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25 Best & Famous Virtual Museum Tours

Virtual Reality, VR, Immersive Technology & Simulated Environment

Recently updated on June 18th, 2021 at 01:30 am

During our childhood days, whenever we want to visit the museum, we need to physically be there with our teachers or parents. However, with the latest virtual reality technology, we are now able to attend it virtually too. Now, let’s see what is the popular, the best and famous virtual museum tours that we and our kids can try from the comfort of our home and sofa.

What is Virtual Museum Tour?

It is another way to experience the museum without being physically at the location. For this purpose, usually the museums will use approach such as 360-degrees videos or walk-around tour. With this facility, you can have the tour in 360 degrees and some is available in VR format too. Most of the virtual tours are also interactive where they provide the voice over descriptions with slideshows as well.

The List of Famous Virtual Museum Tours…

We try our best to get the list of good museum virtual tours that you can try at home. Some of them claim that they have virtual reality gallery , but in order to try it you need to go there physically first. And from what we found, this is the list that you can try without coming to the museum itself. As much as possible, we will try to provide more variety to the list below…

1) Smithsonian American Art Museum

This very famous museum in America offer the virtual reality tour for us to experience the Renwick Gallery Exhibition . To add, there are nine great contemporary artists that involved in creating it using InstaVR platform. To enjoy the tour, you can try it yourself by downloading the “ Wonder 360 ” app to your mobile phone and use it with the Google Cardboard technology that should be affordable to nearly everybody.

URL : https://americanart.si.edu/wonder360

2) Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery

This museum located in England also offer the looks inside it from remote. The virtual tour consists of four locations is the collaboration between the museum and Scan Tech Digital company. In addition, they are using Matterport platform to deliver it.

URL : https://www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/bmag/virtual-tour

3) Franklin Institute in Philadelphia

IMS provided service that offer the 360 degrees view of this popular museum in United States. Beside that, the tour includes the view of different event spaces and come up with the option to open photo galleries or videos of the space. You can watch the tour by using your browser.

URL : http://3hundred60.com/Franklin_Institute_360web.html

4) Musée du Louvre, Paris

This famous Louvre museum in Paris, France, has the exhibit called “ Monalisa: Beyond the Glass “. As most of us already know, Monalisa is a great and most popular painting in the world by Leonardo da Vinci. This exhibit is the collaboration between this museum and also the HTC Vive Arts. In addition, you can download the app from the VIVEPORT website .

URL : https://arts.vive.com/us/articles/projects/art-photography/mona_lisa_beyond_the_glass/

Furthermore, Louvre is one of the most historic art museums and also the most visited museum in the world. Hence, it is very thankful that they also provide the Louvre virtual tour service for us to visit the museum during this COVID-19 pandemic season. In addition, it offers seven galleries that you can explore via online. One of them sounds interesting to us which is “ Founding Myths: From Hercules to Darth Vader “. It looks into how the artists, filmmakers and musicians around the world have drawn inspiration from myths to create their masterpieces.

URL : https://www.louvre.fr/en/visites-en-ligne

5) Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

This great museum in Washington, D.C, is the most visited natural history museum in the world. It also offers the virtual tour of its museum by using our own web browser. They build it by using the WebVR technology. The good thing is that, you can switch it to the stereoscopic mode so you can enjoy the 360 degrees virtual tour using your Google Cardboard too. The interesting exhibits are like the skeleton of American mastadon, the cool T-Rex and other dinosaurs from the Jurassic age…

URL : https://naturalhistory.si.edu/visit/virtual-tour

6) Rijksmuseum with Museum VR Tour

This national museum of Netherlands also offer the virtual tour and it seems they take it very serious. With the tagline “ From Home: We bring the museum to you “, they also provide some gamification elements in it such as the challenge to find keys, discover hidden words and you can also win prize for it. That’s really awesome initiative.

URL : https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/from-home

7) National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea

This famous museum in Korea offers the VR tour with title “ How to create a landscape “. It also comes with realistic 3D model of the gallery that you can play around like a doll house. Moreover, if you want to view in in VR mode, they highly recommend using Oculus Quest. But they also support Oculus Go and other headsets that include controllers.

URL : https://www.mmca.go.kr/eng/pr/movDetail.do?mbMovCd=01

8) The National Gallery, London

The National Gallery in London offers the virtual tours to let you explore their greatest collection of paintings through your VR headset, desktop or smartphone. Moreover, they have the panoramic view of the gallery in 360 degrees by collaborating with Google Street View. And they also have the “Sainsbury Wing VR Tour” where you can experience the collection of over 270 Early Renaissance paintings from year 1200 to 1500. In addition, the gallery and Oculus teamed up using Matterport’s 3D camera technology to produce this virtual tour.

URL : https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/visiting/virtual-tours

9) Picasso Museum of Barcelona

This museum offer the 360-degrees tour to its courtyard and you can observe the details of the patios of the museum. Unfortunately, the only downside is that you need to download and enable the Adobe Flash Player first which the product itself is no longer supported by Adobe after 31st December 2020. Hope the museum will upgrade the technology soon.

URL : http://courtyard.museupicassobcn.org/

10) The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV)

This gallery in Melbourne, Australia also provide the virtual tour of their exhibition by using the Matterport’s technology. It is an interactive self-guided tours that you can enjoy from your home. Their recommendation is to use Oculus Quest to fully enjoy it.

URL : https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/

11) Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum

The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum has the largest collection of Egyptian artifacts on exhibit and is located in western North America. It also offers the 360 virtual tour where you can explore the underground tomb and witness the Alchemy Garden.

URL : https://egyptianmuseum.org/360-museum-tour

12) Nikola Tesla Museum

Nikola Tesla, a great inventor, electrical engineer and mechanical engineer, also got his own museum.  It is the only museum that preserve the original and personal legacy of that legendary figure in science world. You can explore the 3D interactive view of Nikola Tesla’s lab on Long Island. Build using Web VR, you can also watch it in the stereoscopic VR mode.

URL : https://nikolateslamuseum.org/en/virtual/longisland/

13) National Museum United States Air Force

This virtual tour of US Air Force museum has many cool exhibits related with aviation and planes. And it also shows the planes that it used in the World War 2 as well. Because of that, it is a good place to visit for the military or army veterans.

URL : http://www.nmusafvirtualtour.com/

14) The Dalí Theatre-Museum

This museum in Spain is dedicated to Salvador Dalí , who is the famous surrealist artist in the world. You can visit the museum virtually to appreciate his works, sculptures and masterpieces.

URL : https://www.salvador-dali.org/en/museums/dali-theatre-museum-in-figueres/visita-virtual/

15) The State Hermitage Museum

This museum located in St. Petersburg, Russia, has a vast amount of artwork on display. Furthermore, that includes the work by Rembrandt, Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo. Moreover, they take the Hermitage virtual tour very seriously where it covers nearly all part of the museum and it’s very, very comprehensive tour. You can imagine it by looking at the map below and it is just the First Floor! You gonna get shock to see the number of circles in the Second Floor 🙂

URL : https://www.hermitagemuseum.org/wps/portal/hermitage/panorama/virtual_visit/panoramas-m-1/?lng=en

16) The Egyptian Museum

This museum in Cairo is the oldest archaeological museum in the Middle East. Furthermore, it has the largest collection of Pharaonic antiquities in the world. Moreover, in one of the Egyptian Museum virtual tours, it gives us opportunity to see the iconic mask of the Golden Pharaoh, Tutankhamun. In addition, the discovery of the Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 was one of the most spectacular moment in the history of archeology.

URL : https://egymonuments.gov.eg/news/a-virtual-tour-through-the-tutankhamun-collection-at-the-egyptian-museum/

17) The Natural Museum History, London

This very famous museum located in London is very popular with the display of a big blue whale skeleton named Hope. Furthermore, the skeleton is so big and estimated to be 82-foot long. The museum also showcases the valuable pieces collected by Charles Darwin as well.

Secondly, with many life and earth science specimens under it roof, no wonder that it is the most visited natural history museum in Europe. Lastly, from the site, it looks like the Natural Museum History virtual tour is leveraging a lot on the Google Arts and Culture platform.

URL : https://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit/virtual-museum.html

18) Science Museum, London

This museum in London has over 350,000 objects and archives from the collection of its group. The collection come from many areas such as science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine. Due to its popularity, it is estimated there around five millions visitors each year coming to the museum. Finally, for its virtual tour, the Science Museum leverage on the Google Streetview to deliver it.

URL : https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/virtual-tour-science-museum

19) The Museum of Flight

This museum in Seattle dedicated itself with the history of aircraft. Its virtual tour enable us to see the inside of some of the iconic planes. In addition, you’ll be able to access the cockpits and interiors of the aircraft as well. For those planes that involve in war, you can also observe the gunner position as well.

