Show the Kids Museums Around the World with This New Tech

You don’t need to go globetrotting to see many of the world’s best museums. While there are a few that might make your travel bucket list, for the rest, there’s new technology like AR and VR that allows you to take tours of the coolest museums, all from your couch. Show the kids the world’s most famous artwork with these platforms.

Virtual Tours of the Louvre

Why not start with the most famous? If you don’t have a trip to Paris planned, you can take virtual, 360-degree tours of the Louvre via the museum’s website. See some of the most popular exhibits, like the Egyptian Antiquities collection or the remains of the Louvre’s Moat.

A Wealth of Information via Google

Google Arts & Culture allows you to “walk” through some of the greatest museums all across the planet. From The Museum of Modern Art to the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum to The Munch Museum in Oslo, the options are astounding. If there’s even one artist or type of art your child is interested in, you’ll find something to catch their interest here. In addition to the Explore feature, which allows you to “walk” the museum grounds much like you do the street in Google’s Street View, the Arts & Culture feature also includes videos, photos and other supplementary information.

Walking Tour of the Smithsonian

Of course, not all kids are art museum fans. For those who prefer insects and dinosaur bones to Picasso, set them free on an online virtual tour of the entire National Museum of Natural History. See every room in the place, in all its glory. You can even explore select past exhibits. The tour is compatible with VR-enabled headsets.

3D Models Around the World

Sketchfab allows you to explore different artifacts rather than museums, through 3-D imagery. Just search the magnitude of topics and subjects found in the Explore section of the site and suddenly find yourself able to explore every nook and cranny of a particular artifact that catches your fancy, from shrines found at the Musée d’Art et d’Histoire in Belgium, to historic architecture across the country and the world.

Oculus Apps

If you happen to own an Oculus device, download the Boulevard app. It’s free and has been called “Netflix for the Arts.” The immersive, VR experience allows you to experience unique tours of museums, galleries and artist workshops. While the navigation is a little tricky and takes a while to learn, once you have it down, you’ll be exploring the world’s arts and culture at lightning speed.