With the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic, many people have seen their routines suddenly transformed. Social isolation, a necessary measure to tackle COVID-19, brought about unexpected changes, which have affected several markets and sectors in our society: restaurants, shops, museums.

From retail to healthcare, several industries had to adapt quickly to meet the new demands of a population dealing with a daily life quite different from what it was used to. The transformations brought about by quarantine demand the reorganization of life at a personal, professional and societal level.

In the professional field, for example, working from home has become the main strategy to maintain social isolation. In this sense, companies have been looking for ways to guarantee productivity at home and ensure that communication between employees remains efficient, even with distance. Specific fields, such as marketing, have also seen changes: e-commerces gained momentum during the pandemic, becoming even more central to optimize consumption logistics, since access to physical stores is impossible.

In turn, the impacts of the pandemic on the personal level are numerous and vary a lot, according to each individual experience. Nowadays, a lot of people are going through quarantine alone, isolated from family and friends. There are also those who are experiencing moments of mourning, unemployment or health problems. Disencouraging prospects, a lack of foresight into the future, uncertainties and fears caused by COVID-19 can generate feelings of anguish, anxiety, and stress.

In this landscape, cultural products have gained a new space in our routine, reinforcing their role as essential stimuli to people's well-being and quality of life. Especially with the Internet and technology, many people are finding, in the arts, an indispensable refuge, capable of bringing more lightness, distraction, knowledge and breath in face of the difficulties.

Live broadcasts by artists from different fields, such as literature, cinema, visual arts and music, are just one example of how culture is on the rise, partnering up with technology to boost its reach. This rapprochement between culture and technology is not new and has been steady over the past few years, as an efficient alternative in order to leverage the most diverse artistic expressions.

Next, we’ll talk a little more about this subject and also give you tips of 10 museums to visit in quarantine, without leaving your home. We guarantee you will not regret reading it. Come along!

New technologies in the art market: how does it impact museums?

Technology has recently been dictating the relationship between our society and the world around it. It influences multiple areas and it's no different with regard to the universe of arts and culture. The art market, combined with innovative technologies, finds new ways to connect to its audience and deliver to it new informations and knowledge — all of this because of the different perspectives that are created and the possibilities that open up to produce, distribute and view art.

When we bring this broad context to the scope of museums, we can also perceive major transformations. Some are related to the content of specific artistic manifestations, since technological devices help create new languages ​​and forms of expression, making the experience with art more dynamic, interactive and immersive.

Another important point is linked to the understanding of museums as businesses, since technology generates a giant range of tools and facilities that assist these spaces in better understanding the demands of visitors and adapting exhibitions and projects to their needs. Museums can therefore improve their performances and move towards becoming more attractive environments.

In addition to these factors, another one stands out with the arrival of technology to the museum field: it helps to democratize access to culture. Lately, we're seeing the popularization of online galleries and virtual tours. Without displacement, which involves financial expenses and time availability, many people are now having the opportunity to get to know places and artworks they've always wanted to. This kind of initiative brings a new audience to the arts and provides, through a digital medium, access to information that, before, could only be acquired in physical spaces.

So, what used to be very costly now only requires an Internet connection. With that, thousands of citizens on the planet started to create new experiences with works of art, technology and museums. It may seem contradictory, but it is not: even from a distance, these experiences have the power to bring individuals closer to culture, a fundamental field for their development as human beings.

Online galleries and virtual tours are available in many different languages. We've already said that the possibilities are numerous, and you can discover museums and digital collections with works by renowned artists right now, without leaving the couch or breaking social isolation. We have separated our 10 favorites and listed them below.

Get ready: you will be delighted by each and every one of them!

10 museums you've always wanted to visit, now just a click away

Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Netherlands)

Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh is one of the most prominent artists of all time. In little more than a decade dedicated to canvas and brushes, he was responsible for about 860 oil paintings.

For those who admire his works, the Van Gogh Museum, located in Amsterdam (Holland), is a paradise. The site has a collection of more than 200 original works by the artist, among them “The Potato Eaters”, “Almond Blossom” and “The Sower”.

Besides the paintings, the museum also gathers the painter's history, drawings and hundreds of letters that he wrote. The good news is that in order to access all of this, you don't need to cross the ocean! The Van Gogh Museum has a virtual collection, with several works available online. Click to be moved by his incredible talent. Visit now.

Louvre Museum, Paris (France)

The Louvre Museum is the largest art museum in the world. A staple of culture lovers' wishlists, the Louvre has approximately 38,000 objects, ranging from prehistory to the 21st century, inside an area of more than 70 thousand square meters.