Moreover, some brand of the aircrafts are like Antonov, Boeing, Concorde and Douglas. There is also the iconic presidential jet plane which is “Air Force One” that is using Boeing VC-137B as well. The museum uses Matterport 3D, 360 Photosphere and also WebGL to deliver the virtual tour to us.

URL : https://museumofflight.org/Explore-The-Museum/Virtual-Museum-Online

20) The National Museum of Computing (TNMOC)

Located in England, this museum is dedicated to the world of computer or computing technology. It is the home to the largest collection of working historic computers since the 1940s. It is since the era of Turing-Welchman Bombe and Colossus where the size of computer and mainframes during that time was so gigantic. Furthermore, it is estimated there are around 50,000 artefacts in their collection.

URL : https://www.tnmoc.org/3d-virtual-tour

21) Bank Negara Malaysia

For this banking museum in Malaysia, it dedicated itself on the financial and economic exhibits. It also offers the virtual trip to its museum where you’ll be able to view it in 360 degrees format.

URL : http://www.museum.bnm.gov.my/v2/virtualmuseum/

22) Museum Nasional Indonesia

This national museum located in Jakarta, Indonesia, houses around 160,000 artifacts and exhibits. You also will be able to experience the virtual tour of the museum in 360 degrees view by using the browser or VR headset as well.

URL : https://www.museumnasional.or.id/virtual-tour

23) NASA (National Aeronautics & Space Administration)

NASA , the popular and outstanding space agency in the world, also provides the virtual tours to its centers such as Ames Research Center, Armstrong Flight Research Center, Glenn Research Center and many more. Besides the research center, you can also ‘visit’ their other facilities, laboratories and operations control centers too.

URL: NASA at Home – Virtual Tours and Apps

24) Boston Children’s Museum

Founded in 1913, this museum is the second oldest and one of the largest children’s museum in the world. The exhibits of the museum focus on science, culture, environmental awareness, arts, health and fitness. It is estimated around 50,000 artifacts in the museum’s collection.

URL : https://bostonchildrensmuseum.org/museum-virtual-tour

25) International Spy Museum

For those that seeks the thrill of spy and espionage world, then this museum might be just suitable for you. Located in Washington DC, the International Spy Museum dedicated itself in the research, exhibitions and educational programming in the world of secret intelligence and espionage. It has the largest collection of international espionage artifacts ever placed on public display.

URL : https://www.spymuseum.org/exhibition-experiences/virtual-tours/

26) Bonus: More Famous Museum VR Tour at Google Arts & Culture

According to Google, there are over 2,000 famous museums that you can explore online. You can visit it at https://artsandculture.google.com/partner . That’s really impressive!! We try one of them and able to tour the museum in 360 degrees and also able to zoom in and zoom out.

To make it more real, you can download the Google Arts & Culture app on Android or iOS and view it using the virtual reality viewer like Google Cardboard. When you are already inside the museum’s page, you need to go down to the “Virtual Tours” section and click on a tour to experience it in VR…

In case if there is any more interesting museum VR tour, we will update the list accordingly. And lastly, for your information, the wonderful image above is by just-pics from Pixabay .

About Author

I am a guy who is very excited on anything and everything related with virtual reality. My mission is to spread the love of VR to the world.

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These 12 Famous Museums Offer Virtual Tours You Can Take on Your Couch

Experience the best museums — from London to Seoul — from the comfort of your own home.

While there's nothing like setting foot inside an iconic museum and laying eyes on a world-famous sculpture created by a renowned artist centuries ago, it's not always possible to hop on a plane to New York City , Paris , or Florence to tour the gallery halls in person.

But there is a way to get a little culture and education while you're at home, gaining inspiration and intel for future trips as well. Google Arts & Culture has teamed up with more than 1,200 museums and galleries around the world to bring anyone and everyone virtual tours and online exhibits of some of the most famous museums around the world.

You get to "go to the museum" and never have to leave your couch.

Google Arts & Culture's collection includes The British Museum in London, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the Guggenheim in New York City, and literally hundreds more places where you can gain knowledge about art, history, and science.

Take a look at just some of Google's top museums that are offering online tours and exhibits. And if you're seeking more thoughtful inspiration from the comfort of your own home, museums around the world are sharing their most zen art on social media . Or, for a dose of nature, you can go "outside" with incredible virtual tours of some of America's best national parks .

The British Museum, London

This iconic museum located in the heart of London allows virtual visitors to tour the Great Court and discover the ancient Rosetta Stone and Egyptian mummies. You can also find hundreds of artifacts on The Museum of the World interactive website, a collaboration between The British Museum and Google Cultural Institute.

Guggenheim, New York

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.

National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

This famous American art museum features two online exhibits through Google. The first is an exhibit of American fashion from 1740 to 1895, including many renderings of clothes from the colonial and Revolutionary eras. The second is a collection of works from Dutch baroque painter Johannes Vermeer.

Musée d’Orsay, Paris

You can virtually walk through this popular gallery that houses dozens of famous works from French artists who worked and lived between 1848 and 1914. Get a peek at artworks from Monet, Cézanne, and Gauguin, among others.

Don Eim/Travel + Leisure

National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul

One of Korea's popular museums can be accessed from anywhere around the world. Google's virtual tour takes you through six floors of contemporary art from Korea and all over the globe.

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 from 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.

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 artworks by Vincent van Gogh, including more than 200 paintings, 500 drawings, and 750 personal letters.

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.

Uffizi Gallery, Florence

This less well-known gallery houses the art collection of one of Florence's most famous families, the de' Medicis. The building was designed by Giorgio Vasari in 1560 specifically for Cosimo I de' Medici, but anyone can wander its halls from anywhere in the world .

MASP, São Paulo

The Museu de Arte de São Paulo is a nonprofit and 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.

National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City

Built in 1964, this museum is dedicated to the archaeology and history of Mexico's pre-Hispanic heritage. There are 22 exhibit rooms filled with ancient artifacts, including some from the Maya civilization.

Not all popular art museums and galleries are included in Google Arts & Culture's collection, but some have taken it upon themselves to offer online visits. For example, the Louvre offers virtual tours on its website .

To see more of Google Arts & Culture's collection of museums, visit its website . There are thousands of museum Street Views on Google as well. Google Arts & Culture also has an online experience for exploring famous historic and cultural heritage sites .

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

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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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What museums have virtual tours.

There are dozens of museums worldwide offering virtual tours — we have 75 on this list alone! But some of our favorites are the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the British Museum!

How much do virtual tours cost?

Every single virtual tour included on our list is completely free of charge!

What is a virtual museum tour?

A virtual museum tour is, in essence, a simulation of what you might experience when visiting the museum in person. Virtual tours are usually comprised of a collection of videos, still images, 3D walkthroughs, and narration that help you feel as though you’re visiting the museum — without actually doing so!

How do you do a virtual tour?

Doing a virtual tour is easy! Often, the museum will have a dedicated website page allowing you to view all of their virtual resources on 1 page.

In the case of museums that have a 3D walkthrough, you can “walk” yourself through the museum by clicking from artwork to artwork, and exhibit to exhibit, as if you were actually visiting the museum in person!

Are virtual tours worth it?

Absolutely! If you’re currently not able to visit a museum in person, but want to experience all it has to offer, a virtual tour allows you to do just that — all from the comforts of your home!

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

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The 13 best virtual museum tours in the world

By Jo Ascherl

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

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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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10 of the world’s best virtual museum and art gallery tours

The originals are out of reach for now, but you can still see world-class art – without the queues or ticket prices – with an online tour of these famous museums

A rt lovers can view thousands of paintings, sculptures, installations and new work online – many in minute detail – as well as explore the museums themselves. There are various platforms: from interactive, 360-degree videos and full “walk-around” tours with voiceover descriptions to slideshows with zoomable photos of the world’s greatest artworks. And many allow viewers to get closer to the art than they could do in real life.

