Craving a change of scene? A view of the world more expansive than your own four walls? An idea to transport your mind (at least) to a new and exciting place?
Then consider a journey through the great museums of the world to visit ancient cultures, view masterworks of the history of art, or simply indulge your love of beautiful and precious things.
British Museum, London
You could spend a month in the British Museum and barely scratch the surface of its offerings, making it the perfect virtual rabbit hole to escape into while on lockdown.
From 360 views of more than 60 galleries, digital presentations of the contents of many more, an interactive cultural historical timeline, podcasts, audio tours, and background information on exhibits galore, time spent here will never be wasted.
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
Getting up close and personal with a great work of art can relax and rejuvenate the mind and soul, and this Dutch museum is stuffed full of masterworks.
Browse through the Rembrandts or leave the anxiety behind for an hour or two and simply revel in the pure, unalloyed beauty brought to the world by Johannes Vermeer.
Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
Walk through this beautiful West Coast museum with help from Google—either in Museum View mode, or through its virtual tour. Current online exhibitions include the rather tasty Eat, Drink, and Be Merry collection of works showing the gastronomical attitudes and mores of the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
Or simply browse the almost 16,000 catalogued works that date from the eighth century and include an impressive collection of photographs from the U.S., Europe, and Asia.
Musée d’Orsay, Paris
In a city of great museums, the Musée d’Orsay, constructed from a former train station, stands out as one of the best.
The largest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings in the world is surely enough to lift your spirits and leave you feeling as if you just wandered blithely through another space and time.
Tomb of Queen Meresankh III, Giza
Screenshot from the virtual tour of the Giza Project at Harvard’University.
Considered one of the finest tombs of antiquity, this 5,000-year-old Egyptian marvel has recently been opened virtually to the public with help from 3D modelling from Harvard University.
Wander through, taking in the hieroglyphs and carvings, and click on the many interactive buttons for more information, close-up details, and photographs from the 1927 excavation. It’s another world.
Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams
Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams Exhibition. Photo by Adrien Dirand/Courtesy of Christian Dior.
Great art comes in many forms, including couture. If you are hankering for a deep dive into beautiful garments, this archive exhibition from the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris has been recently remounted virtually.
With stunning outfits from Dior to Yves Saint Laurent to Maria Grazia Chiuri, sketches, paintings, archival photographs, accessories, and much more, your fashion fantasies will be more than fulfilled.
Read more in the Arts section.
