Are you that traveller who decides upon a destination based on its art scene? Do you spend hours on end researching the museums you’d like to explore? At a time like this when we are all locked within four walls due to the Coronavirus pandemic, a smart way to absorb different cultures and feast your eyes on some fine art is to visit the most iconic museums in India and the world via the internet.
You heard us! With the latest technology, such as 360° interactive videos and virtual reality (VR), you can now visit your favourite museums virtually, from the comfort of your home. Even if you aren’t an art aficionado, these free virtual museum tours can help open a new window for you to a world that has been left unexplored until now or at the least, kill your boredom and beat quarantine blues.
Exciting right? Here’s a list of the best virtual museum tours across the globe for you to enjoy:
Best Free Virtual Tours of Indian Museums
1. National Museum, New Delhi
National Museum, New Delhi | #1 of 10 Virtual Tours of Indian Museums
Get a glimpse of some 2,00,000 Indian and foreign objects of diverse nature through the museum’s online exhibitions. From the Arabic and Persian inscriptions and pottery from ancient Peru to some bronze masterpieces, the many arts of Deccan and remnants of Santal musical traditions, there is a priceless treasure of Indian art and craftsmanship dating back 5,000 years for you to discover.
2. Indian Museum, Kolkata
Indian Museum, Kolkata | #2 of 10 Virtual Tours of Indian Museums
You can’t miss this one when it comes to visiting India’s most acclaimed museums, even if virtually, as it is the oldest and the largest multipurpose museum in not only the subcontinent but the entire Asia-Pacific region. Check out its virtual gallery to find more than a hundred interesting and curious objects collected from different parts of the country and displayed across its various galleries.
3. Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad
Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad | #3 of 10 Virtual Tours of Indian Museums
Enter into one of the largest museums in the world from the comfort of your couch with immersive videos on its virtual galleries and exhibitions. What makes its huge collection featuring more than a million antiques and art objects unique is the fact that most of it comes from the personal collection of the Salar Jung family, making it one of the world’s biggest one-man collection of artworks.
4. Victoria Memorial, Kolkata
Victoria Memorial, Kolkata | #4 of 10 Virtual Tours of Indian Museums
Explore the portraits and paintings by celebrated artists from India and the West, a collection of rare and antiquarian books, manuscripts and sculptures from the British period and a lot more through a virtual tour of one of Kolkata’s most iconic buildings dedicated to the mighty Queen Victoria.
5. National Gallery of Modern Art, Delhi
National Gallery of Modern Art, Delhi | #5 of 10 Virtual Tours of Indian Museums
Newest in the list of museums offering virtual tours, NGMA allows you to explore more than half of its permanent collection of 300 precious artworks on its website. Similar to the physical gallery, the online tour of the museum has been divided across four levels, each having different sections.
Learn about other museums and art galleries across India which offer free virtual tours here.
Best Free Virtual Tours of International Museums
6. Musée du Louvre, Paris
Musée du Louvre, Paris | #6 of 10 Virtual Tours of World Museums
Take a trip to another era with a comprehensive virtual tour of one of the world’s busiest museums. From Egyptian antiquities to the remains of the Louvre’s Moat and exhibitions at the Petite Galerie and Galerie d’Apollon, there is just so much to explore that you’re sure to be left awestruck.
7. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York | #7 of 10 Virtual Tours of World Museums
Featuring one of the world’s most celebrated art collections, this internationally renowned museum allows you to explore its exquisite art and architecture in a fresh and immersive way via a collection of six award-winning short videos that have already been viewed more than 11 million times.
8. Vatican Museum, Vatican City
Vatican Museum, Vatican City | #8 of 10 Virtual Tours of World Museums
While the online experience might not stand nowhere close to visiting the majestic place in person, the seven immersive online tours available on its website offer a 360° view of the sheer scale of its buildings including the renowned Sistine Chapel, without having to make the extensive travel.
9. British Museum, London
British Museum, London | #9 of 10 Virtual Tours of World Museums
The vast collection of antiquities showcased at this museum including some of the most renowned ancient discoveries and archaeological finds can be explored by you while sitting in the comfort of your home via a dedicated virtual app as well as an interactive game with audio descriptions.
10. Guggenheim Museum, New York
Guggenheim Museum, New York | #10 of 10 Virtual Tours of World Museums
Recently designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this museum has started a Guggenheim from Home section on its website where you can get a virtual and audio tour of the building, its collection and its exhibitions along with short interviews with their much-celebrated curators and artists.
If the art aficionado in you craves to explore more of the world’s greatest masterpieces and discover new artists, check out the complete list of museums offering virtual tours online via Google Art and Culture. Now that you know how to follow #museumathome closely, wait no more to explore!
