With global travel halted and many galleries closed, cultural hubs have been forced to use technology to create innovative virtual tours. Although you may not be able to visit in person you can still view some of the most impressive art galleries in the world from the comfort of your own home. After many, many hours of scouring the internet I have put together a selection of my favourites and the most intuitive for you to explore.
[Update – I just completed posts focusing on the Museums of the world and 10 Virtual Tours of Our Magnificent World].
Degas at the Opera Virtual Tour, National Gallery of Art, Washington DC
The National Gallery, Washington was founded as a gift to the nation. When it first opened in 1941 it housed just 126 paintings and 26 sculptures and through generosity is now home to 150,000 paintings, sculptures, decorative items, photographs, prints and drawings spanning the history of western art. One of the highlights of the gallery is its collection of works by Edgar Degas. Degas at the Opera was open less than 2 weeks before it had to be closed due to COVID-19. This visually delightful exhibition is dedicated to Edgar Degas’ fascination with the opera.
MASP, Sao Paulo
The Museu de Arte de Sao Paulo (MASP) was founded in 1947 and is Brazils first modern museum. Today MASP is home to more than 11,000 works, including paintings, sculptures, objects, photographs, videos and pieces of clothing from various periods. It is a particularly fascinating space that questions the traditional model of a European museum by suspending artworks in transparent easels. Visually this enables the viewer to engage more closely with the pieces and move around them, seeing all angles including the backs.
The National Gallery, London, UK
The National Gallery virtual tour is one of the best that I have encountered in my many hours of online searching. This tour allows you to step inside and explore one of the worlds greatest collections of paintings. The National Gallery was founded in 1824 and is home to 2300 painting dating from the mid 13th century to 1900. There are multiple tours to choose from, but in my opinion one of the highlights is the Directors Choice collection chosen and narrated by the gallery director Dr Gabriele Finaldi. Listen to his personal take, titled ‘Lizards, Fancy Feathered Hats and Trickery’, on 20 masterpieces, from Altdorfer to Zurbaran. It will not disappoint!
Louvre, Paris
The Louvre, formerly the Palace of the Kings of France is now home to the worlds largest art museum. The Louvre is a historic monument in Paris, steeped in history and best known as home to the Mona Lisa. The museum opened its doors to the public in 1793 and is now the most visited museum in the world with more than 10 million people admiring the architectural splendor and 38,000 art objects each year.
The Mona Lisa Beyond the Glass is an innovative immersive experience using the latest scientific research on Leonardo da Vinci, his creative processes and painting techniques to look at probably the most famous and recognised painting in the world. For this experience you will need to download an App on your smartphone from the App Store or Google Play.
The Dali Theatre Museum, Figueres
The Dali Theatre Museum was inaugurated in 1974 and is considered artist Salvador Dali’s last great work. It rises on the remains of the former Municipal Theatre of Figueres in Dali’s hometown; the theatre vestibule hosting the great artists first exhibition. The unique and captivating museum was conceived and designed by Dali himself, allowing visitors to explore the works and thoughts of a great mind, providing a surreal and almost hallucinatory experience.
“It’s obvious that other worlds exist, that’s certain … these other worlds are inside ours, they reside on earth and are precisely at the centre of the dome of the Dali museum”
Salvador Dali
Le Gallerie Degli Uffizi, Florence
The Uffizi Galleries are located in the heart of Florence, housing works from the Italian Renaissance. The works span from the 12th to 17th century, marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity. This long renaissance lead the development of culture that spread across Europe. The Uffizi hosts works by great Italian artists, such as, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Raffaello.
Frida Kahlo Museum, Mexico City
Frida Kahlo’s Casa Azul is a museum dedicated to the great artists life and work. The museum is located in the house where Frida Kahlo spent her childhood, lived with her husband, Diego Rivera and died. The museum virtual tour allows you to explore all 10 rooms, viewing minor works, personal mementos, Hispanic artefacts and the couples personal collection of folk art.
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
The virtual Van Gogh Museum tours enable you to discover the life and works of Vincent van Gogh. The museum is home to the largest collection of his works in the works, along with many of his Dutch contemporaries. The virtual tour lets its viewers experience works such as, Sunflowers, The Potato Eaters, The Bedroom and Self Portrait with Grey Felt Hat. Although the Van Gogh Museum has its own virtual tour 360 Stories has also created an excellent interactive tour.
“… find things beautiful as much as you can, most people find too little beautiful”
Letter to Theo, Van Gogh 1874
I hope you enjoyed my selection of virtual gallery tours. If you have any feedback or can recommend others that I have not mentioned here, please feel free to comment below or send me an email via the contact page. Thank you and enjoy.
Fantastic new 360 immersive virtual tour of the 2021 Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prize just released. Experience some of Australia's most prestigious art awards at the Art Gallery of NSW, from the comfort of your own home.
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