So, take a break from the news, enter full-screen mode and start your art adventure in sunny California …

J Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

With more than 6,000 years worth of creative treasures, the Getty is one of the best places for art on the west coast of the US. Go from neolithic clay figures to Van Gogh’s Irises and Renoir’s La Promenade – just two of many artworks that feature in the virtual tour . As with several of our selection, Google Arts and Culture offers a “ museum view ” tool to look inside gallery spaces, with clickable artworks presenting further information. The Getty’s sunny sculpture plaza and garden terrace are worth adding to your digital trip, via another viewing platform, Xplorit . getty.edu

Vatican Museums, Rome

Soaring vaulted ceilings, intricate murals and tapestries, the Vatican’s museums are creatively rich sites. Don’t forget to look up when exploring the seven spaces in the museum’s virtual tour, to gawp at a series of 360-degree images, including the Sistine Chapel. Wander around the rest of Vatican City with a You Visit tour that takes in Saint Peter’s Basilica and Square, complete with a tour guide narrating each interactive space. museivaticani.va

Guggenheim, Bilbao

Frank Gehry’s sculptured titanium and steel building, on the banks of the Nervión River, is one of the world’s most distinctive art spaces. The interactive tour takes viewers around its collection of postwar American and European painting and sculpture – Rothko, Holzer, Koons, Kapoor – and even down between the weathered curves of Serra’s Matter of Time (turn left at the entrance). guggenheim-bilbao.eus

Natural History Museum, London

From the diplodocus to the dodo, botany to butterflies, giant crystals to specimens in jars … the Natural History Museum’s vast collection has long been a favourite of both Londoners and tourists. Get lost in the corridors and gallery spaces – one treat is Dippy the dino, who despite recently going on tour still makes an appearance in the entrance hall in this interactive online guide . nhm.ac.uk

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

This grand museum has a vast collection of art and historical objects across 80 galleries. A 10-year renovation project was completed in 2013, transforming the space and combining elements of 19th-century grandeur with modern lighting and a new glass-roofed atrium. The interactive tour helps viewers get up close to every brush stroke by Vermeer, Rembrandt and other Dutch masters while exploring the Great Hall and beyond. rijksmuseum.nl

National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, South Korea

There are several sites making up this museum: the main gallery in Gwacheon and branches in Deoksugung, Seoul and Cheongju. The virtual tours explore an inspiring mix of print, design, sculpture, photography, new media and other large-scale installations. From Joseph Beuys to Warhol and Nam June Paik, the collection includes an international lineup of established artists, contemporary Korean artworks and emerging names. mmca.go.kr

Musée d’Orsay, Paris

In the former Gare d’Orsay, a Paris railway station and hotel, the musée is home to Cézanne, Monet and other French masters. Under a 138m-long curved glass roof, sits the largest collection of impressionist and post-Impressionist works in the world. The virtual tour also includes an online exhibition charting the history of the building. And over on Tourist Tube there’s a 360-degree view of the magnificent exterior. m.musee-orsay.fr

British Museum, London

There are 3,212 panes of glass in the domed ceiling of the British Museum’s Great Court, and no two are the same – and the 360-degree view in this virtual tour lets viewers examine each and every one. Beyond this magnificent space, viewers can find the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies and other ancient wonders. The museum’s interactive infographic platform, History Connected , goes into further depth of various objects with curators, along a timeline. britishmuseum.org

MASP, São Paulo, Brazil

The Museu de Arte de São Paulo has one of the broadest historical collections available to view via its virtual gallery platform , spanning from the 14th to 20th centuries. Paintings appear suspended in the air around the open-plan space, on glass panels or “crystal easels” as the museum calls them. There’s also a temporary retrospective exhibition by Brazilian pop artist Teresinha Soares beside the building’s statement red staircase. The glass and red-beam structure, built in 1968, is worth a look from the outside too, via Google Street View . masp.org.br

National Gallery, London

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Take a virtual tour of the some of the world's greatest museums and heritage sites., virtual tour, explore panoramic views of famous sites in 360˚ street view tours..

The 19 best virtual museum tours in the world

Words:  Bea Mitchell

| 1 min read

With a virtual tour , visitors can view world-class collections from the comfort of home

The global outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 prompted something of a digital revolution. Schools went online, employees worked from home, and museum tours became virtual.

Blooloop takes a look at some of the top virtual tours from France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, the Netherlands and China, as well as the US and UK. Keep reading for the best online offerings from the likes of the Louvre, British Museum , Rijksmuseum and MoMA.

1 Louvre Museum, Paris, France

As well as virtual tours , the Louvre recently put its entire art collection of more than 480,000 works online . The interactive database boasts rare items and iconic artworks, including the Venus de Milo, Mona Lisa and Winged Victory of Samothrace. Users can explore the museum via an interactive map .

“Today, the Louvre is dusting off its treasures, even the least-known. For the first time, anyone can access the entire collection of works from a computer or smartphone for free, whether they are on display in the museum, on loan, even long-term, or in storage,” said Jean-Luc Martinez , president of the Musée du Louvre.

“The Louvre’s stunning cultural heritage is all now just a click away. I am sure that this digital content is going to further inspire people to come to the Louvre to discover the collections in person.”

2 Vatican Museums, Rome, Italy

Founded in the early 16th century by Pope Julius II, the Vatican Museums house one of the world’s biggest art collections of around 70,000 works. The Vatican Museums showcase artworks from the Catholic Church’s collections, including Roman sculptures and Renaissance art. Highlights include Egyptian mummies, old masters, statues, rooms painted by Raphael and Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel.

Virtual visitors can enjoy tours of the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Library’s great hall, the Salone Sistino. Also available are tours of the Profane Museum, Pio Clementino Museum, Raphael’s Rooms and the Niccoline Chapel.

3 Natural History Museum, London, UK

London’s Natural History Museum has various virtual exploration tools , including a self-guided tour of the galleries, access to 300,000 specimens from the collection, and audio guides narrated by Sir David Attenborough. Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature , which recently opened in London, is also available as a virtual exhibition on Google Arts & Culture.

Guests can explore an online world brimming with real and magical beasts, alongside highlights, stories and games. The online exhibit is a social offering with quizzes, facts and videos, while augmented reality (AR) is used to ‘invite animals into your living room’.

“We really explore the storytelling aspect of science and discovery,” said exhibition lead Louis Buckley . “With some mythical beings like dragons, unicorns, mermaids, there are clearly parallels between real things people have seen, and these mythical beings have roots in interpretations of things that haven’t been understood at that point in time, so it’s a great way to draw out messages of discovery and the evolution of knowledge.”

4 The National Gallery, London, UK

The National Gallery in London offers various virtual tours , allowing armchair visitors to step inside the gallery and experience the vast collections of paintings from their computer, smartphone or VR headset. Users will immerse themselves in Renaissance art from Italy, the Netherlands and Germany, including works by Titian, Veronese, and Holbein.

The Director’s Choice is a virtual exhibition for 2021 showing a selection of paintings chosen and narrated by Dr Gabriele Finaldi. Also available from the National Gallery is a virtual reality (VR) tour of the Sainsbury Wing , showing off its collection of early Renaissance paintings from 1200 to 1500.

5 Frida Kahlo Museum, Mexico City, Mexico

The Frida Kahlo Museum offers a virtual tour of Frida Kahlo’s colourful house in Mexico City, known as the Blue House (La Casa Azul). Located in the Del Carmen neighbourhood of Coyoacán, the residence is where Kahlo lived for most of her life. It became a museum in 1958 following her death in 1954.

The online tour takes visitors through the house and gardens and offers a look at a selection of Kahlo’s art. The Blue House showcases the artist’s personal belongings, paintings, sculptures, photographs, documents and furniture.

6 Picasso Museum, Barcelona, Spain

The Picasso Museum, which opened in Barcelona in 1963, houses one of the world’s biggest collections of artworks by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso, with 4,251 works in its permanent collection.

Virtual offerings include an interactive exploration of the museum’s courtyards for a journey through the history of Barcelona, as well as a tour of the various places where Picasso lived, worked and visited. This includes the Picasso family’s first lodgings in Barcelona, other family apartments, and Picasso’s first and last studios.

7 The British Museum, London, UK

The British Museum was founded in 1753 and opened its doors in London in 1759. The institution’s vast collection spans two million years of history and culture and attracts more than 6 million visitors each year.

Virtual tours are available via Google Arts & Culture, with objects in the collection including the Rosetta Stone, Parthenon sculptures and Egyptian mummies. Online guests can explore the outdoor and indoor areas of the museum and enjoy a detailed look at 7,301 items. Online exhibits include ‘Buddhist art in Myanmar’, ‘Egypt: faith after the pharaohs’ and ‘Celtic life in Iron Age Britain’. 

The British Museum was offering virtual visits before the outbreak of COVID-19 . In 2019, it expanded its ‘virtual visits’ programme, which allows school pupils to experience the collection remotely.

“Pupils from Andover to Aberdeen and Brecon to Belfast can now experience some of the museum’s incredible treasures from their own classroom, potentially sparking a lifelong curiosity in the history of the world,” said Hartwig Fischer , director of the British Museum.

8 Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Spain

Designed by architect Frank Gehry, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao building boasts 24,000 square metres of space, 9,000 square metres of which is dedicated to exhibitions. Google Arts & Culture is home to plenty of virtual offerings from the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, including online exhibits, videos and images.

It also includes highlights from the collection and a guided tour through four paintings by Anselm Kiefer, Georg Baselitz, James Rosenquist, and Sigmar Polke. Users can get a closer look at iconic contemporary artworks and take a virtual tour around the spaces and terraces of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.

9 Anne Frank House, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Anne Frank House is a museum dedicated to Jewish diarist Anne Frank. Located on a canal called the Prinsengracht, Anne Frank House can be found in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Virtual visitors can explore the Secret Annex , the place where Anne lived in hiding for more than two years during WWII, and where she wrote her diary.

