No travel required: 10 iconic museums you can tour online

So your trip to Paris has been cancelled, you're socially distancing yourself, and you're in the midst of working from home — that's the crazy reality we're all living in right now as COVID-19 continues to rapidly spread across the globe.

While now is definitely not the time to travel, it doesn't mean you have to completely miss out on exploring new places. With Google Arts & Culture, you can take digital tours of some of the world's most famous museums.

I don't know about you, but a break from reality sounds amazing right about now. Go pour yourself a glass of wine, sit back and enjoy the art.

Here are 10 of the most iconic museums you can visit virtually.

The Guggenheim, NYC

You can enjoy the Guggenheim's Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary-era art exhibits with Google's Street View.

The Art Institute of Chicago

Check out Van Gogh's self-portrait up close and personal by taking a virtual tour of the renowned Art Institute.

National Portrait Gallery, Washington D.C.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9XKG3VA0Tc/

Admire some of the most influential portraits at the National Portrait Gallery in the nation's capital from the comfort of your couch.

The British Museum, London

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9wt5bGq_Nr/

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The British Museum tour is a bit different from the rest as it's not a part of the Google Arts & Culture tour. Instead, it's on the British Museum site where you can interactively choose which time period you want to look at from which part of the world, and then learn interesting facts about the piece.

The Louvre, Paris

The Louvre has closed its door indefinitely, but thankfully you can still admire its beauty from afar.

Musée de l'Orangerie, Paris

https://www.instagram.com/p/B8_qktMI_jH/

If you're looking to calm your nerves, take a virtual visit to Musée d'Orsay in Paris and its beautiful Monet paintings.

Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

If you're a Van Gogh fan then you've got to 'gogh visit this museum as it houses the largest collection of the artist's work.

Uffizi Gallery, Florence

The Uffizi Gallery is said to have one of the most beautiful art collections in the world, so this is definitely one you'll want to check out.

Pergamon Museum, Berlin

https://www.instagram.com/p/BloQ7IFn_Bl/

If you're a fan of architecture, then this is a must-see. The Pergamon is famous for housing large monumental Babylonian, Greek and Roman buildings — for instance, the Gate of Babylon.

National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul

https://www.instagram.com/p/B7pSD0AJdY0/

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art has four special online exhibits that are really cool and educational. Beyond those, you can browse the museum through street view like the other museums listed.

Bottom line

These are just 10 of the hundreds of museums Google has in its Arts & Culture collection. You can browse more museums here and even see some of the most famous pieces of art up close here. You can also tour historic sites, like the Palace of Versailles, through Google.

Further reading:

• 5 reasons why Google Maps is a traveler's best friend
• Should I travel? Advice for the coronavirus outbreak
• Here's what to consider if you're thinking about booking future travel now