cezanne, Joan Miro, Auguste Rodin, and Alexander Calder to artifacts from Egypt, Ghana, and beyond, it’s impossible to see everything on one visit. Online, the museum has six videos that explore different parts of the museums through their Met 360° Project , slideshows of special collections under MetCollects . Find specially curated video tours with curator comments on Viewpoints (the current one focuses on the sculpted body) and video interviews with 120 artists at the Artist Project . The app and website 82nd and Fifth has its own collection of short curator-led videos each focused on specific pieces in the collection, while MetKids features online art-related activities for little ones like a virtual time machine, an interactive museum map, and multiple videos.

The Guggenheim (New York City and Bilbao, Spain)

 Raymond Boyd/ Getty Images

While you may not be able to see the famous circular building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in person, you can view more than 1,700 pieces of art by 625 artists from the museum’s multiple locations via the Guggenheim’s online collection on your computer. The pieces are searchable by artist, medium, time period, movement, special collection, and venue. Additionally, the New York museum is on the Google Arts & Culture Page, with online exhibitions and a virtual tour available.

The Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam)

The major works of great Dutch master painters, from Johannes Vermeer to Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, are on display in the Netherlands ' largest museum, the Rijksmuseum . A must visit on any trip to Amsterdam, you can still see the museum’s highlights virtually. The museum’s website hosts Rijks Studio , a collection of 675,970 of its paintings that are put in different collections, or studios. You can even create your own studio by theme or artist. You can also walk through the museum virtually, thanks to Google’s street view .

Uffizi Gallery (Florence)

Florence ’s beautiful Uffizi Gallery, Pitti Palace, and Boboli Gardens are some of the city’s highlights, but there are digital versions of all the artwork (and in the case of the gardens, images of the landscape and flora in addition to sculptures and architecture) on the museum’s website, as well as curated and themed online exhibitions with commentary on their HyperVisions page. The website’s digital archives feature photography archives, an art catalogue, and a drawing database. The Uffizi is also on Google Arts & Culture with four online exhibits and a virtual tour of the museum .

National Gallery of Art (Washington, D.C.)

 Sean Gallup/ Getty Images 

The nation’s capital is home to the amazing National Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian museum has its entire collection online, which is searchable , or you can just scroll through the highlights , which include Edward Hopper’s Haskell’s House and Vincent van Gogh’s "Self-Portrait." NGA Online Editions features the museum’s most current information with various videos, images, and detailed text from curators. NGA Kids has various interactive activities and there’s an iPad app as well. The NGA is also featured on Google Arts & Culture .

Frida Kahlo Museum (Mexico City)

  Andrew Hasson/Getty Images

Casa Azul , Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera’s former home-turned- museum in Mexico City , is on many art lovers’ bucket lists. While an actual visit may not be possible, the museum has a virtual tour through the home and gardens, images and text from current and past exhibitions , a visual database of her artwork that’s in Casa Azul and other museums, and several videos and photos of her. Bonus: there are even two recipes of Mexican classics that you can make at home: Mole Poblano and Chiles en Nogada .

National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (Seoul)

 Woohae Cho/Getty Images

Established in Gyeongbokgung Palace in 1969, the MMCA immediately started collecting 20th-century art. It moved to its own building in Gwacheon just outside Seoul in 1986, and today it has three locations, including in Seoul. In October 2019, the museum launched MMCA TV, with curators hosting a tour of the museum on You Tube . In addition, the entire collection can be explored on their website and on Google Arts & Culture there are four exhibitions and six tours.

São Paolo Museum of Art (São Paolo)

Brazil’s first modern museum was founded in 1947 by Brazilian businessman Assis Chateaubriand and today it remains private and not-for-profit. It has more than 10,000 works housed in São Paolo and has the most important collection of European art in the Southern Hemisphere as well as artworks from Africa, Asia, and the Americas. At MASP there is a vast open space that is filled with a transparent, suspended exhibition design making for a unique experience. Explore it on Google Arts & Culture , as well as six exhibits and over 1,000 works, and you can search their collection on their own website as well.

Tokyo Fuji Art Museum (Tokyo)

 Courtesy of Tokyo Fuji Art Museum

With more than 30,000 Japanese, Eastern, and Western works in multiple mediums, the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum was opened in 1983 in Tokyo. Its website hosts various slideshows of images from their collection and a searchable database of all works. Additionally, the museum can be found on Google Arts & Culture for virtual tours and three online exhibits.

Have little ones at home? They'll love this list of 10 children's museums with virtual offerings.

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The 10 Best Virtual Museum and Art Gallery Tours

Explore thousands of galleries and museums from the comfort and safety of your living room.

By Alex Martin

The ongoing spread of the novel coronavirus Covid-19 has put paid to hundreds of thousands of travel plans across the world. Millions of people are once again being forced or advised to remain inside, and art galleries and museums will close their doors. But thanks to modern technology, you can explore thousands of galleries and museums from the comfort and safety of your living room. Here, we pick some of the best virtual museum and art gallery tours to take during lockdown.

Guggenheim, Bilbao

The Guggenheim is perhaps more famous for the stunning titanium and steel building within which its located. The distinctive structure was designed by Frank Gehry as a tribute to Bilbao’s naval and industrial heritage. But in the absence of visiting this architectural treasure, you can explore its extensive collection of modern art through its interactive tour. Some of the more notable artworks include Untitled by Mark Rothko and Nine Discourses On Commodus by Cy Twombly. Its most iconic piece, Maman by Louise Bourgeois, stands just outside of the museum.

guggenheim-bilbao.eus

Natural History Museum, London

The Natural History Museum in London is beloved by both tourists and locals. Housing hundreds and thousands of treasures, visitors can wander around its storied corridors for hours on end and still not see all it has to offer Although its doors are now closed, you can enjoy much of what it has to offer in its interactive online guide. See the Emperor penguin eggs brought home by some of the first Antarctic expeditions and see some of the oldest human skeletons ever found in the Darwin Center.

J Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

With pieces dating back 6,000 years, the Getty offers one of the most complete collections of artistic treasures in the world. Its most prized pieces, Irises by Vincent van Gogh and La Promenade by Renior, both feature on the virtual tour. A museum view is also available on the Google Arts and Culture tool. From there, you can explore the Getty Center’s many outdoor sculptures as well as its Center of Photographs. The latter is widely regarded as the finest collection of photographs in world, dating from the earliest days of camera technology.

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Vatican museums, rome.

The Sistine Chapel explored through the Vatican’s virtual portal / © museivaticani.va

Italy has been struck hardest by the coronavirus and due to its elderly population, Vatican City was quickly locked down. While it remains closed for the foreseeable future, its treasures remain in place. The website offers a virtual tour of its most stunning sites, which allows you to marvel at Michelangelo’s ceiling inside the Sistine Chapel. Other marvels to visit include The You Visit tour allows you to wander around the world’s smallest country digitally and even has a tour guide option that offers information on each significant site.

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Van gogh museum, amsterdam.

Amsterdam is one of Europe’s most visited cities and the Van Gogh Museum is one of the most visited sights within the city. Van Gogh’s story of tragedy and genius resonates with millions of people around the world, many of whom come here to marvel at over 200 paintings, 500 drawings and 750 personal letters. The Google Arts & Culture tool now offers access to the entire museum, allowing you to get up close and personal with some of the most treasured artwork in the world.

artsandculture.google.com/van-gogh-museum

Guggenheim Museum, New York

Marvel at one of the most Instagrammable staircases in the world before absorbing a huge collection of art from the Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary eras. A visit to the Guggenheim is a unique experience unlike any offered by a conventional art gallery – architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed the museum as a journey, with visitors walking up (or down) a gently sloping spiral. The galleries are divided like membranes in citrus fruit, with self-contained yet interdependent sections. Visitors can view pieces by great artists like Picasso, Kandinsky and Miró at their via Google Arts & Culture.

artsandculture.google.com/solomon-r-guggenheim-museum

Picasso Museum, Barcelona

The Picasso Museum in Barcelona through its virtual portal / ©Picasso Museum

The Picasso Museum, located in the heart of Barcelona’s Latin Quarter, is visited by millions every year. They come to marvel at the best works of perhaps the most famous painter of all, but stay to marvel at the best-preserved Medieval architecture in Barcelona. The online tour offers a large selection of Picasso’s finest works as well as virtual tours of the museum’s beautiful courtyards.

bcn.cat/museupicasso/

Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art, New York

You can explore 129 artworks from arguably the most famous museum in the world through the Google Arts & Culture program. That includes some of its most prized assets, such as Van Gogh’s Starry Night and Rousseau’s The Sleeping Gypsy. In total, MoMA boasts a collection of over 150,000 paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, photographs, architectural models and drawings, and design objects. Even for the most learned aficionado, there are myriad opportunities to discover and learn something new about modern art.

British Museum, London

The digital tool on offer from the British Museum / ©British Museum

The British Museum was the first national museum in the world. Opened in 1759, it serves the same purpose as it did back then, offering a view of human history with priceless artifacts from every corner of the globe. From a rock tool carved by early humans 1.8m years ago to items made as recently as the 1950s, the British Museum’s virtual tour grants you access to some of its most prized possessions such as the Rosetta Stone and the Elgin Marbles.

britishmuseum.withgoogle.com/

Musée d’Orsay, Paris

Musée d’Orsay was originally built as a grand railway station and hotel, but today houses the largest collection of impressionist and post-Impressionist works in the world. Much of this can now be experienced through its own virtual tour, offering a complete history of the impressionist era through the works of Monet and Gauguin amongst many others. There is also an online exhibition on the storied history of the building itself.

artsandculture.google.com/musee-dorsay-paris

National Palace Museum, Taipei

With a permanent collection of almost 700,000 pieces stretching back 8,000 years, the National Palace Museum in Taipei boasts one of the most extensive collections of Chinese artifacts and artworks. Its virtual online platform allows you to explore the huge space and all of its permanent exhibitions. However, with such an extensive collection, you will be best served taking one of the featured tour routes, which allows you to quickly browse the museum’s most treasured items.

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The 18 Best Virtual Art Museum Tours You Can Enjoy Online

The world’s art museums are full of treasures. Thanks to advances in technology we can view them from the comfort of our armchairs. Virtual art museum tours are a great way to see incredible artworks without travelling. Whether you’re into contemporary painting or traditional artworks, you’re sure to enjoy these virtual museum tours.

Best Virtual Art Museum Tours

While it would be fun to visit all the best museums in the world, that’s not easy to do. However, with these art museum virtual tours, you can explore them from your own home.

More and more museums are making their collections accessible to all online. Quite a few of the famous museums featured here have special kid friendly online museum tours too.

Google Arts & Culture have also partnered with hundreds of museums and art galleries worldwide to create virtual tours of art museums. These include The Guggenheim and MoMA in New York and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Korea.

18. Belvedere Museum, Vienna

Let’s start with a museum that is as beautiful inside as outside. Belvedere Museum, or The Österreichische Galerie Belvedere to give its full name, is located within the Belvedere Palace in Vienna, Austria .

The former Summer residence of Prince Eugene, it’s now as UNESCO World Heritage Site. The palace is a masterpiece of Baroque architecture.

After Prince Eugene’s death, it became an art gallery. Among the permanent collection highlights are works by Egon Schiele and Hans Makart.

The Upper Belvedere houses the largest collection of Gustav Klimt artworks in the world. This includes the famous painting, The Kiss, which shimmers thanks to the use of gold leaf.

The Belvedere has several online digital guided tours on their website and social media channels. They have also made available 360° museum views of the Upper and Lower Belvedere galleries, and a Smartify app offering free audio tours. In Wintertime, The Belvedere hosts one of the best Viennese Christmas markets in its grounds.

17. Art Institute of Chicago

One of the most impressive museums in the United States, the Art Institute of Chicago boasts a variety of interactive online resources. You can search the permanent collection, take part in virtual events or watch recordings of previous virtual events.

16. Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston

Housed in an extraordinary building inspired by Venetian palaces, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum showcases over 2000 objects from around the world. Isabella Stewart Gardner was an art collector who sadly lost her only child to pneumonia.