This is also available in virtual reality with the free ‘Anne Frank House VR’ app. In addition, a video diary offers a look at Anne’s life in the Secret Annex, and digital guests can tour the house where she and her family lived before going into hiding on Google Arts & Culture.

“We feel that this is an appropriate destination for Anne Frank’s former home. It is a place where freedom, tolerance, and free speech are given free rein. The 360-degree images allow us to share this special place with the public,” said Ronald Leopold , executive director of the Anne Frank House.

10 Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York, US

Founded in 1929, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York houses a vast collection of more than 150,000 paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, photographs, models and objects. Highlights include Claude Monet’s Water Lilies, Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night and Pablo Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon.

The collection can be viewed online , while 129 artworks from the collection are on Google Arts & Culture. MoMA also launched ‘Virtual Views’, which offers virtual explorations with curators. On June 24, Virtual Views is hosting a live Q&A with artist Julie Mehretu, in conjunction with the Cézanne Drawing exhibition.

11 Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Netherlands

The Rijksmuseum is located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands and boasts famous works of art such as The Milkmaid by Vermeer and Rembrandt’s The Night Watch. The museum’s 80 galleries feature 8,000 objects exploring 800 years of Dutch history and art.

Google Arts & Culture has plenty of digital Rijksmuseum offerings , including 164,511 items from the collection and tours of the museum’s interior spaces. The Rijksmuseum i s located at the Museum Square in Amsterdam, close to the Van Gogh Museum. The main building was designed by Pierre Cuypers and first opened in 1885.

12 Musée d’Orsay, Paris, France

Situated on the banks of the Seine in Paris, the Musée d’Orsay can be found in the former Orsay railway station, built between 1898 and 1900. The museum in France displays art from 1848 to 1914, including works by Monet, Cézanne, Van Gogh and Renoir. As well as exhibits and 277 items from the Musée d’Orsay’s collection, Google Arts & Culture includes a virtual tour of the museum itself.

The Art Newspaper recently unveiled the world’s top 100 art museums in its survey for 2020, revealing the devastating impact of COVID-19 on museums as physical attendance dropped by 77 percent globally. The Musée d’Orsay welcomed 867,274 visitors in 2020, a decline of 76 percent from 2019.

13 São Paulo Museum of Art (MASP), Brazil

The Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP) was founded in 1947 as Brazil’s first modern museum. MASP’s collection contains more than 8,000 works, including paintings, sculptures, objects, photographs, and costumes from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

Art fans who can’t currently get to Brazil can head to Google Arts & Culture to take a virtual tour of the São Paulo Museum of Art . Virtual guests can also check out MASP’s online exhibits, as well as 1,011 items from the collection. In addition, MASP offers digital programming such as home drawing, live events with guests, lectures and seminars.

14 National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia

The National Gallery of Victoria, also known as the NGV, is an art museum in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1861, the NGV is the oldest and largest art museum in Australia. In addition to the NGV Triennial 2020 virtual tours, the National Gallery of Victoria allows visitors to explore a wealth of exhibits and collections online .

This includes the modern and contemporary art and design collection, the British and European collections, and the 19th century and 20th-century Australian art collections. Virtual self-guided tours of exhibits include ‘Big Weather’ and ‘Marking Time: Indigenous Art from the NGV’.

15 National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, US

The National Gallery of Art is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The US museum preserves, collects and exhibits works of art, and is home to more than 150,000 items, from paintings, prints and drawings to sculptures, photographs and decorative arts. The National Gallery of Art covers two buildings, as well as a sculpture garden.

Virtual visitors can enjoy 42,462 items on the museum’s Google Arts & Culture site, grouped under categories such as Renaissance, Impressionism and Art Nouveau. Guests also have the option to explore the NGA collection on the museum’s website, where they will also find a blog, podcast and virtual cinema.

16 Hong Kong Heritage Museum, China

The Hong Kong Heritage Museum, which launched in December 2000, is a space to explore Hong Kong culture. This includes art, design, pop culture and photography, as well as Cantonese opera. The destination is located in Sha Tin, adjacent to the Shing Mun River.

It houses a wide range of exhibitions and programmes, some of which are available on Google Arts & Culture. Virtual collections encompass digital art and Hong Kong , while 144 items from the museum’s collections are accessible. Users can also take a virtual tour of the Hong Kong Heritage Museum.

17 Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, Madrid, Spain

The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum is an art museum in Madrid, Spain. Located near the Prado Museum, the institution is named after its founder, Baron Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza, and his son Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza. The museum offers an overview of art from the 13th century to the late 20th century and includes works from the Renaissance and Impressionists, as well as Pop Art and much more.

The website includes an extensive virtual tour , with users able to select which floors and rooms they would like to visit. The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum is also on Google Arts & Culture , which offers a tour, online exhibits and items from the collection .

18 National Palace Museum, Taipei City, Taiwan

The National Palace Museum is located in Taipei, Taiwan. It boasts a vast permanent collection of nearly 700,000 artefacts and artworks, covering 8,000 years of Chinese history. The museum has been working on making its national treasures more accessible globally through online offerings.

The National Palace Museum website includes a large-scale virtual tour of the museum grounds and exhibits, as well as online routes for digital visitors. It’s also on Google Arts & Culture, where users will discover online exhibits, virtual tours, collections, and 831 items to explore in greater detail.

19 J Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, US

The J Paul Getty Museum opened at the $1.3 billion Getty Center in Los Angeles, California in December 1997. It boasts works of art dating from the 8th century to the 21st century, as well as gardens and incredible views of LA. The collection includes paintings, drawings, sculptures, manuscripts, decorative arts and photographs. The J Paul Getty Museum has another location at the Getty Villa in Malibu.

Online exhibits such as ‘Faces of Roman Egypt’ and ‘Contemporary Voices in Asian American Photography’ are on Google Arts & Culture, as is a tour of the museum in LA . Virtual visitors can also check out 71,190 items from the Getty’s collection. The Getty Museum is active online; it previously launched a social media challenge and put more than 70,000 artworks on Nintendo’s Animal Crossing .

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Bea Mitchell

More from this author, exploring the future of museums at cta 2024: sustainability, inclusivity & engagement, history attracts a new crowd: the immersive revolution in museums, 5 best-practice ticketing recommendations for museums & heritage attractions in 2024, immersive art and the ecosystem it lacks, university museums are experiencing a renaissance, a covid inquiry for visitor attractions: are we better prepared now, enjoying this article, search for something, horniman museum appoints gordon seabright as new chief executive, legoland windsor unveils woodland village creatures ahead of opening, great wolf's new resort in webster, texas gets opening date, universal's epic universe theme park unveils super nintendo world, related content, nextin '24: museum design, architecture and inspiration, association for cultural enterprises shares insights from ceo gordon morrison & chair melanie lewis, meow wolf announces sixth permanent immersive art venue will be in los angeles, lord cultural resources expands leadership team.

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Virtual Reality Is A Big Trend In Museums, But What Are The Best Examples Of Museums Using VR?

Take Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute, for example. In 2016, the institute launched a range of Virtual Reality experiences. As part of the installation, visitors can use VR to journey to the depths of the ocean, the far edges of outer space, or even inside the human body. This technology allows people to be completely immersed in an interactive adventure. Franklin claims these exhibitions will transform the visitor’s view of the world.

The Franklin Institute back in 2016

What does VR mean for museums?

Museums have always sought to breathe life into their collections, and VR is an exceptional tool for achieving that goal. It offers a unique and captivating experience that transports visitors to new dimensions within an exhibit. 

The global museum community has eagerly embraced VR’s potential, employing it to create immersive tours, interactive exhibits, and breathtaking visual narratives. VR allows curators to contextualise objects and showcase their true scale, revolutionising how visitors engage with art and history.

Immersive Examples from Museums:

London’s renowned V&A museum unveiled the “Curious Alice” exhibition, exploring Lewis Carroll’s enduring classic. Complementing traditional galleries, visitors were invited to partake in a playful VR experience, immersing themselves in Alice’s whimsical world.

The  Louvre  launched ‘Mona Lisa: Beyond the Glass’, a VR experience that explores Renaissance painting as part of its Leonardo da Vinci blockbuster exhibition. 

Through interactive design, sound, and animated images, users discover details about the painting, such as its wood panel texture and how the passage of time has changed its appearance. 

Available in five languages, the experience could be enjoyed for four months by booking directly at the Louvre and is downloadable on the VR app store VIVEPORT, iOS, and Android.

Peterson Automotive Museum

The Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles worked with Microsoft HoloLens to create a new exhibition. The result was an  exciting VR experience . Visitors could interact with a classic American sports car, the Ford GT40.

This supercar is a fascinating piece of history and winner of several Le Mans races in the 1960s. The  HoloLens  allowed visitors to see the car up close, alongside a modern Ford GT for comparison. The exhibition aimed to tell a story by blending the real and the virtual space. Visitors were further drawn into the experience by adding spatial audio or surround sound. While learning about the history of the cars, they could also hear the roar of the engines and the sounds of tyres racing around a track.

