5 top virtual tours for culture seekers
1. Walk around art galleries in New York
New York’s art galleries have been closed due to COVID-19, but virtually, many of their doors remain open. Platform: New York is an online viewing room featuring 12 of the Big Apples' most interesting galleries.
Featuring the work of many artists – some of which were due to exhibit their work in the museums in 2020 – the online viewing gallery allows you to study each work of art, and learn about their creators.
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2. Vancouver Art Gallery
In Vancouver, Canada, life is also on hold. But you can still take a walk around Vancouver Art Gallery. This virtual hub simulates walking around Douglas Coupland’s exhibition within the museum.
Walk from room to room, admire the art from every angle, and if something catches your eye, click on it to read about the work, the story behind it and what inspired it.
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3. Tour colourful murals in St. Pete Clearwater, Florida
The streets of St Petersburg, Florida are certainly not boring. Practically every colour of the rainbow is splashed across the walls of this gulf coast city, depicting local stories in over 500 vibrant murals.
You can’t walk the streets in real life, but you can still get a taste of the colourful art on display here. This dedicated online gallery allows you to see the murals in all their eye-popping glory.
Click ‘learn more’ on a particular piece to delve into the background of the mural, its story, and find out who it is dedicated to.
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4. Take a closer look at Mount Rushmore, South Dakota
With portrait-like faces of past US presidents cut into the sandy stone of the cliffs, Mount Rushmore is one of the most iconic and certainly most recognisable sites in North America.
Now, this virtual tour takes you closer to the cliff-cut faces than ever before. The online platform features a ‘3D Explorer’ where you can click the cliff to see it at every angle.
The virtual tour puts your feet on the ground, allowing you to walk through the site at your own pace, taking in the history of this fascinating place, pulling out significant sections and important moments in history.
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5. Virtually learn the story of Apollo 13 at Space Center Houston, Texas
The July 1969 Apollo 11 mission saw the first man walk on the moon, and that would not have been possible without the work inside NASA’s Mission Control in Houston.
But Space Center Houston tells the story of another mission, the less successful Apollo 13. Due to COVID-19, Space Center Houston has take then story online, bringing the Apollo 13 mission to life with videos, photos and models.
Take the tour