Travelling around the world with her husband gave Isabella a renewed purpose in life. She built this three floor museum to house her collection of artifacts, including sculptures, paintings, photographs and textiles.

In 1990, two men committed the world’s largest unsolved art theft, stealing thirteen artworks. A virtual museum tour shows you where these masterpieces originally hung. A $5 million reward is offered for their safe return.

15. British Museum, London

This famous London museum is actually the largest indoor space in the world on Google Street View. There are 60 galleries to explore, with historical artefacts like the Rosetta Stone in the Egyptian Sculpture Gallery .

The British Museum also has two virtual galleries on their own website : Oceania and Prints and Drawings. Another good way to view the museum’s online exhibits is on their Google Arts & Culture pages. There are over 50 to choose from including Guatemalan Masks and Buddhist Art in Myanmar.

14. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Known as The Met for short, this is the largest art museum in the USA. After opening in 1870 at 681 Fifth Avenue, New York City , the main museum moved to its current location in 1880.

The spectacular Beaux-Arts facade was designed by Richard Morris Hunt. There are also two other branches of The Metropolitan Museum: The Met Breuer on Madison Avenue and The Met Cloisters in Northern Manhattan.

The Met is one of the best virtual museum tours for kids, thanks to its #MetKids map , created by children. They can explore the online collection map or hop in the Time Machine.

The Met 360° Project is a series of six award-winning videos created with 360° technology. They enable viewers to discover the museum’s key spaces with a virtual visit including The Great Hall and The Temple of Dendur.

13. Musée d’Orsay, Paris

One of the things that make this famous Parisian museum so special is the building it’s located in. A former railway station, it was built for the Universal Exhibition of 1900.

Designated a historical monument, the Musee d’Orsay was designed by Victor Laloux. These days, it features a fine collection of Impressionist works and Post-Impressionist paintings.

Take a virtual art museum tour of the Musée d’Orsay building. You can admire works by some of the most famous artists in the world including Degas, Renoir, Monet and Van Gogh.

12. J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

The Getty Museum has partnered with Google Arts & Culture for a new exhibition in Pocket Gallery. This immersive exhibition feature creates a life sized virtual space using augmented reality.

Choose from several virtual rooms and explore the artworks by moving your phone. There are four virtual rooms, on the themes A Breath of Fresh Air , City Life , Music and Merriment and Around the Table . The app is available for iOS and Android phones.

11. National Gallery of the Cayman Islands

Discover artworks from the Caribbean in the online exhibitions of Grand Cayman’s National Gallery. Founded in 1996, the  National Gallery of the Cayman Islands (NGCI) is the leading arts museum and education centre in the country.

They curate up to 6 exhibitions each year in Grand Cayman and also host over 25 education and outreach programs monthly for all age groups.  There are currently four colorful exhibitions available as virtual tours.

These include an online tour of the National Art Collection ; Cross Currents – Cayman Islands Biennial , showcasing 42 local artists; Bendel Hydes – A Retrospective , a retrospective of the artist’s 50 year career and Tidal Shift, featuring 26 artists. The current NGCI exhibition Island of Women – Life at Home During Our Maritime Years will also be available soon.

Access all the tours here:  https://www.nationalgallery.org.ky/see/virtual-tours/ .

10. National Palace Museum, Taipei City

With almost 700,000 objects, the National Palace Museum in Taiwan is the largest collection of ancient Chinese artifacts in the world. Featuring rare items from the Neolithic period to the present day, the museum was founded in 1965.

There’s a fantastic range of guided virtual tours online, including the exterior as well as the interior of the building. Admire Zhishan Garden, the Pavilions and the Cage Changing Goose sculptue before heading indoors to explore the rest of the collection.

You can take one of  four featured routes  or simply click around the galleries depending on your interests. Handy floor plans will prevent you from getting lost! There’s also a fun time lapse of the museum.

9. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

Spread over 80 galleries and showcasing 8,000 objects,  The Rijksmuseum  is one of the best art museums with virtual tours. Focusing primarily on Dutch art and history, it is housed in a magnificent Renaissance-Gothic style building designed by Pierre Cuypers.

Highlights of the museum’s collection include the Delft pottery collection, the 17th century dolls’ houses and the  Night Watch  by Rembrandt.  The Milkmaid , by Dutch painter Vermeer is another subtly brilliant artwork.

8. Tate Britain, London

Featuring the finest British art, Tate Britain is located in a magnificent building on Millbank that dates from 1897. Kids will enjoy author Jacqueline Wilson’s Magical Tour of Tate Britain .

You can also take a  Google  virtual tour of the Pre-Raphaelite galleries. Works such as Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose by John Singer Sargent and Ophelia by Sir John Everett Millais have an ethereal charm.

7. The Louvre, Paris

Famous for its incomparable collections, The Louvre is also the largest art museum in the world. The building itself is a historical monument, with the main section dating from the 12th century.

The glass pyramid by I. M. Pei was added in 1989. The Louvre is known for works of art such as the  Mona Lisa  by Leonardo da Vinci and  The Venus de Milo  by Alexandros of Antioch.

It also has an extensive collection of French crown jewels and Egyptian antiquities. The Great Sphinx of Tanis and the ancient mummy are particularly impressive.

There are several Louvre online tours including The Advent of The Artist exhibition in the Petite Galerie with works by Rembrandt and Tintoretto. Don’t miss the virtual exhibits in the recently restored Galerie d’Apollon, with its central panel by Delacroix.

6. The National Gallery, London

With over 2,300 paintings, The National Gallery has an impressive collection of artworks from 1260 to 1900. One of the most visited museums in the world, it has an enviable location on Trafalgar Square.

The main building was designed by William Wilkins and opened in 1838. The Sainsbury Wing extension opened in 1991.

There are several virtual tours of the National Gallery, including a VR tour of the Sainsbury Wing, created in collaboration with Oculus. Using Matterport 3D technology, it showcases over 270 Early Renaissance paintings .

You can either enjoy the virtual 360° tour or experience it in virtual reality if you happen to have a VR headset. There’s also a Google virtual tour of 7 rooms and the Central Hall, which showcases works by Holbein, Titian and Veronese.

5. The Smithsonian, Washington D.C.

One of the best virtual art museums, The Smithsonian Institution is also the largest museum, research and education complex in the world. Several of the 19 galleries and museums have virtual tours available.

