Wish you could travel the world to see the great masterworks? Now you can view collections from many of the world’s top museums from the comforts of your own home! We’ve put together 40 virtual art museum tours for your family to enjoy!
Our family loves traveling across the U.S. and Europe touring art museums and viewing the great masterworks of art. Absolutely nothing can compare to coming in contact with the great masterpieces in real life. But that’s not always feasible — especially with younger kids.
So why not take advantage of the amazing virtual art museum tours of some of the finest galleries throughout the world?
We’ve gathered quite a few for you right here! Bookmark this page so you can come back to it time and time again.
1. The Louvre – Paris
The Louvre is probably the most well-known museum in the world. Located in Paris, France, it is home to some of the most famous works of art ever created.
It was originally built as a fortress in the 12th century, and later was turned into a palace by King Francis I in the 16th century. During the French Revolution in 1793, the palace was converted into a museum, and opened to the public in 1801.
The Louvre houses more than 380,000 objects and displays over 35,000 works of art! Some of the most famous works housed within include the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and the “Nike” or Winged Victory of Samothrace.
Take a virtual tour of The Louvre here.
2. Musée d’Orsay – Paris
My personal favorite museum is the Musée d’Orsay because of its extensive Impressionism and Post Impressionism collections. In fact, it houses the largest of these collections in the world! This beautiful museum was originally built as a train station (Gare d’Orsay), but it fell into disrepair over the years until it was revitalized and converted into a museum in 1986.
Today, the Musee d’Orsay is one of the most iconic museums in Paris due to its 19th century architecture. And it’s just a few minutes walk from the Louvre across the Seine.
Take a virtual tour of the Musée d’Orsay here.
3. Musée de l’Orangerie – Paris
L’Orangerie is a beautiful museum located in the heart of Paris, France. The building was originally constructed as part of an elaborate garden complex for the Tuileries Palace in 1852. After the palace and gardens were destroyed during the Franco-Prussian War, L’Orangerie fell into disuse until it was converted into a museum in the 1920s.
Today, L’Orangerie is one of the most popular museums in Paris, renowned for its exquisite collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artworks. It also contains the impressive Water Lilies murals by Claude Monet, which were commissioned in 1922 and completed in 1927.
Take a virtual tour of the Musée de l’Orangerie here.
4. Palace of Versailles – Versailles
The Palace of Versailles is a royal chateau in France that served as the official residence of the kings and queens of France from 1682 until 1790. During its heyday in the mid 18th century, Versailles was one of the most opulent palaces in Europe and a major center for cultural life in France. It was renowned for its grandiose scale and opulent design, as well as the extravagant lifestyle of the French monarchy. However, after the French Revolution in 1789, the palace was gradually appropriated by the new government and eventually became a national museum.
Take a virtual tour of the Palace of Versailles here.
5. The British Museum – London
The British Museum was founded in 1753, making it one of the oldest museums in the world. It first opened to the public in 1759 and has been free to enter ever since. Located in the Bloomsbury area of London, the British Museum houses a vast collection of artefacts from around the globe.
Some of the most famous objects include the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon Sculptures and the Egyptian mummies. The museum is also home to an extensive library and research centre.
Take a virtual tour of the British Museum here.
6. The National Gallery – London
Located in the heart of London in Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery was founded in 1824. It has an incredible collection of over 2,300 paintings and sculptures, including works by some of the world’s greatest artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent van Gogh and Pablo Picasso. The oldest painting in the gallery dates all the way back to 1350 and is a panel of the Madonna and Child, which was painted by Duccio di Buoninsegna.
Take a virtual tour of the National Gallery here.
7. Victoria & Albert Museum – London
The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) is one of the world’s largest and most renowned museums of art and design. It was founded in 1852 by Prince Albert and Queen Victoria to house their extensive collection of artworks and decorative objects from around the world.
