11 Museums You Can Visit Free From Your Couch

Despite the wealth of streamable shows and movies, you may feel like there’s only so much you can watch without feeling like your brain has turned to mush. Fortunately, it’s easier than ever to keep yourself entertained and educated. As part of a partnership with Google Arts & Culture, more than 2,500 museums and art galleries have put popular exhibits online. Now you can see some of the world’s most renowned works of art…without ever leaving your couch. And you might learn something new and interesting. (A win-win for sure!)

Here are some of the top museums to check out right now. Simply click the name of the museum to check out the virtual exhibits.

1. Amsterdam: Van Gogh Museum

The Van Gogh Museum boasts the largest collection of artworks by Vincent Van Gogh, one of the most famous painters in Western art. The museum houses more than 500 drawings, 200 paintings, and hundreds of personal letters. (Though if you want to see Starry Night, you’ll have to head to the Museum of Modern Art.)

2. Berlin: Pergamon Museum

This historical museum is one of the largest and most-visited museums in Germany. Digital visitors can check out sculpture and artwork (including architecture, inscriptions, mosaics, and more) from the Hellenistic ages as well as ancient Greece and Rome. Other highlights include the Pergamon Altar, the Ishtar Gate of Babylon, and the Market Gate of Miletus.

3. Florence: Uffizi Gallery

Located in the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, the Uffizi Gallery houses a vast collection of works from the Renaissance’s most famous artists. Fortunately, you don’t have to travel all the way to Italy to see works by Rembrandt, Raphael, da Vinci, or Michelangelo. 

4. London: British Museum

With a permanent collection of about eight million works, the British Museum has one of the largest collections in the world. Through its virtual tour, visitors can check out the Great Court and one of the most famous Egyptian artifacts, the Rosetta Stone.

5. Los Angeles: The J. Paul Getty Museum

Split between the Getty Center in Los Angeles and the Getty Villa in Malibu, the J. Paul Getty Museum showcases thousands of pieces from all over Europe. Through the virtual tour, you can discover the amazing works this museum has to offer. You won’t want to miss these paintings, drawings, sculptures, and more.

6. Mexico City: Natural Museum of Anthropology

Through 23 exhibit rooms, visitors can see ancient artifacts from Mexico and its indigenous groups. Some of the highlights include the Maya and Oaxaca rooms as well as the Sun Stone (also known as the Aztec Calendar).

7. New York: Guggenheim Museum

Wind your way up the Guggenheim’s famous spiral staircase without actually leaving your couch. If you enjoy Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, Modern, and Contemporary art, you may enjoy the Guggenheim’s virtual tour.

8. Paris: Musée d’Orsay

Formerly a train station, the Musée d’Orsay’s airy galleries are home to some of France’s most well-known artists. It holds the largest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art in the world, including works by Monet, Manet, Cezanne, Degas, and Van Gogh.

9. São Paulo: MASP

Museu de Arte de Sao Paulo is Brazil’s first modern museum, and it’s a must-see. The building is impressive from the outside and just as impressive inside. Throughout the museum, art is displayed in clear frames. Unlike most museums where art is hung on the walls, art in the MASP seems to float in midair.

10. Seoul: National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art

From the outside, this museum shares elements with a traditional Korean fortress. Inside, it holds thousands of works from contemporary Korean artists. It also features works from international artists, as well as an impressive sculpture garden. 

11. Washington, D.C.: National Gallery of Art

Visitors can check out multiple exhibits through Google Arts and Culture. The National Gallery of Art is famous for its collection of American art, and the first exhibit shows American fashion from the Colonial and Revolutionary eras. The second collection features works from Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer.

If none of these museums strike your fancy, there are tons of other exhibits available for free through Google Arts & Culture. What’s your favorite museum or art style? Let us know in the comments below!

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