The museum’s executive director, Terry Karges, said the exhibition was an excellent addition. The museum aims to use more interactive displays such as this to enhance its  storytelling potential.

The National Museum of Finland

The National Museum of Finland in Helsinki opened a  new VR exhibit  in 2018. Visitors can return to 1863 as they explore R. W. Ekman’s painting  The Opening of the Diet 1863 by Alexander II .

The VR headset makes people feel like they are stepping inside the painting. Visitors find themselves within the scene and can view the Hall of Mirrors from a 3D perspective. They can even speak with the Russian Emperor and other characters depicted in the painting. The painting is part of an exhibit detailing Finnish life and politics in the 1860s under the Russian Empire.

The Smithsonian

In 2018, the Smithsonian Institution included a  VR component alongside a new exhibition .  No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man  was installed in the Renwick Gallery until January 2019.

The legendary Burning Man event takes place every year in the Nevada desert. A temporary city of artists and revellers emerges from the wilderness each August. It is both an art event and a cultural movement. Massive art installations rise throughout the festival and are then burned. The Smithsonian’s collection displayed some of these incredible large-scale sculptures. Visitors were also able to learn about the spirit and origins of the event.

Although the exhibition closed in January 2019, the VR experience is still available. People can continue enjoying the exhibition despite the fact that the physical collection no longer exists. This is one of VR’s benefits. It can create lasting records of otherwise temporary experiences.

The Tate Modern

In the UK, London’s Tate Modern has also embraced the VR trend. Alongside their Modigliani retrospective, they created  a fascinating VR exhibit . Visitors could experience complete immersion in a 3D model of the artist’s Paris studio.

The exhibit used the actual studio space as a template. The room itself still exists but is not as it was then. After thorough research, the museum recreated the artist’s final studio as it would have been 100 years ago.

Hilary Knight, head of digital content at Tate, thinks that VR is a valuable tool. She said, “It’s a way of conveying feeling, helping people connect with an artist. It’s a different way of absorbing that information, making the artist a living person.”

The National Museum of Natural History in Paris

The National Museum of Natural History opened its first permanent VR exhibition. The installation dealt with evolution as part of the museum’s wider scope.

When they enter the “ Cabinet of Virtual Reality ” and don the VR headsets, visitors are fully immersed in a journey of discovery. They can explore the links between species, viewing a variety of creatures up close and to scale.

The museum turned to technology to help visitors better understand the collection. Its goal is to make the concepts behind it more accessible. The museum aims to develop its permanent VR collection further in the future.

Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum, in partnership with broadcaster Sky, developed  Hold the World,  an educational VR experience that allows you to meet Sir David Attenborough face-to-face.

The interactive experience takes you to London’s Natural History Museum. It puts you in reach of a few rare specimens from its world-famous collection, letting you handle and resize the objects. At the same time, Attenborough teaches essential facts about how the animals must have lived, eaten, breathed, and more.

What challenges do museums face around the use of VR?

The above examples show that VR has the potential to enhance museum exhibits. It allows curators to bring subjects to life and change the viewer’s perspective. But like any new technology, it does bring challenges.

At MuseumNext Australia in February 2017, a panel discussion examined the topic. Nils Pokel from the Aukland War Memorial Museum spoke about his experience with VR in a museum space. He talked about his hope that VR will continue adding value when used with a curator’s existing tools. He pointed out that it has some unique traits, for example, the ability to create an actual first-person perspective. This could be a huge draw when creating a new exhibit. Although he believes that VR is helpful, he does concede some downsides.

One of the most limiting factors currently is cost. VR equipment itself is not cheap. In addition to this, the design and management of VR programmes can be costly. Depending on the size of the project, costs can escalate quickly. There are many factors to consider, from paying for bespoke content design to replacing broken headpieces. Pokel talked about how his Aukland War Memorial Museum exhibition ran into hardware issues. In fact, they had around 15 broken headsets after just a couple of weeks.

Hygiene is another issue to be aware of. Several people use headsets over the course of a day. Things like skin, hair, and grease can quickly build up, potentially causing infections. Many museums have opted to have staff or volunteers to clean the devices between uses. Disposable hygiene masks are also available.

Pokel also touched upon the issue of Simulation Sickness. Some users find their first experience of VR unsettling or even nausea-inducing. This is because of the disconnect between their physical body and the virtual world that their minds are immersed in. Symptoms can include headaches, eyestrain, disorientation, vertigo, and even vomiting.

What does the future look like for VR in museums?

The Kremer Museum  has gone further than the examples above. In fact, it does not exist as a physical museum at all. It showcases over 70 17th-century Dutch and Flemish old masters. They are only available to view through the VR experience and do not exist together as a physical collection.

Projects like this go a long way in making the modern museum experience more accessible. They can help people with mobility issues enjoy exhibitions from the comfort of their homes, for example. VR can transport visitors to collections housed on the other side of the world without having to set foot on an aeroplane.

Some may worry that VR can potentially stop visitors from attending in person. Despite projects like the Kremer Museum, VR experiences seem unlikely to completely take over. Bruno David is the president of the National Museum of Natural History in Paris.

Talking to the New York Times about VR in museums, he said, “People are coming to a museum to see real objects because real objects are emotional.” VR exhibitions are not intended to replace the existing model but to enhance and complement what is already there.

There could be a danger of using VR for the sake of it, as a gimmick, or to appear more modern. But when implemented thoughtfully, it can genuinely bring collections to life. The above examples show how  Virtual Reality can enhance the museum  experience. These institutions have created innovative exhibitions that make a genuine connection with visitors.

MuseumNext offer online learning for museum professionals striving for engaging, relevant and flexible professional growth content. Find out about our upcoming events here.

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10 Virtual History Museums and Experiences to Explore From Home

By: Missy Sullivan

Updated: June 1, 2023 | Original: March 26, 2020

The need for social distancing may have forced museums and historic sites around the world to close their doors for now, but many have made their spaces, exhibits and collections available to anyone with a digital device and a decent web connection. Some offer 360-degree tours, like the one that takes you into every nook and cranny of George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate. Others present virtual exhibits or browsable online archives, such as the dozens on Google Arts & Culture’s site, where partner museums share treasures like the Rosetta Stone and ancient Egyptian artifacts ( The British Museum , London)...iconic 20th century photos (the LIFE Magazine archive)...or troves of sports history (the Olympic Museum , Lausanne, Switzerland). Here are 10 standout virtual history sites worth exploring:

Xi'an Warriors

It was one of the most stunning archaeological finds of the 20th century. In 1974, farmers digging a well stumbled across a life-sized clay figure that, government archaeologists later discovered, belonged to a vast army of terra cotta soldiers created to protect China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, in the afterlife. The massive mausoleum, created around 210 B.C., houses some 8,000 warriors, along with hundreds of chariots and horses—all arranged in battle formation. In 2017, a Chinese company, inspired by Google Street View, created an awe-inspiring virtual experience that lets visitors swoop down into the tomb and “walk” among the soldiers, viewing their unique facial expressions and traces of their original colorful paint at close range. You don’t need to read Chinese to appreciate the enormity of it all.

Click  HERE for the experience.

READ MORE: 5 Things You May Not Know About the Terra Cotta Army

Smithsonian Museum of American History

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History bills itself as the greatest single collection of U.S. history in the world, home to more than 1.8 million objects that each, in some fundamental way, defines the American experience. The museum offers about 100 online exhibits from its encyclopedic collections, each with a mix of photos, video, graphics and text on topics ranging from the life of Abe Lincoln (yep, they’ve got the stovepipe hat) to the development of the first artificial heart to the evolution of voting machines and even an array of vintage lunch boxes. 

READ MORE: 9 of the Most Collectible School Lunch Boxes, 1935 to Now

The Museum of Flight

War planes. Spy planes. Spacecraft. Gliders. Kit planes. Eccentric contraptions. This sprawling museum, adjacent to the Boeing complex south of Seattle, Washington, is considered one of the world’s largest and best air and space museums, with more than 150 aircraft, 25,000-plus aviation-related artifacts and a huge array of exhibits that collectively chronicle man's quest to take to the skies. Flight geeks could easily get lost in its vast searchable and browsable database of those collections while 360-degree tours let you step inside a dozen iconic aircraft—including the Boeing 747, the Concorde and the museum’s full-scale model of the space shuttle orbiter used for training astronauts.

Click HERE for the experience.

READ MORE: Who Was the First President to Fly on Air Force One?

National Women's History Museum

Come for the deep well of biographies and digital classroom resources , stay for the wide array of virtual exhibits , many of which are enabled by Google Arts & Culture. For two decades, the National Women’s History Museum has been the largest online cultural institution telling the stories of women who helped transform the U.S. Heavy with slide shows and graphics, the virtual exhibits document women making waves in politics, sports, civil rights, science and technology and more. Check out its collection of oral histories from the American Rosie Movement, relaying women's contributions to the nation’s defense production.