Over its long history, the museum has amassed an incredibly diverse collection that includes more than 2 million objects from all corners of the world. The museum is home to some of the most famous works of art, including Michelangelo’s Slaves, Henry Moore’s King and Queen sculptures, and a large collection of paintings by Turner, Van Gogh, and Picasso. Additionally, it houses many important objects in areas such as fashion, furniture, photography, textiles, and architecture.
Take a virtual tour of the V&A here.
8. The Uffizi Gallery – Florence
Florence, Italy is the birthplace of the Renaissance. Esteemed for its culture, art, and architecture, the city also contains many museums and art galleries, the Uffizi Gallery being the most famous. This museum is home to many masterworks, including Botticelli’s famous works Spring and The Birth of Venus.
Take a virtual tour of the Uffizi Galleries here.
9. The Galleria dell’Accademia – Florence
Another of Florence’s museums is the Galleria dell’Accademia. Although small compared to other museums, it is still the second most visited museum in Italy due to housing the most famous sculpture in history — Michaelangelo’s statue of David.
You can view a short, video-guided tour of the museum, which includes 360-degree viewing, allowing you to get a close look at the museum’s offerings.
Take a virtual tour of the Galleria dell’Accademia here.
10. La Galleria Nazionale – Rome
The Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna was founded in 1883 by a group of prominent Italian intellectuals and artists including Pope Leo XIII and the sculptor Vincenzo Vitali. Originally, it was housed in Palazzo Barberini (the Barberini Palace), which at that time belonged to the king of Italy. In 1925, the gallery moved to its current location in Palazzo delle Belle Arti (Palace of Fine Arts).
Over the years, the gallery has amassed an impressive collection of works by Italian artists including Giorgio de Chirico, Benito Mussolini, and Alessandro Manzoni. The museum also houses works by other European artists like Auguste Rodin, Pablo Picasso, and Caspar David Friedrich.
Take a virtual tour of La Galleria Nazionale here.
11. The Sistine Chapel – Vatican City
Michelangelo was a sculptor, not a painter. In fact, he didn’t want to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, but Pope Julius II was adamant that Michelangelo —and no other— should paint it. To “bribe” him, the pope offered Michelangelo the extremely lucrative commission of sculpting 40 massive figures for his own tomb. This appealed much more to Michelangelo (though he only completed the figure of Moses, well after the pope’s death).
But here is your chance to view the breathtaking paintings of Michelangelo on the Sistine Chapel ceiling without getting a crick in your neck!
Take a virtual tour of the Sistine Chapel here.
12. The Raphael Rooms – Vatican City
The Raphael Rooms consist of four rooms in the Apostolic Palace, within the Vatican Museums. These rooms are famous for their stunning frescoes, painted by Raphael Sanzio da Urbino and painters in his workshop.
Take a virtual tour of the Raphael Rooms at the Vatican here. (Adobe Flash Player is required for this one.)
13. National Gallery of Art – Washington D.C.
The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. is a world-renowned art museum and research institution that was established in 1937 by the United States Congress. Originally comprising only American artwork from the colonial era to the early 20th century, it has since expanded its collection to include various other works from around the world as well.
The gallery is currently located on the National Mall, right across from the U.S. Capitol Building and just a short walk away from the White House. Some of its famous artworks include pieces by Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci , Titian, Raphael, Albrecht Dürer, Rembrandt, Johannes Vermeer, Francisco Goya, and Edgar Degas (just to name a few).
Take a virtual tour of the National Gallery of Art here.
14. Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) – New York
The Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded in 1870 and is one of the preeminent art museums of the world. With art and artefacts from all over the world, it represents over 5,000 years of art. The museum maintains two separate locations: The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters.
Take a virtual tour of The Met here.
15. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) – New York
The Museum of Modern Art, or MoMA, is one of the most important modern art museums in the world. Founded in 1929 by a group of artists, writers and collectors, the MoMA has grown in size and scope over the years, collecting and displaying work from some of the most important artists of the 20th century. But its most famous work is Starry Night, by Vincent van Gogh.