With a presentation like this, we can already get a sense of the importance of the Louvre, which is located in Paris, France. If you want to know a little more, a virtual tour is available (you just need to install Flash on your device!). In addition to Leonardo da Vinci's “Mona Lisa”, we guarantee that there are many other works that will leave you impressed by their beauty and stories. Visit now.

Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago (EUA)

The Art Institute of Chicago, in the United States, is most famous for appearing in scenes from the classic film "Ferris Bueller`s Day Off". However, its fame goes even further: the museum has one of the best collections in the world, mainly of works from the impressionist period.

There are more than 300 thousand pieces. Among them, one can find the renowned “American Gothic”, painted by American artist Grant Wood in 1930. This is one of the works that can be appreciated on the virtual tour, which the museum's website offers for free. In addition, the Art Institute of Chicago also offers an online audio guide, which is great to discover interesting facts about each artwork. Visit now.

MASP, São Paulo (Brazil)

The first Brazilian museum on our list is MASP, São Paulo's Museum of Art. Located at the Paulista Avenue, the cultural space brings together works by different renowned artists from Brazil and beyond, such as Candido Portinari, Di Cavalcanti, Anita Malfatti, Renoir, Monet, Picasso, Cèzasse, Modigliani, Van Gogh and Matisse, among many others.

If it sounds amazing, that's because it is! So how about taking a virtual walk through this diverse collection? Through the museum website, you can access the galleries and pieces on display. Furthermore, it is possible to “walk” through the halls of the place, thanks to Google Arts&Culture.  Visit now.

Vatican Museum, Rome (Italy)

Inside the Vatican Museum, one can find one of the most beautiful and impressive works of art in history: the painting of the Sistine Chapel ceiling, done, in part, by Michelangelo. Every year, many people travel there only to be able to look closely at all of the details of this amazing work of art. All this interest is the cause of huge queues, which is not a problem for those who visit online.

In addition to Michelangelo, works by Leonardo da Vinci and Caravaggio, other exponents of European culture, can also be found. With great 360º photos, you can get to know the Vatican Museum and fall in love with space. Visit now. 

National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City (Mexico)

The National Museum of Anthropology has a spectacular and unique collection, which attracts visitors from all over the world. It is there that the Pedra do Sol [Sun Stone], also known as Aztec calendar, is located. In addition to it, one can also find great sculptures on site that represent the gods of Teotihuacán. Located in Mexico City, the museum is a great choice for tourists and, of course, for those at home as well.

Visit the space through Google Arts & Culture and learn a little more about Mexican culture! Visit now.

National Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C. (USA)

This recommendation is perfect for those who love learning about the universe. The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., has huge halls with original aircrafts, rockets, satellites, cameras that recorded images of space, probes, meteorites and even a lunar rock, in addition to the famous aircraft built by the Wright brothers.

All of it can be seen in a virtual tour. The museum's website also offers games on interactive screens, videos, galleries and a lot of additionl information. Visit now.

Pinacoteca, São Paulo (Brazil)

The Pinacoteca is one of the most beautiful museums in Brazil. Besides its breathtaking architecture, its collection is also eye-catching. There are more than 9,000 works of art, especially from Brazilian artists of the 19th and 20th centuries. If you are one of those people who always wanted to know the Pinacoteca, but never had the opportunity, you can now get to know details of each of the works exhibited and visit the museum from your living room sofa.

In this quarantine, the “walk” is a good activity for you, your family and your friends. Spread the word! Visit now.

Acropolis Museum, Athens (Greece)

Everyone knows that Greece was the stage of many interesting stories. What is not general knowledge is that some of them are available to be accessed virtually. At the Acropolis Museum, you can see what's left of the Athenian Acropolis, as well as other buildings and works of art that were important for the entire Western civilization. It is worth visiting the place!

Museum of Tomorrow, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

Last but not least, the Museum of Tomorrow. Founded on December 2015, this space in Rio de Janeiro is a science museum that exposes ideas, explorations and questions about the current time and the possible future paths for humankind.

For those who like to imagine the scenarios to come, it is a full plate. The museum's collection includes innovative works and uses technology as one of its bases in order to create immersive experiences. Virtually, you can get a taste of how the Museum of Tomorrow works and check information and images about what is on display. Visit now.

Conclusion

Now that you know how to visit museums without leaving your home, we have an extra tip: Timelinefy.

Timelinefy is a great tool for those who like to learn about works of art, artists and the greater historical context. On the platform, you get access to complete information on various themes, which are organized chronologically, in timelines.

This organization makes it easier to better understand the evolution of important events in our culture. Ah! If you want, you can even contribute to someone else's timeline or create a new one, about a subject you're passionate about. Isn't it a great idea? Get to know Timelinefy and, if you'd like to stay tuned and be the first to know our updates, follow us on social media!