These include The National Museum of Natural History , the National Portrait Gallery and National Museum of Asian Art . There are also lots of online resources for educators available here . Kids will love the wide range of activities including how to make an Art Bot and Color Our Collections .

4. The State Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg

One of the largest museums in the world, The Hermitage has over 3 million exhibits! Founded in 1764, the incredible collection spans 5,000 years.

The most popular visitor attraction in St Petersburg, it wows not only with its artworks but also with its architecture. Designed by Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli in the 1750s, The State Hermitage Museum was founded by Catherine the Great.

There are over 17,000 paintings including works by Leonardo da Vinci, Rubens and Picasso. The Knight’s Hall examines the history of armoury in the 15th to 17th centuries.

Check out the Google virtual museum for other highlights including the Kolyvan Vase. It weights over 19 tonnes and is the largest single piece of jasper in the world.

3. The Vatican, Rome

If you want to have The Sistine Chapel to yourself, then don’t miss The Vatican virtual tours. Pope Julius II founded The Vatican Museums in the 16th century.

There are 7 Vatican City virtual online tours including Raphael’s Rooms, the Chiaramonti Museum and the Niccoline Chapel. The latter is known for its fresco paintings by Fra Angelico.

2. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam has a fun Unravel Van Gogh app . One of the best virtual art museum tours, it allows you to discover how Vincent Van Gogh worked.

Peel back layers of paint and comparing his paintings with postcards of the time. There are also quite a few resources in the Google Arts & Culture app, including virtual room tours of the museum.

1. Uffizi Gallery, Florence

One of the best art museums in the world, the Uffizi Gallery has an incredible collection of works from the Italian Renaissance period. Located in the centre of Florence , the Uffizi complex has been open to visitors since the 16th century.

Designed in 1560 by Giorgio Vasari, it features a top floor gallery that was intended to display the artworks of the Medici family. Over the years, it grew into the world famous collection that we know today.

You can admire several online exhibits in their virtual art gallery such as The Adoration of the Magi by Gentile da Fabriano, La Primavera by Botticelli and Medusa by Caravaggio. The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli has a timeless appeal.

Here’s a recap of these virtual art museum tours:

• Uffizi Gallery, Florence
• Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
• The Vatican, Rome
• The State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
• The Smithsonian, Washington D.C.
• The National Gallery, London
• The Louvre, Paris
• Tate Britain, London
• Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
• National Palace Museum, Taipei City
• National Gallery of the Cayman Islands
• J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
• Musée d’Orsay, Paris
• Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
• British Museum, London
• Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston
• Belvedere Museum, Vienna

Final Thoughts on the Best Virtual Art Tours

There you have it, the best virtual art tours to take from the comfort of your home. While nothing can replace an in-person viewing experience, these virtual art tours provide the next best thing.

From world-renowned museums like The Louvre and The Metropolitan Museum of Art to smaller, lesser known institutions, there is something for everyone on this list. So whether you’re missing your local museum or looking to explore somewhere new, be sure to check out one (or all) of these amazing virtual art tours.

And if you’re interested in learning more about the art world, be sure to check out our other articles on everything from up-and-coming artists to must-see exhibitions.

Which of these virtual art tours do you like best? Are there any others that you would recommend?

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20 Famous Art Museums You Can Visit from Your Living Room

Art from around the world has never been closer to home.

Did you know that you can access art museum virtual field trips, tours, and resources from around the world for free ? Why not take your students on virtual museum tours to the lavish Louvre in Paris? Or the majestic Metropolitan Museum of Art? Or any one of these historic art museums from around the world? Check out the list below to get started!

1. Benaki Museum

Located in Greece, the Benaki Museum features European and Asian pieces of artwork dating all the way back to prehistoric ages. In addition to having a massive collection of art you can explore virtually, the Benaki also offers audio tours for several of their larger exhibits. Our favorites include Chinese and Korean Art, Historic Heirlooms, and Childhood, Toys, and Games.

2. The Frick Collection

Frick, yeah! Click your way through this interactive map for a tour of the beautiful building and collections of art from the likes of Bellini, Rembrandt, Vermeer, and more.

3. The J. Paul Getty Museum

Explore thousands of items in the Getty’s collection  with help from Google Arts & Culture. The J. Paul Getty Museum specifically has several interactive options for exploring their collection: a “museum view” virtual tour, three ebook-style online exhibits, and the library of over 15,000 collected pieces of art.

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4. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)

The largest art museum in the western United States is offering art museum virtual field trips. Watch videos and museum walkthroughs, listen to soundtracks and live recordings, learn with online teaching resources and courses, browse their art collection, and more on LACMA’s redesigned website.

5. The Louvre

One of our favorite art museum virtual field trips—and the world’s large museum—is the Louvre with options for some of their best exhibition rooms and galleries. Explore rare Egyptian artifacts, iconic paintings, the beautiful structure of the building, and much more through their 360-degree viewing feature.

(NOTE: Several of these virtual tours require Flash Player.)

6. Metropolitan Museum of Art’s #MetKids

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (aka the Met) developed #MetKids for, with, and by kids—but we think parents and teachers will have just as much fun using it. Our favorite features include a fun and highly interactive map, a “time machine” search function, informational and how-to videos, and so much more.

7. Musée d’Orsay

Instantly transport to the middle of Paris with the Musée d’Orsay and their online tours and art collection. Here you can explore art history with the largest collection of impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces from renowned artists such as Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, and many more.

8. Museo Frida Kahlo

Also known as La Casa Azúl (the Blue House), this historic art museum was developed where renowned artist Frida Kahlo lived and created masterpieces. While there, you can learn about her life, her art, and more as you take a virtual tour through her former residence.

9. The Museum of the World

The British Museum and Google Cultural Institute teamed up to create one of our favorite interactive projects: The Museum of the World. The British Museum’s digital art collection lets users travel through time—starting with 2,000,000 BC—while seeing how each historical piece in their collection connects with others. Wow!

10. The National Gallery

Click and scroll your way around the National Gallery in London with their three interactive virtual tour options. The National Gallery has hundreds of paintings in its collection ready to be viewed online, many of which are from the Renaissance period.

