As social distancing and self-quarantine go into full effect, we’re all faced with unprecedented challenges. There’s the issue of making sure we have enough food and supplies along with learning how to homeschool our kids. For those of us forced to stay home, boredom is also on the horizon. Netflix is great, but we can only binge so many shows before we start go a little crazy. Thankfully, Google Arts and Culture is offering virtual tours as a great alternative!
Google Arts and Culture has teamed up with over 2,500 museums and art galleries around the world.
Most museums have closed their doors to the public, but they’re now offering free virtual tours and online exhibits. You can visit the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, browse the exhibits at the Guggenheim in New York, and experience the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam without ever leaving your couch.
Every tour is different, and they all give virtual visitors a clear view of the world’s most prized possessions. There are exhibits on history, art, culture, and just about anything else you might be interested in. The Rosetta Stone, currently at London’s British Museum, is on full display, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. is featuring their exhibit on American fashion from 1740 to 1895. There are also over 200 paintings and 500 drawings at the Van Gogh Museum.

Interior of the British Museum
You can find a complete list of all the virtual tours offered by Google Arts and Culture here, but here’s a list of our favorites.
- National Gallery of Art (Washington D.C.)
- British Museum (London, England)
- Guggenheim Museum (New York City)
- Van Gogh Museum (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
- MoMA The Museum of Modern Art (New York City)
- Palace of Versailles (Versailles, France)
- The National Museum in Krakow (Krakow, Poland)
- National Gallery Prague (Prague, Czechia)
- Tokyo Fuji Art Museum (Tokyo, Japan)
- National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (Seoul, South Korea)
- National Gallery of Australia (Canberra, Australia)
- Anne Frank House (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
- The White House (Washington D.C.)
- Insect Museum of West China (Chengdu, China)
- Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Edinburgh, UK)

Palace of Versailles
While we can’t predict how long this pandemic will last, people from around the world are working together to keep us going. If you’ve been dreaming of traveling the world, virtual tours of these famous museums are a way to get started.
You can plan a museum day with your kids while also incorporating these exhibits into your daily educational activities. They’re the perfect break from quarantined monotony.