READ MORE: Women’s History Milestones: A Timeline

Anne Frank House

Anne Frank ’s diary, chronicling her life in hiding during World War II, remains one of the most powerful testimonies to the horrors of the Holocaust. If a trip to Amsterdam to visit the Anne Frank House isn’t in the cards, AnneFrank.org offers the next best thing. In addition to tons of informative content about the teen, her diary and the war, there are bells and whistles galore: an interactive timeline, videos about her life, a 360-degree tour of the house, a virtual reality tour of the secret annex where she and her family hid for 761 days, and a companion exhibit on Google Arts & Culture.

READ MORE: How Anne Frank’s Private Diary Became an International Sensation

Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum

FDR , America’s only four-term president , presided over the nation during two of its most trying ordeals: the Great Depression and World War II . This online experience walks users room by room through the exhibits in his extensive presidential library and museum in Hyde Park, New York, drawing together a wealth of original documents, artifacts, videos, 360-degree tours and more. Together, they illustrate everything from FDR’s little-known assassination attempt to his New Deal policies and wartime decisions to Eleanor ’s significant role. It’s easy to lose track of time clicking through all the fascinating letters, whether it’s from a constituent exhorting him to “discontinue being a smiling, wasteful and fickle prima donna politician” to one from Albert Einstein strenuously detailing his objections to the atomic bomb.

READ MORE: How FDR Became the First—and Only—President to Serve Four Terms

Calling all space geeks: Report to the NASA site for ultimate fun in the final frontier. Get the full scoop on all the key NASA programs past and present, from the Hubble Telescope to the Mars Rover to the upcoming Parker Solar Probe. Check out the History hub to dive deep into photos, videos and articles about all their historic missions. Enjoy a motherlode of space images with the cache of ultra-high-def videos taken from various missions—like the virtual tour of the moon in 4K, enabled by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Spacecraft. For astronaut wannabes, virtual tours abound of NASA’s various research and training facilities—putting users right inside a supersonic wind tunnel, a zero-gravity lab, flight simulators, a space environments complex and much more.

READ MORE: The Space Race

American Battlefield Trust Virtual Battlefield Tours

Most on-site battlefield tours require a leap of imagination: the ability to walk around a perfectly peaceful open field and overlay a mental movie of smoke and combat and fallen warriors, all the while considering the military strategy and broader political stakes. ABT’s website may not offer the sunshine on your back, but it marries the setting, action and context far more seamlessly, with its 360-degree virtual tours of more than 20 American Revolution and Civil War battlefields. In the Gettysburg tour alone, there are 15 different stops—no walking required—each of which features clickable icons with granular detail about all the whos, whats and whys. And when you’re done touring, be sure to explore the site’s other robust resources, from battle summaries to generals’ biographies.

READ MORE: 7 Important Civil War Battles

National Museum of African American History and Culture

While there are plenty of current and past exhibits to explore online here, the real draw is the collections. In the site’s Collections Stories area, museum staff members share objects that resonate for them historically or culturally, whether it’s Muhammad Ali’s training gear...the dress Carlotta Walls, one of the so-called Little Rock Nine , wore when she walked the gauntlet of angry mobs on her first day integrating Little Rock Central High School ...or shards of stained glass from the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama that killed four little girls. And if you’ve got lots of time to explore, browse the museum’s vast open-source collections, brimming with letters, documents, photos and artifacts. They convey the wide-ranging African American experience—from a slave ship manifest to a poster of Sidney Poitier’s film To Sir, With Love . 

READ MORE: One of the Last Slave Ship Survivors Describes His Ordeal in a 1930s Interview

U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum

The Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. presents powerful online exhibits brimming with resources such as videos, timelines, glossaries and image galleries rich with potent original artifacts. Themes include Collaboration & Complicity, Nazi Propaganda, Americans and the Holocaust, Racial Health Policies and more. Elsewhere on the museum’s site: a deep archive of survivor interviews , moving artifacts like a gallery of 600 ID cards of Holocaust victims and a place to browse the museum’s huge, sobering collections.

READ MORE: American Response to the Holocaust

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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. 

Top 10 virtual tours: see museums and the world without leaving home

Stuck at home? You can still enjoy amazing sights and experiences

Many of the world’s most iconic locations now offer virtual tours, meaning you can visit museums, world heritage sites and other attractions from the comfort of your couch. You don’t need a VR headset , either, although some attractions do support virtual reality for a more immersive experience.

So if you’re looking for things to do at home, and in need of a change of scenery, simply grab your laptop, tablet or phone, and join us on a world tour filled with history, nature and – of course – technology.

1. Machu Picchu, Andes Mountains, Peru

A simply stunning UNESCO World Heritage site, Machu Picchu is a visual wonder that just has to be seen. You no longer need to fly all the way to Peru to see it in all its glory, however, as the virtual tour is comprehensive, immersive, and filled with fascinating insights.

With 360-degree views of the ruins of Inca settlements and lush green landscapes, you can visit every popular vantage point and learn more about the history of the famous site thanks to a helpful voice narrator. OK, you can’t feel the warm breeze around you, but if you turn on the heat and have a handy desk fan set to low, it’s almost as good as the real thing. Almost.

Behold the marvel : Machu Picchu

2. The Louvre Museum, Paris

An attraction visited by millions of tourists in person every year, the Louvre Museum has also created a selection of virtual tours based on its permanent collections. Explore Egyptian antiquities, the Remains of the Louvre’s Moat, and the decorative arts of the Galerie d’Apollon. 

The tour is easy to navigate, with an expandable minimap that lets you highlight exhibits to view with just a couple of clicks. You can also find out more about each room in The Louvre, with detailed descriptions that will probably make the room you’re actually sitting in feel frightfully dull in comparison. 

Take a trip: Louvre Museum

3. The National Museum of Computing, Milton Keynes, UK

The National Museum of Computing contains the world’s largest collection of working historic computers. That means one of them probably runs Microsoft Vista and is still working...

The museum features a fantastic, intuitive, virtual 3D tour. You can zoom in on each exhibit’s details, and find out more about every aspect of computing history, such as the world’s oldest working digital computer. Impressive stuff.

Discover a digital treasure trove: The National Museum of Computing

4. Georgia Aquarium, Georgia, USA

Nothing beats the beauty of nature, so it’s good to know you can still get your daily dose of “aww” from the safety of your sofa. The Georgia Aquarium has over 50 species ranging from sea lions to underwater puffins, with many available to view via webcam. There’s also a daily and weekly livestream that’s aimed at piquing children’s interest in animals, and a great at-home educational tool if you want to entertain the little ones. 

Ever wondered what a Beluga Whale gets up to in its spare time? Just click on the link below and find out. Water-way to have a good time. 

Sea more: Georgia Aquarium

5. A 3-Minute Tour, Tokyo

What if we told you that you could ride in a Tuk Tuk, walk across the famous Shibuya crossing, win a Pikachu from a claw machine, and make friends with a robot… all in under three minutes. That might be physically impossible, but with VR it’s a breeze.

If you’ve ever wanted to take a whistle-stop tour of Japan, the Japan National Tourism Organization has created a 360-degree virtual reality video that lets you do all of the above, and lots more. 

Simply put on a VR headset to experience a surreal thrill ride, where you’ll go from feeding a deer to facing off against a sumo wrestler in a matter of seconds. The video is also viewable in 2D, and well worth a look. 

Check it out below.

6. The British Museum, London

Home to a remarkable collection that spans over two million years of human history and culture, The British Museum has nearly 50 online exhibits to view. From Bonaparte and the Battle of Waterloo to exploring the history of LGBTQ, there’s plenty of informative content to delve into.

For a more interactive experience, check out the Museum of the World tour . You can browse through a large selection of exhibits that are dated by century, continent and category – such as trade and conflict or art and design. Each exhibit offers a detailed description as well as accompanying audio, which helps provide a fascinating backstory to each piece. 

Browse the exhibits: The British Museum

7. The Vatican, Rome

Filled with spectacular architecture and historic monuments, The Vatican is within your virtual reach, with a host of museums providing online tours. Step into the Sistine Chapel and Raphael’s Rooms, which are adorned with simply sensational artwork. 

The tour is compatible with WebVR, so you can pop on a VR headset to get an even closer look at some of mankind’s most memorable creations. It’s truly breathtaking, even when viewed through a screen.  

When in Rome, visit: The Vatican

 8. Musée d’Orsay, Paris

Located in the center of Paris, this historic museum was installed in the former Orsay railway station. It was originally built for the Universal Exhibition of 1900, and displays collections of art from the period 1848 to 1914.

