Arts Within Reach: a List
of Virtual Tours of Museums Worldwide
By Eve Volungeviciute
We finally made it to the finish line of a nationwide lockdown because of COVID-19. International travel, however, is still just a tiny bit out of reach as we need to ensure the world is safe enough before we can embark on our explorations. To kill that last bit of time, I thought I could compile a quick list of museums around the world that offer virtual tours of their expositions. Without further ado, let’s dive into it!
(Click the headings or other hyperlinks to visit each venue.)
Louvre
Where in the world: Paris, France
Open since: 1783
Interesting fact: It is the world’s largest art museum (73,000 sq. m).
What you can see: Over 35,000 of Western artworks from the Middle ages to 1848.
The collections are divided into eight curatorial departments: Antiquities (Egyptian; Greek, Etruscan and Roman; Near Eastern); Islamic Art; Paintings; Sculptures; Decorative Arts; and Prints and Drawings.
Find out more about the “Mona Lisa Beyond the Glass” virtual reality experience. Or younger audiences can check out: Tales of the Louvre.
Additional information available here.
The Vatican Museums
Where in the world: Vatican City, Italy
Open since: 1506
Interesting fact: The origin of the museum is one marble sculpture purchased by Pope Julius II 500 years ago.
What you can see: Works amassed by the Catholic Church and the papacy throughout the centuries.
More information available here.
Paul Getty Museum
Where in the world: California, United States
Open since: 1953
Interesting fact: More than just a museum – Getty also has a variety of downloadable books and over 165,000 online texts on a selection of topics.
What you can see: Pre-20th century European drawing, paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, illuminated manuscripts since the inception of photography through present day.
More information available here.
Rijksmuseum
Where in the world: Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Open since: 1800
Interesting fact: The only museum in the world with a road in it (now open for bicycles only).
What you can see: Objects of art and history from the time period of 1200-2000, including pieces by Rembrandt, Frans Hals, and Johannes Vermeer. Also, an Asian collection in the Asian pavilion.
More information available here.
Guggenheim Bilbao
Where in the world: Bilbao, Spain
Open since: 1939
Interesting fact: The museum was inaugurated by June Carlos I.
What you can see: A selection of contemporary exhibitions. Generally themed exhibitions, mainly of electronic form.
More information available here.
Solohom R. Guggenheim Museum
Where in the world: New York, United States
Open since: 1939
Interesting fact: The museum’s interior is painted nearly every day.
What you can see: A collection of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, early Modern and contemporary art.
More information available here.
Musee d’Orsay
Where in the world: Paris, France
Open since: 1986
Interesting fact: It was first used as a railway station.
What you can see there: French art from 1848 to 1914, including Monet, Degas, Renoir, and Van Gogh.
More information available here.
The Broad
Where in the world: Los Angeles, United States
Open since: 2015
Interesting fact: When building the museum, shades were installed in the gallery’s skylight “veil.”
What you can see: A collection of more than 250 paintings, sculptures and photographs.
More information available here.
Uffizi Gallery
Where in the world: Tuscany, Italy
Open since: 1581
Interesting fact: The museum was once home to the Mona Lisa.
What you can see: Works from the period of the Italian Renaissance.
More information available here.
Museum of Broken Relationships
Where in the world: Zagreb, Croatia
Open since: 2010
Interesting fact: It initially started as a travelling exhibition.
What you can see: Personal objects people have donated, along with reflections on their failed relationships.
More information available here.
National Gallery of Victoria
Where in the world: Melbourne, Australia
Open since: 1861
Interesting fact: Its stained glass ceiling is the largest suspended stained glass piece in the world.
What you can see: A collection of Asian, Australian, and international art, photography, and prints.
More information available here.
Picasso Museum
Where in the world: Barcelona, Spain
Open since: 1963
Interesting fact: The only Picasso museum created during the artist’s lifetime.
What you can see: Around 3,500 works of Picasso from his early days right up to Les Meninas series.
More information available here.
Art Institute of Chicago
Where in the world: Chicago, United States
Open since: 1879
Interesting fact: The ceiling above the Grand Staircase was meant to be constructed fully but the institute ran out of money to construct it, which turned out to work well with impressionist pieces.
What you can see: An encyclopaedic collection of art from Asia, Europe, as well as contemporary pieces.
More information available here.
Benaki Museum
Where in the world: Athens, Greece
Open since: 1930
Interesting fact: Part of the museum’s collections have travelled worldwide in partnership with the Smithsonian institution.
What you can see: Greek works of art from the prehistorical to the modern period, as well as a collection of Asian art.
More information available here.
Museum of Modern Art
Where in the world: New York, United States
Open since: 1929
Interesting fact: Has world-class research facilities with over 300,000 books.
What you can see: Modern and contemporary art in forms of sculpture, print, illustrated books, design, media, drawing, and film.
More information available here.
National Museum of Anthropology
Where in the world: Mexico City, Mexico
Open since: 1964
Interesting fact: It was looted once, with 140 pieces stolen.
What you can see: Archaeological and anthropological artefacts from Mexico’s pre-Columbian heritage
More information available here.
And, for a bonus that might inspire some art…
Georgia Aquarium
Where in the world: Atlanta, United States
Open since: 2005
Interesting fact: Was the largest aquarium in the world up until 2012.
What you can see: Hundreds of animal species, including whale sharks, beluga whales, and sea lions.
More information available here.