The Garden Court at New York's Frick Collection
(Virtual) Art Guide
Culture, a Click AwaySince the coronavirus outbreak began, a number of museums and galleries have unveiled increasingly innovative online experiences to keep their "doors" open. More than just zooming in on a high-res image, these cultural outposts offer guided tours, navigable 360° views and behind-the-scenes interviews with industry leaders and the artist themselves. Our favorites, below.
The Frick Collection — New York, New York
Highlights: Enjoy an immersive virtual tour of the galleries and grounds—plus, every Friday at 5 PM, tune in for Cocktails with a Curator (recipes included).
The National Gallery of Victoria — Melbourne, Australia
Highlights: A new showcase on Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat, their friendship and overlapping circles (Madonna, Warhol). There's a learning hub for the kids, too, complete with art activities, e-books and a special app that lets them create their own stop-motion animations.
The Louvre — Paris, France
Highlights: Finally, experience the Mona Lisa, via VR, without having to elbow through the crowds. After you peruse the collection at this Parisian institution, head on over to the Louvre outpost in Abu Dhabi—now it's only a click away.
Jean-Michel Basquiat, left, and Keith Haring in 1987, photographed by George Hirose
Poema Colectivo Revolución, 1981
Highlights: The museum is offering free art courses online, with topics ranging from Fashion as Design and Postwar Abstract Painting, and the opportunity to participate in a crowdsourced work, Collective Poem, inspired by a 1981 version by the artist group Colectivo 3. Every Thursday, MoMA is also hosting live Q&As and tours. On the agenda for this week: its famous Sculpture Garden, followed by a guided meditation.
Highlights: The museum is filled with history-making masters to explore—Degas, Chagall—but right now we're all about the exhibit dedicated to open-air painting. We can't imagine why…
Highlights: The buidling's iconic architecture, all undulating curves by Frank Gehry—you can even "walk" along the outdoor terraces. Also fun: exploring the massive Richard Serra steel sculptures, 3D style.
Picture Gallery in Transformation at the Museum of Art São Paulo
Highlights: There's a trio of exhibits on dance and performance artists, but if there's one exhibit to view virtually, it's this: Picture Gallery in Transformation, a long-standing, ever-changing exhibit of works dating from 4th Century BC to 2008, each hanging from the ceiling on crystal easels, making the showcase itself as cool as the masterpieces involved.
Highlights: Deep dive into the The Met 360° Project, an award-winning video series that allows you to all the museum's iconic wings in spherical 360° technology—like the famed The Temple of Dendur, where the Met Gala is typically held. Then, instead of the gift shop, head here, where the museum is offering DIY coloring pages of famous works as at-home keepsakes.
Highlights: Step into Marie Antoinette's gilded estate and explore the famed Hall of Mirrors—while wearing sweats, tucked into bed. You even have the option of viewing the glorious painted ceilings in full—without the chandeliers blocking your view.
The Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles
