Last Updated on 2022-07-08 by Joop Beris
In the previous blog post on what to do during quarantine, I recommended the Shadiversity YouTube channel. In this post, I want to share more what to do during quarantine tips. Here are some educational and inspirational places you can visit without ever leaving your home. It’s the 21st century after all!
More what to do during quarantine
We are fortunate to live in this time, with broadband internet available to many and the technology to digitize places to such extent that it’s almost better to visit them virtually than in person. People who tried to go see the Mona Lisa or the Sistine Chapel will probably agree: it’s crowded and the things you try to see are almost impossible to make out. Apart from the feeling of being there, seeing them in the comfort of your own home is probably better.
Here are 12 places you can “visit” while staying home!
American Museum of Natural History
I still remember my visit to the American Museum of Natural History like it was yesterday, despite the fact that it was over 20 years ago. I still have the T-shirt from the gift shop! The gigantic halls, the huge displays and the quality of presentation were awe-inspiring. Anyone who has seen Barosaurus and Allosaurus mounted, frozen in their fight in the Theodore Roosevelt Rotunda knows what I am talking about. It’s a sight never to forget. You can now visit the museum using their Explorer app for Android and Apple or take a virtual tour using Google’s Art and Culture.
Guggenheim Museum
Staying in New York, there is also the Guggenheim Museum, home to one of the world’s most impressive art collections. There is a tour available on Art and Culture.
MASP
The Museu de Arte de São Paulo in Brazil houses more than 8000 pieces of art from all over the world and is well worth a visit, even a virtual one. You can take a virtual tour here.
National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City
The Americas were home to several impressive cultures and civilizations before the Europeans appeared on the scene. Unfortunately much of the art and achievements of these cultures is now lost to us due to the European conquest, abuses and the diseases the conquerors brought with them. For those eager to learn more about the Mayan civilization, the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City is a great place to go. You can take the virtual tour here.
J. Paul Getty Museum
Staying in the Americas for a moment longer, there is the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Home to 6000 years of art from several continents, this museum is also well worth the time to visit. You can take a virtual tour here.
British Museum, London
No list of virtual places to visit could be complete without the impressive British Museum included. Many artifacts from ancient Greece and Egypt are among the exhibits, including the famous Rosetta Stone. If 2 million years of human history isn’t enough to convince you, I don’t know what is! Here is a virtual tour.
Musée d’Orsay
If London is on the list, then Paris has to be also. The famous Musée d’Orsay boasts a collection of famous French artists including Monet, Cézanne, and Gauguin. A virtual tour is available here.
Louvre
Perhaps the most famous museum of the world is the Louvre in Paris. Home to some of the most famous works of art in the world, such as the previously named Mona Lisa, the Louvre offers various virtual tours on its site.
Pergamon Museum, Berlin
The Pergamon is another museum of antiquities, focusing on Mesopotamian, Syrian and Anatolian artifacts. It is host to the famous Pergamon Altar. You can take a virtual tour of all these wonders here.
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
Of course I can not fail to mention a Dutch museum or two. The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam deserves a spot on this list, if only for the collection of Dutch masters from the Golden Age such as Rembrandt and Vermeer. A virtual tour is available here.
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
If you enjoy Dutch painting, you may also enjoy the unique works of Vincent van Gogh. The tragic genius of van Gogh produced many impressive works and the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam hosts the world’s largest collection of them. See them up close virtually.
The Vatican Museums
(Photo from Wikimedia)
Home to some of the most beautiful, most exclusive works of art in the world, the Vatican Museums need to be on this list. While little comes close to seeing the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel or admiring the Laocoön Group with your own eyes, that’s just not possible right now. These virtual tours are the next best thing.
More what to do during quarantine
That’s it for this post of more what to do during quarantine. I hope you found some of these informative, interesting and fun. Please let me know in the comments below, also if you have suggestions along these lines. What’s your favorite virtual tour?