11. The National Gallery of Art

Washington D.C.’s National Gallery of Art has a wide variety of great educational resources,  including video tours of their exhibitions, in-depth looks at the best pieces of their collection, downloadable learning resources and exercises, pre-recorded lectures by artists and curators, and more.

12. Pergamon Museum

One of Germany’s largest museums, Pergamon is home to a variety of ancient artifacts, including the Ishtar Gate of Babylon and the Pergamon Altar.

13. Rijksmuseum

The Rijksmuseum is the museum of the Netherlands and contains an online collection of well over 160,000 items. Not only is their digital collection incredibly stocked, but it’s also one of the more immersive collections online today. In addition, we highly recommend you try their “stories” feature (shown above), which walks users through the story and emotions behind the artwork created.

14. San Diego Museum of Art

Step inside the San Diego Museum of Art from anywhere! Enjoy 360-degree scans of your favorite galleries, zoom in to see art details, and read full label text in both English and Spanish, all from the comfort of home.

15. San Francisco Museum of Modern Arts

The San Francisco MoMA offers exclusive content featuring artists and their work online. Watch videos, read articles, and more right on their website.

16. The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation has several art museums around the world, which means more history to absorb virtually! Their Collection Online has over 1,700 diverse artworks by over renowned 600 artists—and it is definitely worth checking out as one of our top art museum virtual field trips!

17. Tate Modern: Andy Warhol Exhibit

The Tate Modern put together this video tour of their famous Andy Warhol exhibit. Museum curators Gregor Muir and Fiontán Moran talk in-depth about Andy Warhol and his work through the lens of the immigrant story, his LGBTQ identity, and more.

18. Uffizi Gallery

Here you’ll find the art collection of one of Florence, Italy’s most famous families, the de’Medicis. Wander the halls from any classroom!

19. The Van Gogh Museum

With an obvious focus on Vincent van Gogh, the Van Gogh Museum is home to the largest collection of van Gogh pieces in the world. The museum, virtual tours, ebook “stories,” and online collection dive into the life of van Gogh and the inspiration behind his art. Moreover, we think teachers everywhere will appreciate how big a fan he was of reading books!

20. The Vatican Museums

You can finally say you’ve seen the Sistine Chapel thanks to this online program! And, you can also virtually visit the Raphael Rooms, the Chiaramonti Museum, and more historic sites through these virtual tours by the Vatican Museums.

Did we miss one of your favorite art museum virtual field trips? Share them with us, and we might just add it to this list!

Also, check out the best field trip ideas for every age and interest (virtual options too).

You Might Also Like

40 Amazing Educational Virtual Field Trips

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2,500 Museums You Can Now Visit Virtually

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Inside the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam (Tomasz Baranowski/ Flickr )

There’s no point in sugarcoating it — things are bad and they’re about to get worse before they get any better. COVID-19 virus has brought the world to a halt, shuttering all art and cultural institutions in affected countries, and putting millions worldwide in quarantine, self-imposed or not. Meanwhile, if you’re feeling hungry for art while you’re stranded at home, you might be pleased to know that 2,500 world-class museums and galleries are now offering virtual tours and online collections on Google’s Arts & Culture pages. (And for opera fans, the Metropolitan Opera in New York City is streaming concerts for free .)

Google Arts & Culture’s collection includes many of the world’s biggest museums: Tate Modern and the British Museum in London, the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, and the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum in NYC, among hundreds of others. In most, you can browse through entire exhibitions online, and in many, you can also walk through the museum using Google’s street view .

Here are 12 museums that you can visit virtually right now:

Guggenheim Museum, New York

See online exhibitions like  But a Storm Is Blowing From Paradise: Contemporary Art of the Middle East and North Africa  and The Little-Known Glass Works of Josef Albers   here and virtually tour the building here (you’d save yourself $25).

British Museum, London

Tour the museum’s Great Court and discover the ancient Rosetta Stone here .

Musée d’Orsay, Paris

Get a close look at the works of Monet, Cézanne, Gauguin, and hundreds of other French painters here .

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

Walk among Vermeer, Rembrandt, and many more masters from the Dutch Golden Age here .

Pergamon Museum, Berlin

The Pergamon is one of Germany’s largest museums and it’s home for the Ishtar Gate of Babylon and the Greek Pergamon Altar. Visit it here .

National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul

Catch up on the best of contemporary art from Korea here .

National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC

Explore an exhibition of American fashion from 1740 to 1895 and a collection of Vermeer paintings here .

Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

Here is where you can find the largest collection of artworks by van Gogh, including more than 200 paintings, 500 drawings, and over 750 personal letters.

Louvre, Paris

The Louvre doesn’t need Google to create online tours for itself. It has its own virtual tours , thank you very much.

MASP, São Paulo

The Museu de Arte de São Paulo is Brazil’s first modern art museum. Do visit it here .

The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

Travel back in time to the 8th century with this collection of European paintings, drawings, sculpture, illuminated manuscripts, decorative arts, and European, Asian, and American photographs.  

Uffizi Gallery, Florence

Italy was hit hardest by the virus in Europe. Show some solidarity and pay this magnificent gallery a visit .

And, finally, enjoy this short walkthrough of the 2019 exhibition No Wrong Holes: Thirty Years of Nayland Blake at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (ICA LA), courtesy the artist themself.

If you’re stuck at home and looking to visit a virtual museum, here’s a quick lo-fi walkthrough of my retrospective No Wrong Holes: https://t.co/4zmoS3M06E via @YouTube — Nayland Blake (@naylandblake) March 15, 2020

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Hakim Bishara

Hakim Bishara is a Senior Editor at Hyperallergic. He is a recipient of the 2019 Andy Warhol Foundation and Creative Capital Arts Writers Grant and he holds an MFA in Art Writing from the School of Visual... More by Hakim Bishara

4 replies on “2,500 Museums You Can Now Visit Virtually”

is there a list of the 2500 musuems?

This would be handy. Did you receive an answer Gilad Melzer?

Nearly all art museums (and presumably many other types) will let you browse through their collections on their websites. The best, though, are “virtual tours” that scale the works on the walls and give you a sense of being able to walk through the galleries and the ability to zero in on particular works of art that interest you. Brief interpretive texts or audio descriptions are often available for individual works, as well. Art has always held the capacity to take people out of their own problems and day-to-day concerns to focus on something other–consoling beauty for a start and distancing from what makes us unhappy or afraid. It teaches, too, if we remember to keep our minds as open as our eyes.

The Museum at FIT has beautiful images and information about our current exhibitions “Ballerina: Fashion’s Modern Muse,” “Power Mode,” and “Eleanor Lambert,” on FITNYC.edu/Museum We also have podcasts and videos.

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The 13 best virtual museum tours in the world

Hands up – who is missing art ? While in early 2021 we can only dream of visiting exhibitions in far-flung destinations, we can experience the next closest thing: being transported to world-class museums and galleries, via European courtyards and faraway sculpture gardens, and lose ourselves in virtual tours and talks. Google Arts and Culture has also collaborated with a whole load of venues to place viewers right at the heart of the action. Here are the 13 virtual museum tours to take now.

LOUVRE, PARIS

Initially hesitant to take part in the Covid-induced digitisation that many galleries around the world have launched over the past year, the Louvre has finally succumbed to demand. While not technically offering a virtual tour, the world’s biggest museum has put almost its entire collection online – that’s more than 480,000 works of art. They're available to view for free on the new platform, Louvre Collections, which is updated on a daily basis. Explore by collection and filter to discover some of the world’s most precious paintings, as well as sculptures, inscriptions, objects, textiles and artists until we are able to travel to France and re-experience the museum in all its 4D glory. collections.louvre.fr

Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museums, Rome

It may just be that you had always intended to go to Rome and marvel at Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling masterpiece, instead of seeing it endlessly replicated in the media, but you somehow never got round to it. Here you can place yourself in the chapel, which is inside the pope’s official palace residence, and get a more complete impression of how it would be for real. You can even take a tour guide option to wander around the Vatican City and really ramp up the virtual experience. museivaticani.va

NASA, Washington DC

Who isn’t fascinated by NASA and space? Short of getting on a plane to Washington DC (which you can’t do even if you wanted to), this experience gives a glimpse into how the US government agency that deals with National Aeronautics and Space Administration operates. There’s some incredible video footage on it’s website’s Galleries page of test-firing launch systems and missions to the moon, plus you can see a number of exhibitions online via Google Arts and Culture. artsandculture.google.com

Natural History Museum, London

There’s pretty much something for everyone at the Natural History Museum: a 360-degree tour of the Fantastic Beasts exhibition, a gallery full of extraordinary Photographer of the Year images, as well as an up-close experience with Hope the blue whale – with audio guides by the reassuringly knowledgeable Sir David Attenborough . Our top tip: every Tuesday at 3pm you can spend time with a scientist online, and take part in interactive discussions. nhm.ac.uk

The National Gallery, London

If you missed the much-talked-about Titian: Love, Desire, Death exhibition when the National Gallery reopened its doors after the first lockdown in 2020, now is your chance to see the glorious works of the Italian Renaissance painter. There are also video highlights from the gallery’s considerable British collection with The Wonderful Everyday tour. While you’re there, sign up for the family half-term Zoom session (Monday 15 February 2021) on decoding paintings with the help of clues. nationalgallery.org.uk

The Frida Kahlo Museum, Mexico City

Frida Kahlo’s eventful life has been well documented – along with her eyebrows – but so have her unmistakable colourful masterpieces, from brilliant self portraits to original clothing designs. There is no place more fitting to view her work than in the house where she spent most of her years: La Casa Azul (the Blue House), which was set up as a museum after her death, as she wished. Through this virtual tour, which will transport you straight to Mexico , its possible to explore the house and gardens , as well as view a selection of Kahlo’s art. museofridakahlo.org.mx

Picasso Museum, Barcelona

A very uplifting way to bring a piece of Spain into your living room. Picasso was born in Málaga, but he spent many of his formative years in Barcelona , so many of his most important pieces are housed in this museum. A heady virtual stroll takes in works from his Blue and Rose periods, as well as his series of insightful reinterpretations of Velázquez’s Las Meninas . There are separate tours of the place’s pretty, plant-strewn courtyard and the various places where Picasso lived and worked. bcn.cat

Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, Santa Fe, USA

Big, bold flowers will forever be associated with O’Keeffe, along with her other distinctive American modernist works including paintings, sculptures and objects, in this collection entirely dedicated to the artist. You can take a virtual tour, and there are also some excellent online lectures and classes, such as drawing with colour, which is suitable for ages 12+, but make sure to book in advance. okeeffemuseum.org

The British Museum, London

No stone (literally) has been left unturned when it comes to exploring the British Museum from home, with a staggering 60-plus galleries to visit via Google Street View. Virtual collections on the museum site cover Oceania, with art and artefacts from the South Pacific islands , and a large selection of prints and drawings. Special online shows worth seeing, meanwhile, include the recent Arctic: Culture and Climate exhibition. artsandculture.google.com

Guggenheim Bilbao Museum, Spain

So in early 2021 you can't hop over to San Sebastián for some pintxos on a trip to Bilbao , but you will can see this brilliantly designed Frank Gehry museum with an interactive tour that shows a mesmerising video of a photographer catching a free runner scaling the outside of the building before exploring its outstanding modern art collection, with paintings by greats from Mark Rothko and Yves Klein to Willem de Kooning and Anselm Kiefer. artsandculture.google.com

Uffizi Gallery, Florence

This powerhouse of a gallery is home to too many Renaissance greats to mention, but its selection of curated tours goes some way to conjuring up the magic of the Uffizi experience – and the upside is you don’t have to queue behind hordes of visitors to see Leonardo da Vinci’s Annunciation or Botticelli’s The Birth Of Venus . You can look up paintings or take a virtual stroll through various parts of the museum, and there are also video stories on lesser-known artists and educational projects. uffizi.it

The Vasa Museum, Stockholm

The behemoth Vasa ship, seen on entering this museum in Stockholm in real life, is one of the most striking pieces of history in the city, and it remains the best preserved example of a 17th-century vessel worldwide – retrieved after it sank in harbour waters in 1628. The audio guides online go through the history of the ship, along with realistic background sounds of the moment it sank, as well as up-close images and a historical timeline of events. stockholm360.net

