11 Free Virtual Culture Tours You Can Take at Home This Weekend

Miss going out to museums on the weekend? Or simply wishing you were strolling through Paris right about now? Either way, with social distancing protocols not lifting anytime soon, it’s time to look at new ways to bring a little culture into your life. Enter, the internet. A handful of the world’s most prestigious museums, operas and cultural centres have launched virtual tours to allow people to view incredible pieces and performances without having to leave their couch. Whether you’re looking to explore the Egyptian galleries at the Louvre, travel to Greece to see mesmerizing Byzantine era icons or take in a performance of Swan Lake at the Paris Opera, here are 11 of the best virtual culture tours to take this weekend:

The Louvre

virtual culture tours
Image via The Louvre by Ieoh Ming Pei

The world’s largest art museum has never been more accessible. Discover its permanent collections, exhibitions and galleries: from the Galerie D’Apollon to the Egyptian Galleries, Art Décoratifs and Roman Antiquities.

Start your tour here.

Google Arts & Culture

Image Courtesy via The Uffizi Gallery

Google has collaborated with over 2,000 museums, galleries and collections to bring some of the world’s most famous art collections to your home.  The vast site includes virtual tours from iconic museums such as MOMA, The Met, The State Hermitage and Tate Britain.

Start your tour here.

Guggenheim

virtual culture tours
Image via Guggenheim by David Heald

From early modern art to 3D sculptures and the impressive galleries featuring the Thannhauser collection, the Guggenheim is a must-visit for art lovers.

Start your tour here.

Virtual Museum of Canada

virtual culture tours
Image via Manitoba Museum by Ian McCausland

Enjoy art, nature and science tours from Canada’s best museums, exhibits and heritage organizations.

Start your tour here.

Museu Picasso

Image via Instagram.com/museupicasso

Travel to Barcelona with the click of a button to discover the interactive medieval courtyards of this famous museum including the Palau Aguilar, Palau Finestres and Neoclassical rooms.

Start your tour here.

Benaki Athens

virtual culture tours
Image via Benaki Museum

Discover artifacts and antiquities from every period of Greece’s rich history. The 360 tour enables you to explore as far back as the bronze, classical and Byzantine eras. The Ghika and Islamic galleries are also available in six languages.

Start your tour here.

Bata Shoe Museum

Image via instagram.com/batashoemuseum

The Curious History Of Men in heels is showing now via the Bata Shoe Museum’s website. Take the virtual tour looking at expressions of masculinity through the history of men wearing high heels. You’ll go as far back as the 17th Century when men wore red high heeled shoes and boots to Elton John’s extreme platforms in the ’70s and today’s genderless heeled boots by Rad Hourani.

Start your tour here.

MoMA

virtual culture tours
Image via MoMA: Installation view of Action Painting I (gallery 403), The Museum of Modern Art, New York. © 2019 The Museum of Modern Art. Photo: Heidi Bohnenkamp

In addition to MoMA’s exclusive virtual tours of their main exhibits, the museum is also offering free online courses with Coursera. Some of the courses offered include studio visits with artists as they discuss their design process, conversations on post-war abstract design and modern art, as well as photography.

Start your tour here.

Metropolitan Opera

virtual culture tours
Image via Metropolitan Opera

At this time, the Metropolitan Opera is offering free performances that can be streamed through its website. The schedule includes performances from the past 14 years – featuring some of the Opera’s top performers – including Rossini’s classic Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Bellini’s Norma and Verdi’s Don Carlo.

Start your tour here.

Paris Opera

Image via Opera de Paris

This iconic Opera house is screening its performances for free directly from its archives. From Swan Lake to The Barber of Seville and Carmen, there’s no better time to experience these great classics.

Start your tour here.

Canadian Opera Company

Image via Instagram.com/canadianopera

Via its Facebook page, the Canadian Opera is offering a free concert series called #OperaAtHome. The eclectic lineup offers a variety of genres. Our favourite? The inspiring performance by boundary-breaking transgender Soprano Breanna Sinclairé.

Start your tour here.

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