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Going into a self-quarantine can have many complex issues and complications beyond having enough food and supplies for two weeks. In terms of entertainment, it also probably means you’re in for a lot of boredom, a lot of Netflix, and a lot of browsing the internet.
But there is a way to get a little culture and education while you’re confined to your home. According to Fast Company, Google Arts & Culture teamed up with over 2500 museums and galleries around the world to bring anyone and everyone virtual tours and online exhibits of some of the most famous museums around the world..
Now, you get “go to the museum” and never have to leave your couch.
Google Arts & Culture’s collection includes the British Museum in London, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the Guggenheim in New York City, and literally hundreds of more places where you can gain knowledge about art, history, and science. This collection is especially good for students who are looking for ways to stay on top of their studies while schools are closed.
Take a look at just some of Google’s top museums that are offering online tours and exhibits. Museums around the world are also sharing their most zen art on social media to help people cope with staying home. And if that’s not enough culture for you, New York’s Metropolitan Opera will be offering free digital shows every night at 7:30 p.m. from March 16 through March 22. Now you can even go “outside” with incredible virtual tours of some of America’s best national parks.
British Museum, London
This iconic museum located in the heart of London allows virtual visitors to tour the Great Court and discover the ancient Rosetta Stone and Egyptian mummies. You can also find hundreds of artifacts on the museum’s virtual tour.
Pergamon Museum, Berlin
As one of Germany’s largest museums, Pergamon has a lot to offer – even if you can’t physically be there. This historical museum is home to plenty of ancient artifacts including the Ishtar Gate of Babylon and, of course, the Pergamon Altar.
National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City
Built in 1964, this museum is dedicated to the archaeology and history of Mexico’s pre-Hispanic heritage. There are 23 exhibit rooms filled with ancient artifacts, including some from the Mayan civilization.
J Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles 
With more than 6,000 years worth of creative treasures, the Getty is one of the best places for art on the west coast of the US. Go from neolithic clay figures to Van Gogh’s Irises and Renoir’s La Promenade – just two of many artworks that feature in the virtual tour. As with several of our selection, Google Arts and Culture offers a “museum view” tool to look inside gallery spaces, with clickable artworks presenting further information. The Getty’s sunny sculpture plaza and garden terrace are worth adding to your digital trip, via another viewing platform, Xplorit.
Vatican Museums, Rome
Soaring vaulted ceilings, intricate murals and tapestries, the Vatican’s museums are creatively rich sites. Don’t forget to look up when exploring the seven spaces in the museum’s virtual tour, to gawp at a series of 360-degree images, including the Sistine Chapel. Wander around the rest of Vatican City with a You Visit tour that takes in Saint Peter’s Basilica and Square, complete with a tour guide narrating each interactive space.
Natural History Museum, London
From the Diplodocus to the dodo, botany to butterflies, giant crystals to specimens in jars … the Natural History Museum’s vast collection has long been a favourite of both Londoners and tourists. Get lost in the corridors and gallery spaces – one treat is Dippy the dinosaur, who despite recently going on tour still makes an appearance in the entrance hall.
The National Museum of Ireland, Dublin
Archaeology is the national repository for all archaeological objects found in Ireland and home to over two million artefacts. Permanent Exhibitions: The exhibitions include the finest collection of prehistoric gold artefacts in western Europe, outstanding examples of metalwork from the Celtic Iron Age and the Museum’s world-renowned collection of medieval ecclesiastical objects and jewellery. The Treasury: Ór – Ireland’s Gold, Prehistoric Ireland, Kingship and Sacrifice, Viking Ireland, Medieval Ireland, Ancient Egypt, Ceramics and Glass from Ancient Cyprus, Life and Death in the Roman World. There is also a number of Temporary Exhibitions taking place.
Sadly, not all popular art museums and galleries could be included on Google Arts & Culture’s collection, but some museums are taking it upon themselves to offer online visits. According to Fast Company, the Louvre also offers virtual tours on its website. To see more of Google Arts & Culture’s collection of museums, visit the collection’s website. There are thousands of museum Street Views on Google as well. Google Arts & Culture also has an online experience for exploring famous historic and cultural heritage sites.
Finally, The Waterford Museums of Treasures has a couple of VR Tours including the Medieval Museum and a look at the Viking room
(scroll down the page until you come to it).Director Eamon McEneaney also discusses the vikings with Mary O’Neill in his “Waterford Treasures” slot. In this new slot on The Big Breakfast Blaa, Eamonn will explore the rich history in The Deise. and tell stories behind some of the treasures.
You can find out more here about the Waterford Museum of Treasures, or Click Here to listen to a fascinating chat with Eamonn on The Big Breakfast Blaa about a Viking Sword from around 860AD, considered “The Ultimate Viking Weapon.”