Anne Frank House, Amsterdam

Anne Frank’s name is indelibly inked in history books as a result of her evocative World War II diaries, published after her death. This is a fascinating, if unsettling, tour around the museum dedicated to her attic hiding place, where she stayed to escape from the Nazis – something she managed until she was found and transported to a concentration camp, aged just 15. The site also has photographic footage of her childhood, along with extracts from her diaries. annefrank.org

MOMA, New York

Manhattan ’s awe-inspiring museum of modern art has a huge online display of work, from paintings and design to sculpture, architecture and film, including virtual views of Van Gogh’s Starry Night , the Surrealist Women exhibition and the gallery's Sculpture Garden. The New York, Open City video is a must for an immersive and historic NY experience. If you sign up to MOMA’s newsletter you can be updated on specific virtual events and live Q&As. moma.org

Now watch a tour around Milan's Fondazione Prada:

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7 Russian museums that uploaded huge collections online

1. State Hermitage Museum

One of the biggest and most famous museums in the world is impossible to tackle in one visit, even if you spend the whole day there. So, instead of trying to, take a “walk” down its seemingly endless halls step by step with the Google Art project guide or check out the Hermitage website where a digital archive has been uploaded with very convenient navigation through the genres and titles. 

In the ‘ Highlights ’ section, you will find all the most important and rare items that you should know about the Hermitage collection: paintings of famous Russian and foreign artists, the Faberge eggs, select sculptures and jewelry. 

2. Tretyakov Gallery

Another very important Russian museum that you should visit before you die - at least online. It is home to some of the most famous paintings by Russia’s most famous artists; essentially, Russia’s main national fine art treasure is held here.

So take a stroll with Google in 3D or hang out on their official website , which has roughly 180 thousand of the gallery’s collection digitally stored. By the way, the website comes in 12 foreign languages, while the online gallery in Russian and English.

3. State Russian Museum

Another preserve of Russia’s national treasures is spread across several buildings in St. Petersburg, but its online version allows you to overview the highlights and main treasures, without walking those long distances. And they are categorized by the historical periods and types of arts. 

At the same time, the Google Art Project guide provides a 3D tour within the walls of the main building of the Russian museum - Mikhailovsky Palace.

4. The Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts

From Sumer civilization artifacts to ancient Egypt and Greek sculptures and architecture, this museum was opened during the time of Nicholas II, Russia’s last tsar and was the first one of its kind in Russia. It has the biggest collection of perfectly made copies, which have given and still give Russians a great chance to see what the world’s most important treasures look like. 

You can both take a stroll down the museum’s halls with the Google Art Project guide, or take a nice and interactive virtual tour on their website (available in a range of languages).

5. Museum of Cosmonautics

Stepping inside the MIR space station, taking a look at the space suits of the various cosmonautic legends and exploring space in many different ways - all of this “edutainment” is possible with the Google Art Project guide.

The museum also has a large collection of not only cosmonauts’ and astronauts’ photos and portraits, but also some of their real life personal belongings.

6. Multimedia Art Museum, Moscow (former Moscow House of Photography)

The museum has launched a large scale online project called Russia in Photos , into which it has uploaded more than 100 thousand photos from its archive. Users have supported the initiative and now keep uploading photos from their private collections.

The website has a nice timeline options, where you can choose the specific year and see an overview of the photos from that particular time period. The main problem is that the website has no English version, so far.

7. Mosfilm Concern Museum

For cinema buffs it should be extremely interesting to walk around with the Google Art Project guide and stumble onto one of the biggest collections of Soviet film posters, costumes, decorations and famous items that were involved in a filming process. The museum of Russia’s most famous film studio even has a collection of cars that have been used in the more iconic movies. 

While the studio’s official website lets you walk around the movie studio’s territory, which almost looks like a Russian Universal Studios theme park, complete with  props and sets from all kinds of movies, as well as themed pavilions, that can transform into anything upon the director's imagination!

If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.

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Virtual Moscow & St. Petersburg

Virtual tour hosted by olga.

• 75-90 minutes - All tour times are specific to your time zone!
• Any screen will work!
• Up to 50 people. Private groups available for up to 100
• Hosted in English

What you'll do

The starting point for any trip to or experience with Russia is Moscow and St. Petersburg.  These two cities consistently take top honors in the annual World Travel Awards and for good reason: world-famous museums, theaters, palaces, historical landmarks, and the list goes on.  Understandably, there isn’t just ONE virtual tour that can do these cities justice; we actually offer EIGHT different virtual tours of Moscow & St. Petersburg!  Below is a list to choose from; these tours are always available for private groups, and at different times during each month if you’d like to join a public group:

-Virtual Moscow: Join me for a virtual tour of Russia’s capital.  We will use 360 degree panoramic views and exclusive pictures to make you feel like you are really there in the heart of Russia!

-Virtual St. Petersburg – This tour is a perfect opportunity for you to see the highlights of Russia’s “Venice of the North”: time-honored royalty, majestic canal views, onion-shaped church domes, and much more!

-Virtual Summer Palaces of Tsars – Join me as we explore three royal estates of the Russian royal family, outside of St. Petersburg: Catherine’s Palace (Pushkin), Peterhoff Palace, and Pavlovsk Palace.

-Virtual Hermitage Museum – Although 90 minutes can hardly do it justice, come explore the world’s 2nd largest  museum, St. Petersburg’s Hermitage Museum.

-Virtual Hermitage Museum: Art Only! – This tour is for art-lovers, as we’ll do a deep dive into some of the Hermitage’s most famous (and not-so-famous) pieces of art!

-Virtual Canal Cruise – Join me for a virtual canal cruise in St. Petersburg.  St. Petersburg is known as the Venice of the  North  because of its beautiful rivers and canals.  Many of the important buildings in the city were  built  to be viewed from the water.

-Virtual Hidden Gems of St. Petersburg – Because Russia’s “cultural capital” is filled with so many  famous  destinations, often equally-deserving but less-known places get overlooked.  On this  virtual  tour, we’ll explore two of those places, the Yusupov Palace and the Faberge Museum (yes, THOSE Faberge Eggs!).

