In these unprecedented time, a lot of our favourite things to do have become impossible. Going out with friends, visit restaurants, and the big one, travelling. As a measure to control the virus, many countries have closed their borders to tourists.
Travelling the world is one of the best experiences you’ll ever have. Leaving your normality to immerse yourself in another culture is deeply enriching. A huge part of visiting new places often involves visiting museums. Museums are magical places that hold history, stories and culture. It is one of the only places where we can travel back in time, and explore things that existed way before us, having contact with the greatest masterpieces of all time. But what do we do now travel is banned and museums have shut their doors? If we can’t visit physically, we’ll have to visit virtually!
Here is a list of some of the worlds greatest museums that are offering virtual visits, that are just as enlightening as face-to-face!
Louvre Museum – Paris
The Louvre is known for being the largest art museum in the world, and a huge part of French culture. Throughout the current restrictions, the museum has been offering complete virtual tours. Many of the 35,000 art pieces in the Louvre are available to see in high resolution on this tour! The Louvre’s collection includes the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, The Coronation of Napoleon, and many sacred works. The Louvre still has rooms dedicated to Egypt, Greece, and Eastern antiquity.
Website for more information: https://www.louvre.fr/en/visites-en-ligne
Metropolitan Museum of Art – New York
The Metropolitan is the largest art museum in the US with art pieces ranging from 1st century Rome to modern American design. On the museum’s website, we are offered a 360° degree tour of the Metropolitan making it possible to command the direction and thus look at the museum from any angle you may desire. Google Arts & Culture also offers a virtual tour of the museum.
Website for more information: https://www.metmuseum.org
Pinacoteca – São Paulo
The Pinacoteca is one of the most beautiful museums in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. It is in the old Lyceum Building for Arts and Crafts, designed in the late 19th century. The Pinacoteca has a vast collection with more than 9,000 works. Anita Malfatti, one of the most famous Brazilian artists, belonging to the Modernist Movement of the first half of the 20th century is part of this collection. Besides Portuguese, the virtual museum is also available in English and Spanish.
Website for more information: http://pinacoteca.org.br
Vatican Museum – Rome
The Vatican Museum is huge, however, it is virtually much more peaceful to visit its elegant halls to take a calm look at every detail of the Sistine Chapel, the site that houses Michelangelo’s greatest work. Among the works of art of the Vatican Museum, there are works by Leonardo Da Vinci, Caravaggio, and others. Besides Italian, the virtual museum is also available in English, Spanish, French, and German.
Website for more information: http://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en.html
National Museum of Anthropology – Mexico City
The National Museum of Anthropology is the largest museum in Mexico City and one of the most popular attractions in the city. The museum has an incredible collection, and its greatest highlights are in the room of the Mexican (Aztec) people. This wing of the exhibition has Pedra do Sol, more popularly known as Aztec Calendar. Another highlight is the magnificent sculptures that represent the gods of Teotihuacán. The virtual museum is also available only in English and Spanish.
Website for more information: https://www.mna.inah.gob.mx/