Nine Museums And Galleries You Can Virtually Visit From Home

The history of Paris’ Musée d’Orsay is quite unusual and as interesting as the artworks contained within. On the banks of the Seine, the museum was constructed around the former Orsay railway station and is considered by many to be a work of art in itself. Online you can view the details of this fascinating construction, the collections of nineteenth century Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings, as well as an immense collection of sculptures through its online exhibits.

Founded in 1753, the British Museum is one of London’s most visited sites. The extraordinary collections cover over two million years of human history across many different cultures. Virtual visitors can browse the many galleries, including Oceania, plus view the collection of prints and drawings and the outside of the museum.

From your lounge, you can transport yourself virtually to seven of the Vatican’s most popular museum sites, including the Sistine Chapel, Raphael's Rooms, Pio Clementino Museum, Chiaramonti Museum, New Wing, Niccoline Chapel and Room of the Chiaroscuri. The highlight for many will be a 360º view of Michelangelo's masterpiece, the Sistine Chapel. If the collections are not enough, there’s also a live stream from Vatican City where you can listen to the Pope's daily mass.

The Hermitage’s exhibitions include over three million exhibits and is one of the biggest museums in the world. This artistic, cultural and history museum dates back to 1764, when Catherine the Great purchased a collection of western European paintings. The virtual tour available is one of the most comprehensive online – most areas of the museum are covered. Keep your eyes peeled for one of the many cats that call the galleries home – they even have their own press secretary.

Housed in a grand Renaissance-style building the Museum of Fine Arts Budapest, holds one of the most significant collections of European and foreign art, ranging from articles from ancient Egypt to stellar collections of Hungarian, Spanish, Flemish, Italian and German art. Online, you can examine some of the intricate and detailed art works up-close, almost as if you were in the room with them.

Predictably, this museum houses the largest collection of works by Vincent van Gogh. There are more than 200 paintings, 500 drawings and 700 of his letters. A nineteenth-century Dutch Post-Impressionist painter, Van Gogh’s work continues to have a huge impact on modern art. Masterpieces such as his self-portraits, Sunflowers, The Potato Eaters, and The Bedroom are all on display during your online tour.

Belvedere in Vienna is one of the most significant art museums in Austria. It showcases a permanent collection dedicated to Austrian art, but also international artists such as Edvard Munch, Renoir, Manet, Monet and Vincent Van Gogh. The collection includes an impressive array of sculptures and paintings including Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss. The sections devoted to Viennese Secession and French Impressionism are widely recognised as among the most important in the world in their respective fields. Four of the galleries can be viewed along with individual pieces from the impressive collection of artworks online at this museum.

Few people come to Lisbon and don’t make time to visit the Tower of Belém. This historic tower and architectural jewel was built between 1514 and 1520. It has lived through some of Europe’s most tumultuous times. Learn more about this detailed masterpiece and explore some of the internal chambers and external areas.

Founded in 1937, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation is the iconic, nautilus-shaped, Frank Lloyd Wright building on the corner of Fifth Avenue and East 89th Street in NYC. The primary focus is on modern and contemporary art and you can view many of the collections online. You can also take a virtual stroll up the famous long, winding atrium at this cultural institute.