Take a leisurely virtual stroll through the opulent hallways and witness works from dozens of famous French artists, including Monet, Gauguin and Van Gogh. With no other visitors to contend with, you can soak up all the culture on display to your heart’s content – and there’s a lot to soak up. 

Take the tour: Musée d’Orsay

9. Athens Acropolis, Athens

A must-visit destination for history buffs, the Athens Acropolis includes the world-famous Parthenon, and is a cultural hotspot for tourists. Choose between popular sites such as the Theatre of Dionysus and enjoy in-depth videos that provide a fascinating and educational insight into ancient Greece. 

There are plenty of photographs to view and engrossing facts to learn, so don’t be surprised if you become an armchair expert in no time. Now, where’d you put that amphora of wine? 

Get to the Greek: Athens Acropolis

10. The Royal Academy of Arts, London

If you’re amazed by architecture, the Royal Academy of Arts has a virtual tour that will make you go “ooo” and “ahh” for hours. The Sensing Spaces exhibition uses high-quality 360-degree photography to give visitors a taste of its structures and remarkable exhibitions – it really does feel as if you’re actually there. 

Each exhibition is complemented by further information for users to read through, but you’re encouraged to come to your own conclusions, and think about what each space means to you.

Visit the exhibition: Sensing Spaces

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Narrated Virtual Tours

Join us for narrated tours of the various exhibits and halls of the Museum! More will be added on this page as they become available. 

Intro to Narrated Tours Transcript

Tour the David H. Koch Hall of Fossils – Deep Time

Videos in This Playlist

• Introduction
• Dinosaurs in Detail
• Mass Extinction Events
• Fossils from Digsite to Display Case
• Virtual Tour for Students
• Deep Time Audio Description App
• In-Person and Online School Program: Discovering Dinosaurs
• National Fossil Day at the Museum 2022  (with links to activities and videos) 
• Teaching Resources about Paleontology

Tour the David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins

Videos in this playlist:

• Exhibit Introduction
• Past Species
• Reconstruction Gallery
• Human Origins website
• Human Origins Twitter | Facebook
• Online School Program – Human Origins: What does it mean to be human?
• Dr. Rick Potts – NMNH Staff Profile
• Dr. Briana Pobiner – NMNH Staff Profile
• Article about the traveling Human Origins library exhibit

Tour the Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems, and Minerals

• Harry Winston Gallery and the Hope Diamond
• Moon, Meteorites, and Solar System Gallery
• Pegmatites: Nature's Treasure Chests

Department of Mineral Sciences

• Overview of the Collections
• The Hope Diamond
• Smithsonian GeoGallery
• Global Volcanism Program

For Educators

• Earth Science Teaching Resources

School Programs

• Identifying Minerals (In-person, Grades 3 to 5)
• Rocks and Minerals (Online, Grades 3 to 5)
• Dig Deep (In-person, Grades 6-12)

Tour the Objects of Wonder Exhibit

• Building Collections
• Celebrating Creativity
• Dazzling Diversity

Featured Collections from Objects of Wonder:

• Finding Patterns Everywhere
• For the Record
• Linking Nature and Culture
• On the Move
• What Do These Objects Have in Common?
• What Makes Things Blue?
• Collecting Natural History
• Digitization Allows Public Access to Smithsonian’s Hidden Collections

Tour the Sant Ocean Hall

• Carcharocles megalodon
• North Atlantic Right Whale (Phoenix)
• Indo-Pacific Coral Reef
• Smithsonian's Ocean Portal
• Life on Planet Ocean
• In-Person and Online School Program: Reefs Unleashed
• Smithsonian Marine Station
• 'Spying on Whales,' an Extract From Nick Pyenson's Book
• Dr. Nick Pyenson's NMNH Lab
• Dr. Brian Huber – NMNH Staff Profile
• Teaching Resources about the Ocean
• Smithsonian Institution
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
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Virtual Museum: 13 ways to explore from home

Delve into the Museum from home with a virtual self-guided tour of the galleries, an interactive experience about Hope the blue whale and audio guides narrated by Sir David Attenborough.

1. Stroll around the Fantastic Beasts™: The Wonder of Nature exhibition

Although the exhibition at the Museum closed on 3 January 2022, you can still step into an online world full of fantastic real-life and magical beasts. There are highlights, stories and games galore. 

Walk around the exhibition from home with a 360° virtual tour on Google Arts & Culture.

2.  Take a deep dive into the life of a blue whale

Explore the rich history of Hope, the blue whale suspended from the ceiling in Hintze Hall. In this online interactive, see what her life was like in the ocean, find out how she got to her home in the Museum and get a behind-the-scenes peek of the Museum's collections.

Go one step further by viewing the skeleton in augmented reality (AR) with Google Arts & Culture. 

3. Hang out with scientists online

Catch up on all the Nature Live Online talks featuring topical discussions with our scientists and cutting-edge research. 

Free event recordings. 

Image:  NASA .

4.  Sound choices: listen to these podcasts

Every year the Museum attracts millions of curious visitors eager to learn about the natural world.

Bring that curiosity home, and learn more about natural history, science, and the world around you with these great podcasts. 

5.  Let Sir David Attenborough guide you around Hintze Hall

Sir David's unmistakable voice and expertise on all things nature make him the perfect person to take you on a tour of Hintze Hall's star specimens (including the blue marlin), all from the comfort of home.

6.  Go on a virtual tour of the Museum

Google Arts & Culture gives you access to 300,000 specimens within the Museum's collections, along with 35 digital exhibitions , virtual tours and an interactive gigapixel photo (so enormous you can zoom in on the tiniest detail) of Hintze Hall's gilded canopy. 

7.  Flick through Wildlife Photographer of the Year images

Explore the exhibition at your own pace in this online gallery filled with stunning nature photographs. 

8.  Watch us on the small screen

The Museum's stunning architecture has made it a popular choice as a filming location for everything from blockbuster movies to TV dramas.

Discover which films and television shows feature the Museum.

Paddington (2014)

9. Examine a 3D model of Dippy's skull

Get up close to the skull of the Museum's iconic Diplodocus cast produced by our Imaging and Analysis Centre. See more 3D models on Sketchfab , including Darwin's fossil mammals and the Crystal Palace sculptures .

10. See illustrations from HMS Endeavour

Our collection of botanical illustrations from HMS Endeavour make up some of the most scientifically significant artworks in our archive. It features works by Sydney Parkinson .

11.  Browse the Library and Archives digital collections

Dig deep into the archives, where you'll find scientifically important art, books, prints and manuscripts, including drawings by William Smith and brothers Franz and Ferdinand Bauer.

12. Uncover highlights from the collections

We've wrapped up some of the highlights from the collections on display including specimens from space , the spirit collection , Charles Darwin and the Treasures gallery .

Discover more stories from the collections  including stories from the Museum at Tring .

13. Zoom in on beetles

Open the drawers and zoom in on 16 Coleoptera collections held at the Museum including those from Thomas Broun (1838-1919), David Sharp (1840-1922) and Charles O. Waterhouse (1843-1917).

Find out more about the  Entomology collections .

Virtual expeditions with our scientists

What is it like to go on a dino dig?

Explore an interactive story about Museum experts' adventure to Wyoming, USA, when they went off-grid in search of Jurassic dinosaurs.

Explore a 360 panorama of Antarctica

Join Dr Adrian Glover as he journeys to the site of a collapsed Antarctic ice shelf. Experience the awe-inspiring view from the ship deck.

Online events

Whether you want to try your hand at crafting or join our virtual yoga - there is something for everyone. 

Find out more

Let the exploration continue.

Enjoy nature on your doorstep

Find activities and ideas to occupy yourself and family at home, in your garden or local outdoor space.

Try this at home

Discover more stories from the collections

Uncover colourful stories behind the specimens, meet collectors and curators past and present and read about their contributions to our understanding of the natural world. 

Teaching resources

A range of downloadable educational curriculum-linked resources that you can adapt for home use.

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As a charity, we rely on your donations - big and small - and greatly appreciate your support. Together, we can create a future where people and planet thrive. Thank you.

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Online tours - Enjoy the Louvre at home!

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Virtual tours Enjoy the Louvre at home! Online tours

Virtual tours, louvre at home.

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...

Launch virtual tour  

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)  

Podcasts (in French)  

Louvre Kids  

“Mona Lisa Beyond the Glass” virtual reality experience  

Advanced tickets recommended, plus don't miss Dalí Alive 360° in The Dalí Dome. Reserve tickets.

Home > Exhibits > Dreams of Dalí in Virtual Reality

Dreams of Dalí in Virtual Reality

< All Exhibits

Travel Inside and Beyond the Art: Dreams of Dalí in Virtual Reality

Enjoy the remarkable marriage of art and technology in Dreams of Dalí , a virtual reality experience, as you explore Dali’s painting  Archaeological Reminiscence of Millet’s “Angelus.” Immerse yourself in the world of the Surrealist master like never before in this encounter, venturing into the towers, peering from them to distant lands and discovering surprises around every corner. We imagine Dalí himself, known in his lifetime as what we now call an “earlier adopter” of new technology, would applaud this inspiring homage to his 1935 painting.

This award-winning VR experience has garnered visitor acclaim, online praise and international recognition through a multitude of industry awards, including the prestigious Cannes Cyber Lion GOLD; a  Webby People’s Voice award; and a Facebook Silver award for Innovation, among others.

Museums and educational institutions interested in licensing Dreams of Dalí may contact [email protected] .

Download the Interactive Experience

For a fully immersive virtual reality experience from anywhere in the world, using your Oculus Rift or HTC Vive, download  Dreams of Dalí  from these leading VR platforms: 

Download Dreams of Dalí from Oculus Home . (Rift) Download  Dreams of Dalí  from VivePort. (Vive) Download  Dreams of Dalí  from Steam . (Vive or Rift)

Watch the Linear 360° Video

When you can’t visit The Dalí in person, or if you don’t own a Rift, you may view a linear 360° video version of Dreams of Dalí from a variety of devices such as a Samsung Gear VR or Google Cardboard or Daydream.

Even if you don’t have a VR device, you may view the video on any smartphone, tablet or desktop PC using the latest version of Chrome.

Visit the Museum in Person to Experience Dreams of Dalí in Virtual Reality

Dreams of Dalí   opens daily at 11am and is complimentary with Museum admission.

The last passes for the day are given out at 5pm (7pm on Thursdays); seating is limited; wait times will vary. Headsets used to experience Dreams of Dalí are one-size-fits-all. For guests ages 13 and up. Disclaimer: Consult your physician prior to using the headsets if you are prone to blackouts, disorientation, seizures, or experience photosensitive epilepsy.

View the trailer, below, to see a preview of what you’ll experience at the Museum.

“Truly amazing! It has forever changed the way I will look at the art of Dalí.” – Stephanie, YouTube

“I swear I cried and laughed with happiness to see and feel this! I love technology, I love art, I love dreams and I LOVE DALÍ.”  – Lizbeth, Facebook

©Salvador Dalí Museum, Inc., St. Petersburg, FL. Worldwide rights ©Salvador Dalí, Fundacio Gala-Salvador Dalí. Created for The Dalí by Goodby Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco, CA. Read Dreams of Dalí User Agreement &  Privacy Policy.

The Met Cloisters

Accessibility at The Met Cloisters is somewhat limited for wheelchair and stroller users and others who need step-free access due to the building's landmark status. A free shuttle service is available to visitors requiring step-free access to enter the building.

Masks are strongly recommended. Read visitor guidelines .

Today at The Met Cloisters

No scheduled events today, plan your visit.

View The Met Cloisters Map.

Visitor Guidelines

Review our visitor guidelines to get the most out of your Met experience.

The Met Cloisters Digital Guide

Enhance your visit to The Met Cloisters using our digital guide, available for free on the Bloomberg Connects app.

Journey to the Middle Ages

Explore the history, the spaces, and the art of The Met Cloisters in this interactive primer.

Directions and Parking

Please be advised due to Fort Tryon Park pedestrian path repairs visitors are encouraged to take the M4 bus from 190th Street to the last stop.

Accessibility

We welcomes all visitors and affirm our commitment to offering programs and services that are accessible to everyone.

Food and Drink

The Met Cloisters' Trie Café, open April through October, offers light fare in a peaceful outdoor setting.

Become a Member

Enjoy free admission, complimentary guest tickets, invitations to exclusive viewing hours, discounts, and more.

The Met Cloisters Store

Located just off the Main Hall of The Met Cloisters, The Met Store presents unique gifts, jewelry, home decor, and more inspired by the art, architecture, and gardens of medieval Europe.

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Explore the collection

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Get closer to the British Museum collection and immerse yourself in two million years of history, across six continents.

Collection online allows access to almost four and a half million objects in more than two million records. High definition images can be enlarged and examined in detail which will enable you to view the incredible workmanship on the Royal Game of Ur , or the intricate carving on this African hunting horn – just a few of the thousands of highlights to discover. 

Enjoy exploring the collection – from some of the earliest objects created by humankind to works by contemporary artists. Or choose from the curated collections below, which reveal the fascinating stories that transcend time.

Desire, love and identity

Death and memory, collection highlights.

Inner coffin of Hornedjitef - opens in a modal which shows a larger image and a caption

Brass head of an Ooni (king) of Ife - opens in a modal which shows a larger image and a caption

Goddess Tara - opens in a modal which shows a larger image and a caption

Raphael cartoon for 'Virgin and Child' - opens in a modal which shows a larger image and a caption

Lewis Chessmen - opens in a modal which shows a larger image and a caption

Shield from West Papua - opens in a modal which shows a larger image and a caption

Ancient Greek black-figured amphora (wine jar) - opens in a modal which shows a larger image and a caption

The Lycurgus Cup - opens in a modal which shows a larger image and a caption

Collection themes

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Join AARP Kansas City for a Virtual Tour of the American Jazz Museum

Join AARP for an entertaining and informative tour of the American Jazz Museum in Kansas City without leaving home!  Located in the Historic 18th & Vine Jazz District in Kansas City, Missouri, the American Jazz Museum showcases the sights and sounds of jazz through interactive exhibits and films, the Changing Gallery exhibit space, Horace M. Peterson III Visitors Center, The Blue Room, and Gem Theater. Since its inception in September 1997, the Museum hosts thousands of students, scholars, musicians and fans of the arts for over 200 performances, education programs, special exhibitions, community events and more each year, providing an opportunity to learn about the legends, honor their legacy, or simply enjoy the sounds of modern day jazz. Join us on May 29th from 10:00-11:30 am and see what it's all about!

Upcoming AARP Events

Featured event, get your steps in with aarp kansas city and walk with a doc.

Saturday, May 18, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. CT

Southeast Community Center

Kansas City, MO

The Romance Racket...Learn to Outsmart the Scammer!

Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. CT

Online Event

A Virtual Tour of the American Jazz Museum

Wednesday, May 29, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. CT

View All AARP Events

• Immediate access to your member benefits
• Discounts on travel and everyday savings
• Subscription to AARP The Magazine
• FREE second membership

Contact AARP in Kansas City

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• AARP Missouri

AARP Kansas City

For great info on local AARP activities and things to do near you, choose a town:

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Virtual Tour

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U of I Study Finds Moderate Cattle Grazing Has No Effect on Sage Grouse Nest Success

October 24, 2023.

MOSCOW, Idaho — Sage grouse and cows can coexist on the same land without declines in greater sage grouse nest success or insect abundance, according to a 10-year University of Idaho study.

In fact, according to the research, there are upshots for grouse living side-by-side with cows.

“Nesting success doesn’t seem to be affected by low to moderate levels of cattle grazing, and insect biomass increases with grazing,” said Courtney Conway , U of I professor of wildlife sciences .

The idea for an extensive grouse and cattle grazing research project was spurred by opposition to spring cattle grazing on federal land in the early 2000s and a lack of science to inform the debate. The decade-long research project wrapped up data collection in August 2023.

Conway joined forces with U of I professor of rangeland ecology Karen Launchbaugh , biologists in the Bureau of Land Management — the agency that oversees much of the sage grouse habitat in southern Idaho — Idaho Fish and Game , several ranchers who have grazing permits within sage-grouse habitat, and other partners in Idaho to bring scientific data to the debate.

“Many decisions regarding sage grouse and cattle were being made by land managers, but there wasn’t a lot of science to rely on,” Conway said. “We just didn’t know what effect spring grazing had on nesting grouse, brood production or anything else.”

Working closely with local ranchers who agreed to participate in the long-term project, Conway’s group of researchers annually collected and analyzed data from five research sites in Idaho. 

“I think this is a significant outcome for the ranching community, which has wondered all along what they would do if scientists learned that their spring grazing was bad for grouse,” said Launchbaugh, co-lead investigator. “Had we found that spring grazing had a negative effect on grouse populations, it could have resulted in the loss of grazing allotments on federal land, something cattle ranchers, especially smaller operations, need for their businesses to survive.”

Media Contact:

Courtney Conway Ph.D. Professor of Wildlife Sciences Unit Leader of the Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit University of Idaho 208-885-6176 [email protected]

About the University of Idaho

The University of Idaho, home of the Vandals, is Idaho’s land-grant, national research university. From its residential campus in Moscow, U of I serves the state of Idaho through educational centers in Boise, Coeur d’Alene and Idaho Falls, nine research and Extension centers, plus Extension offices in 42 counties. Home to nearly 11,000 students statewide, U of I is a leader in student-centered learning and excels at interdisciplinary research, service to businesses and communities, and in advancing diversity, citizenship and global outreach. U of I competes in the Big Sky and Western Athletic conferences. Learn more at uidaho.edu .