-Virtual Field Trip: Russia for Kids! – This virtual field trip to Russia is for kids up to 12 years old.  We will use our imagination, 360-degree panoramic views, games and dancing to learn about this mysterious  country  halfway around the world.  What kids eat, how they dance, and how they travel; you’ll learn these things and more in this interactive Russia experience!  ***Great for individual classes or home-school groups! 

Interested in scheduling a private virtual tour of Moscow or St. Petersburg?   Inquire now  for custom dates, team-building options, corporate events, school field trips, and more.  Private tours starting at $150.

What to bring

• A desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone
• All of your questions
• A stable internet connection

All tour times are specific to your time zone!

How to participate, choose a date & book.

Look for a virtual tour date on our calendar that fits your schedule and book your spot.

Join the video call

After you book you’ll receive an email with a link and details on how to join.

Meet your guide, Olga

Hi, my name is Olga and I grew up in St. Petersburg.  I have been enchanted with museums and Russia’s rich history since I was a little girl, starting when we would take school field trips to the Hermitage Art Museum.  I have been guiding international guests visiting Russia since 2012, to many of my favorite spots in St. Petersburg and Moscow: Peterhoff Palace, the Hermitage, the Faberge Museum, churches, mansions, and the list goes on.  Since the world went into quarantine in 2020 due to COVID-19, I have been providing virtual tours to Moscow and St. Petersburg and continue to show off Russia’s beauty and history, just on Zoom rather than in-person.  I hope to meet you soon!

Virtual Tours

Local expert hosts.

Learn from Olga: her travels, her experiences, her life.

Intimate Experience

Join a group of up to 50 people, or gather your own private group!

Convenient and Safe

Experience Moscow & St. Petersburg without leaving your home.

Things to know

Cancellation policy Any experience can be canceled and fully refunded within 24 hours of purchase, or at least 7 days before the experience starts . Learn More >

Guest requirements You’ll need an internet connection and the ability to stream audio and video to participate. A link and details on how to join will be included in your booking confirmation email.

Show More >

Experience Russia Virtually from the comfort of your home!

Virtual Dagestan

From $12 / person.

Virtual Mt. Elbrus Climb

Virtual Chechnya

Virtual Caucasus Mountain Adventures

Virtual Moscow & St. Petersburg

From $25 / person, from $20 / person.

Where to Find Us

• +1 704-810-4296
• [email protected]
• 1578 Pine Creek Rd., Gastonia, NC 28056

Travel Information

• We no longer offer travel services to Russia. See Caucasus Quest Tours for new destinations
• Is it Safe to Travel to the Caucasus in 2024?
• Climbing Kazbek & Kilimanjaro: Comparing two 5,000+ meter peaks
• How to Train to climb Mt. Kazbek in Georgia

Our Elbrus Climbing Tours

• Climb Elbrus South Route
• Climb Elbrus North Route
• Climb Elbrus & The Capitals
• Climb Elbrus & The Caucasus

Russia Cultural Tours

• Capitals of Russia
• Lake Baikal on Ice
• Delightful Dagestan
• Heart of the Caucasus

Contact Us!

• Email This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

ALL Travel Services to Russia and Mt. Elbrus have been indefinitely suspended as of Feb. 2022.

Explore our new tour branch Caucasus Quest to climb Mt. Kazbek (5,054 meters) in Georgia or for immersive cultural touring experiences in Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.

The Bolshoi Theatre

Presentation of the Self: Using Symbols to Fashion Identities in Art

• By Kathryn Spears
• September 6, 2024

Throughout history and various forms of visual media, artists have attempted to capture the lives of individuals—both real and mythical—in a single moment in time to portray their subjects’ complex identities in a singular piece. To address this, artists have relied on symbols and visual clues drawn from fashion, history, and myth to aid the viewer in identifying the subject.

This virtual tour explores the different aspects present in the many depictions of women housed in the ncma’s permanent collection. looking at five works of art across two millennia, i examine the symbols and visual cues added by the artists to identify the women depicted. afterward, i invite you to examine each work of art again to see if there are any other symbols and visual cues not discussed in this tour that could tell a viewer even more about the sitter. on your next visit to the ncma, take some time to explore the other portraits in the galleries to see if you can identify any other sitters based on the symbols and visual cues discussed in this tour..

Accompanied here with a dolphin behind her leg and wearing an elaborate hairstyle, Aphrodite was frequently depicted in the nude in ancient statues. Though she is often associated with other attributes like the dolphin, she has come to be so greatly defined by her nudity that scholars often rely on it to identify a nude female figure as Aphrodite, the goddess of love.

While this portrait bears no conclusive identification, the diadem worn atop her neatly arranged hair is associated with political or divine power in the Roman world. Furthermore, the portrait’s intricate detail and costly bronze construction suggest the woman portrayed is of a higher social or cultural status, giving some meaning to this otherwise unidentified woman.

Kneeling in prayer before an image of Jesus, Joan of Arc is largely defined by her willing submission to a higher power and highly polished armor.  Her long, loose hair signifies Joan’s femininity, defying societal standards of warfare and womanhood, and also emphasizing her often overlooked youthfulness.

This portrait of Lucrezia de’ Medici was commissioned for her marriage to Duke Alfonso II d’Este of Ferrara, healing a longstanding political rift between the two families. The portrait is steeped in Medici familial symbolism, with the globe in Lucrezia’s left hand and ruby-pearl jewelry serving as prominent symbols of the family’s wealth and power in the 16th century. Despite her impending marriage and move to Ferrara to serve as its duchess, these objects mark Lucrezia as distinctly Medici.

This unknown woman wears a shepherdess dress in her portrait, initially implying she is of the working class. However, the dress’s fine fabrics and woman’s pearl necklace also suggest wealth. Additionally, this painting was originally commissioned for the halls of the Dutch royal court, adding to the image of the sitter’s higher social status and making it difficult for viewers to decide on her identity.

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NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF ART 2110 Blue Ridge Road Raleigh, NC 27607

(919) 839-6262

Mailing address 4630 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699

The NCMA is a division of the  Department of Natural and Cultural Resources .