Take a virtual tour of the MoMA here.
16. Solomon Guggenheim Museum – New York
The Guggenheim was founded in 1939 by the artist and philanthropist, Solomon R. Guggenheim. His goal was to bring modern art to the public and to foster a greater appreciation of contemporary art.
The museum quickly became known as one of the most important institutions of its kind in the U.S. thanks to its innovative exhibitions and diverse collection of modern artworks. Early exhibits included works by Picasso, Klee, Kandinsky and Giacometti, among others. The building itself is considered a work of art designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, and has been designated as a National Historical Landmark.
Take a virtual tour of the Guggenheim here.
17. The Frick Collection – New York
The Frick Collection is a small museum located in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York City. Despite its rather modest size, the collection is a treasure trove of priceless works. Some of the highlights include major paintings by the likes of Rembrandt, Vermeer, Gainsborough and Titian, as well as numerous sculptures and decorative arts objects.
Take a virtual tour of The Frick Collection here.
18. Philadelphia Museum of Art – Philadelphia
The Philadelphia Museum of Art was founded in 1876, making it one of the oldest art museums in the United States. Over its long history, the museum has amassed a collection of over 240,000 works spanning nearly 5,000 years and representing cultures from all over the world.
Some of the highlights of the museum’s collection include the work of Impressionist masters Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, as well as the largest collection of Rodin sculptures outside of France.
Take a virtual tour of the Philadelphia Museum of Art here.
19. Museum of Fine Arts – Boston
The Boston Museum of Fine Arts was founded in 1870 and is the 17th largest art museum in the world. It houses over 8,000 paintings, surpassed only by the Met in New York, and welcomes over a million visitors each year. The museum boasts an amazing collection of American art, plus many works by world-renowned artists like Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Monet, and more.
Take a virtual tour of the Museum of Fine Arts here.
20. The Art Institute of Chicago – Chicago
The Art Institute of Chicago is one of the oldest art museums in the United States. It boasts an art collection of over 300,000 works spanning 5,000 years.
One of the largest Monet collections is housed within the Art Institute, as well as other famous works: American Gothic, A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, and Nighthawks.
Take a virtual tour of the Art Institute of Chicago here.
21. Detroit Institute of Arts – Detroit
The Detroit Institute of Arts was founded in 1885 and features over 60,000 works spanning more than 6,000 years of human history. One of the museum’s highlights is its Egyptian collection, which includes a large number of mummies and artifacts dating back to the Old Kingdom. Other highlights include works by notable European artists such as Rembrandt, Rubens, and Van Gogh, as well as many examples American art from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Take a virtual tour of the Detroit Institute of Arts here.
22. The Museum of Fine Arts – Houston
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston was founded in 1900 and is one of the largest art museums in the United States and among the most visited art museums in the world. Located in the museum district of Houston, Texas, it has a collection of over 64,000 pieces from all over the world.
Take a virtual tour of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston here.
23. J. Paul Getty Museum – Los Angeles
The Getty was founded by oil tycoon J. Paul Getty in the late 1960s. Originally, it consisted of only his art collection and a single building to house it all. Over time, however, the museum grew and expanded to include multiple buildings and two locations dedicated to various collections and exhibitions.
The Getty Center is located in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles and features European paintings, sculpture, illuminated manuscripts, and more. The Getty Villa is located in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood and is home to an impressive art collection from Ancient Greece and Rome.
Take a virtual tour of the Getty here.
24. Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) – Los Angeles
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, commonly referred to as LACMA, was founded in 1910 with a small collection of European artworks. Throughout its history, the museum has expanded both its collection and its physical space, acquiring works from various periods and movements.
Take a virtual tour of LACMA here.
