After closing in March 2020, reopening in July 2020, and closing again at the end of October, the famous Louvre Museum remains closed. One of the sectors that has been taking a major hit during COVID-19 is the museum world, due to large gatherings being banned and a lack of travel and tourists. However, the Louvre Museum has launched a series of virtual tours to open up its galleries to patrons from all around the globe.
The virtual museum visits resemble Google Maps Street View and your computer screen places you in the gallery itself. Rather than simply showing the pieces on your screen, the Louvre’s virtual tours let you click to walk down the halls and imagine yourself strolling through the galleries as if you had the entire museum to yourself. This innovative approach is more engaging to the audience than a simple slideshow.
Some of the highlights include a stroll in the Petite Galerie with works by French Romantic Painter Eugène Delacroix and Dutch master Rembrandt. Another highlight in this collection is Self Portrait with Her Daughter, Julie (Madame Vigée Le Brun et sa fille) a portrait by French portrait painter Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun. This work, characteristic of the Rococo period, is an intimate self portrait of Le Brun and her daughter, encircled in an embrace.
Another virtual visit takes victors to the world-famous Sully Wing to view the Louvre’s extensive Egyptian Antiquities collection. The museum even offers a visit of the Louvre itself—a virtual tour of the original fortress built by French king Philippe Auguste, which is now in the basement of the museum.
While virtual visits are no substitute for the in person experience, the Louvre’s detail oriented and interactive virtual tours are a great way to get up close to some of the Louvre’s most famous pieces without the crowds.
Source: https://www.louvre.fr/en/visites-en-ligne
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