Whether it's a rainy-day activity or vital nourishment for the soul, art galleries offer escape and inspiration to millions of people per year. With display doors remaining firmly closed for the time being, many institutions are looking to the internet as a way of continuing to share their collections with the masses. Helping you to inject a little extra aesthetic pleasure into your life, we've rounded up some of the best online art galleries and museums, from some of the world's most renowned walls, to the creators opening up their studio spaces to the virtual public.
The Louvre, Paris
Home to some of the most viewed works in Western European art, The Louvre's online collection is letting you snoop around the Parisian museum free from the usual heaving crowds. Broken up by exhibition, their online offering will show you works from the likes of Delacroix, Rembrandt and Poussin.
Explore works from some of Western Europe's most celebrated painters.
HOFA, London
Taking the virtual space to the next level, The House Of Fine Art's 'Here & Now' is a contemporary group exhibition that allows viewers to fully explore the online space. A clever use of 3D capture and rendering tech brings the talents of a range of modern artists to life, and to top it all off, they'll be offering up sale proceeds to NHS charities.
This London gallery will be raising money for the NHS with its online exhibition.
MMCA, Across South Korea
South Korea's MMCA take up a number of impressive gallery spaces across the country. Their website hosts a range of virtual tours from each location so you can explore the breadth of their eclectic collection, from classic Warhols and massive installations, to notable works from Korean-American video-art pioneer Nam June Paik.
South Korea's home of modern art is letting you get up-close-and-personal with the curatorial process.
Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao
Housing some of the most visited works on the international art scene, the Spanish arm of the Guggenheim offers a unique way to experience their collection virtually. Compiling a series of video tours and talks from experts, and the museum's curator Lucía Agirre, you can get an in-depth look at everything from art restoration to that Olafur Eliasson installation.
Bilbao's most iconic museum has got everything from Koonz to Eliasson.
TRATE: Technicolour Malaise, London
After being forced to postpone his gallery launch, Canadian artist TRATE has opted to offer it up virtually. Step into the painter's Soho studio space, where you'll be able to examine his compelling collection of figurative images via video, text and paired with ambient sound.
Artist TRATE is giving you full access to his London studio in this unique exhibition.
The National Gallery, London
London's rainy weekend mainstay, The National Gallery is making sure that your drizzly days don't go unfilled. They've furnished their website with behind-the-scenes info and virtual tours, while their YouTube channel is packed with fascinating videos, from deep-dives into some of their most popular exhibitions, to the role female artists have played in the gallery's history.
Catch famed artworks direct from Trafalgar Square to your living room.
The Museum of Broken Relationships, Zagreb
With locations in Croatia and the US, this gallery-cum-museum is an homage to every love story that ever met its end. A miscellany of seemingly random objects, each item in the museum's repository comes with its own remarkable story and you can explore, and even contribute to the collection, on their website.
Walk through one of the world's most unique museum concepts.
The Broad, Los Angeles
Taking a more creative approach to their online exhibition space, LA's The Broad is bringing an immersive aspect to the virtual experience. Lose yourself in Yayoi Kusama's Infinity Mirrored Room, with the help of bespoke backing tracks created by sound artists and notable musicians. Alternatively, you can explore how poets have responded to specific works from the gallery in their Interplay series.
Enjoy a full video walk through of LA's most popular installation.
Looking for more day-filling diversions? We've got tons of isolation inspiration right here.