25. San Diego Museum of Art – San Diego
The San Diego Museum of Art was founded in 1926 and hosts a vast array of exhibits and collections that cover a wide range of periods and cultures, including European art dating back to the Renaissance as well as contemporary American paintings. The museum also houses a large collection of Asian and Hasidic art that is unique to the San Diego area.
Take a virtual tour of the San Diego Museum of Art here.
26. The Rijksmuseum – Amsterdam
The Rijksmuseum has a rich history dating back to 1798 when it was founded. Its first home was in The Hague, but it was moved to Amsterdam in 1808. The museum is dedicated to Dutch arts and history (but houses historical artifacts from all over the world). Its biggest attractions include paintings and drawings by Dutch masters Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Vermeer.
Take a virtual tour of the Rijksmuseum here.
27. Van Gogh Museum – Amsterdam
In the late 19th century, Vincent van Gogh was a struggling artist living in France. During his lifetime he produced some of the most beautiful paintings, including “Sunflowers” series and Starry Night. Following his death, his brother Theo’s wife took charge of preserving Vincent’s legacy and developing a collection of his work.
The Van Gogh Museum is the world’s largest collection of his works (as well as a collection of 19th and 20th century art). Housed in Amsterdam, the museum opened in 1973 with the goal of preserving the Vincent’s work for future generations. Today it attracts more than one million visitors each year, making it one of the most popular museums in Netherlands.
Take a virtual tour of the Van Gogh Museum here.
28. Mauritshuis – The Hague
The Mauritshuis is an art museum in The Hague, Netherlands. It was founded in 1774 by King William V to house his private art collection, and has been open to the public since 1822. It is home to the some of the finest Dutch Golden Age paintings, plus collections of Delftware pottery, drawings and prints, natural history and other items. The museum boasts works by artists like Johannes Vermeer (including Girl with a Pearl Earring and View of Delft), Rembrandt Van Rijn, and Jan Steen.
Take a virtual tour of the Mauritshuis here.
29. Museo Frida Kahlo – Mexico City
The Museo Frida Kahlo is a museum and cultural center dedicated to the life and work of Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo. It was established in 1958, shortly after Kahlo’s death in 1954, and is located on the grounds of La Casa Azul, her childhood home in Coyoacán, Mexico City.
Take a virtual tour of the Museo Frida Kahlo here.
30. Pergamon Museum – Berlin
The Pergamon Museum in Berlin is renowned for its impressive collection of antiquities and ancient artifacts. The museum was founded in 1930 with the goal of displaying and preserving some of the most important historical treasures from across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.
Its most famous piece is the Pergamon Altar, a massive Greek temple dating back to the 2nd century BC that is considered by many to be one of the most important architectural achievements of ancient times. The museum also has an incredible collection of Babylonian and Egyptian antiquities as well.
Take a virtual tour of the Pergamon Museum here.
31. Benaki Museum – Athens
The Benaki Museum in Athens was founded in 1930 by Antonis Benakis, a wealthy Greek-born businessman and philanthropist. He bequeathed his collection of more than 30,000 objects to the Greek state as the basis for an art museum that would bear his name. The museum is one of the most important cultural institutions in Athens and across Greece as a whole.
Take a virtual tour of the Benaki here.
32. Museo de Prado – Madrid
The Museo Nacional del Prado is one of the leading art museums in the world, housing some of the most famous and important collections of works by artists like Diego Velázquez, Francisco Goya and El Greco. Originally founded as a royal art collection by King Felipe V of Spain in the 18th century, the Prado has grown to become one of the finest museums in Europe. The collection focuses on Spanish artists like Velázquez and Goya, as well as Italian masters like Titian and Raphael.
Take a virtual tour of the Museo de Prado here.
33. Museo Reina Sofia – Madrid
The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia in Madrid hosts a large collection of works from Spanish artists, Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí. The most famous pieces that draw tourists each year are Picasso’s Gernica and Woman in Blue.
Take a virtual tour of the Museo Reina Sofia here.
34. Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg
The Hermitage Museum was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great, who collected artworks from all over Europe and displayed them at her “Hermitage” palace. Over the centuries, the collection has grown to include hundreds of thousands of works from all major periods and styles in art history. Today, the Hermitage Museum is one of the largest and oldest museums in the world, housing an extensive collection that includes some three million items and showcasing more than 60,000 of them including masterpieces by artists such as Da Vinci, Michelangelo and Rembrandt.
Take a virtual tour of the Hermitage Museum here.
35. Tokyo National Museum – Tokyo
The Tokyo National Museum was established in 1872 as Japan’s first national museum. It contains over 110,000 items, with many of its treasures being some of the oldest and most important objects in Japanese history. Some of its most iconic pieces include a massive statue from the Asuka period, known as the Atsuta Shrine Sword, and an intricately crafted sculpture of Prince Shotoku from the Nara period. The museum’s collection encompasses a wide range of historical periods, spanning prehistory to modern Japan and everything in between.
Take a virtual tour of the Tokyo National Museum here.
36. National Museum of Korea – Seoul
The National Museum of Korea is one of the largest museums in Asia, housing over 320,000 artifacts and specimens. It was established in 1945 after the liberation of Korea from Japanese colonial rule and serves as a national repository for all Korean art and historical artifacts.
The museum’s collection includes works by ancient Korean artists and modern masters such as Chusa Kim Jeong-hui, Lee Jung-seob and Yun Hyu. The museum also hosts regular showcasing traditional Korean crafts such as celadon pottery, hanji paper inlaid metalwork.
Take a virtual tour of the National Museum of Korea here.
37. National Museum of China – Beijing
The National Museum of China, located in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, is one of the largest museums in the world and one of the most important cultural institutions in China. It was originally established in 1909 as part of the Imperial Palace Museum and served as a repository for Chinese artifacts that were located within the Forbidden City. In 1912, the museum was moved to the Summer Palace, but it was eventually relocated to its current location in 1925.
The museum houses a large collection of ancient artifacts, including ceramics, pottery and bronzes from various dynasties. Some of the most famous artifacts in the museum’s collection include a pottery horse from the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046 – 771 BCE); an iron caldron from the Shang Dynasty (1600 – 1046 BCE); and a bronze tripod vessel from the Warring States Period (475 – 221 BCE). It also has an impressive collection of Chinese paintings, calligraphy, and sculptures.
Take a virtual tour of the National Museum of China here.
38. The Palace Museum – Taipei
The Palace Museum – Taipei, also known as the National Palace Museum, is one of Taiwan’s most famous and important cultural institutions. Established in 1965 to preserve the vast collection of Chinese artifacts that had been confiscated from China by the nationalist government after fleeing mainland China at the end of the civil war, it was later moved to its current location in Taipei’s Shilin District where it has become one of the city’s most popular tourist or visitor attractions. It is also home to The Hall of Jade and The Peacock Salon, two elegant exhibition galleries designed by Leng Cheng-Chung.
Take a virtual tour of the Palace Museum here.
39. National Gallery of Victoria – Melbourne
The National Gallery of Victoria was founded in 1861. Over the years, it has grown into one of the most visited cultural institutions in Australia, receiving over 2 million visitors annually. The gallery has more than 70,000 works spanning many centuries and cultures, with particular strengths in Australian art, indigenous Australian art, European (especially British) art, Asian art and contemporary art.
Take a virtual tour of the National Gallery of Victoria here.
40. Museu de Arte de São Paulo – São Paulo
The Museu de Arte de São Paulo has a rich history dating back to 1947 when it first opened its doors to the public. It was founded by two wealthy Brazilian brothers who had a great love for art and sought to bring important Brazilian artworks to educate the people of São Paulo about their country’s cultural heritage. It also contains smaller collections of African and Asian art, as well as works from Europe.
Take a virtual tour of the Museu de Arte de São Paulo here.
