The world’s most famous museums are offering virtual tours: MoMA, Musée d’Orsay, Uffizi Gallery and more

In the wake of the intensifying COVID-19 pandemic, many of the world’s most venerable art institutions have been forced to temporarily shut their doors. Luckily, we haven’t lost access to the countless treasures housed by these great museums. Thanks to the extensive Google Arts & Culture project, more than 2,500 spaces from around the world are accessible online, and many offer virtual tours of their holdings. Here are our favourites.

MoMA, New York

Founded in 1929, the Museum of Modern Art was the first museum dedicated to collecting and presenting art from the modern era. The institution’s holdings showcase some of contemporary art history’s most famous paintings, from the likes of Van Gogh and Picasso. Google may only present 129 of those artworks, but they are some of the world’s most notable, including Henri Rousseau’s The Dream, Van Gogh’s The Starry Night, Cézanne’s The Bather. 

Musée d’Orsay, Paris

A staple of Paris’s art scene, the Musée d’Orsay was built in 1900 in a former railway station and has since focused its collection on art from 1848 to 1914. Peruse the virtual exhibition and 278 other pieces on Google, which include Van Gogh’s Bedroom in Arles, Degas’s The Ballet Class and Millet’s Gleaners.

Uffizi Gallery, Florence

Designed by Giorgio Vasari in 1560 for a member of the powerful Medici family, the Uffizi Gallery is a standout even among Florence’s many storied institutions. Built over centuries, its holdings include some of Italy’s most important works from artists like Caravaggio (Medusa) and Raphael (Madonna of the Goldfinch). You can peruse 156 of them virtually.

The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

Featuring works from the eighth through to the 21st century, The J. Paul Getty Museum houses its collection in one of Los Angeles’s most striking buildings, with sweeping views of the city. Though visitors may not be able to appreciate either of those features in person, Google allows you to view nearly 16,000 pieces from the museum’s extensive holdings, including Rembrandt’s Rembrandt Laughing, Renoir’s La Promenade and Van Gough’s Irises.

National Museum, New Delhi

The National Museum has been India’s premier museum since opening its doors in 1949. Today, it is home to thousands of works of art spanning 5,000 years of history, including painting, sculpture, jewelry, ancient texts, armour and decorative arts. Over 600 of those items are documented for viewing online.

A singularly American artist, Georgia O’Keeffe famously lived her later years in the New Mexico desert, where the museum dedicated to her remains. The organization behind the institution advocates for the advancement of her legacy and also cares for many of O’Keeffe’s paintings, 30 of which are viewable online, including Above the Clouds 1, Autumn Trees-The Maple and Two Pink Shells.

Detroit Institute of Arts

One of the Midwest’s artistic crown jewels, the Detroit Institute of Arts houses an incredible collection – one of the top six in the United States – under its Beaux-Arts roof. Among its most notable holdings accessible online are Frida Kahlo’s Self-Portrait on the Borderline Between Mexico and the United States, Caravaggio’s Marth and Mary Magdalene, and Ruysch’s Flowers in a Glass Vase.

Arguably America’s premier museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) is a New York icon with one of the most celebrated collections anywhere in the world. 26 virtual exhibits and over 200,000 documented works give digital viewers a taste of pretty much any art from nearly any era, from Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s The Harvesters to Chanel’s iconic suit.