However, others managed to handle these difficult times and switched to online. This year has been a tough one not only because of these abrupt changes but because of the effects they’ve had on people’s mental health. Not being able to travel, to meet with your friends, and needing to spend so much time inside drained some people of energy and positivity. Mental health problems are on the rise, but so are the solutions that can help people manage these times successfully.

Even though we are not allowed to travel as we did before, there are new options available. You can explore art museums, fairs, and events from the comfort of your own home. Think about the most popular museums and places and the huge queue from the entrance. Now you don’t have to wait in the queue or travel to enjoy them because a new door has opened.

We will share 8 virtual museum tours and interesting events you can attend while lounging comfortably on your couch.

1. Machu Picchu, Peru

You have probably heard about Machu Picchu and the mysteries that surround it. Built in the 15th century, this Inca citadel was later abandoned. Maybe one of the most astonishing things about Machu Picchu is the fact that it is located on a 2430-meter mountain range, in the Andes Mountains.

Taking into consideration the fact that the walls and buildings were built without mortar and they are arranged according to astronomical principles, Machu Picchu became an international attraction. More than 2,500 visitors a day and more than half a million annually were visiting this Inca citadel until 2020.

Now, you can explore the astonishing beauty of Machu Picchu and admire the panoramic views online. This UNESCO Heritage Site can be visited in 360-degree views. During this tour, you will also find out more about its history and mysteries because the voice of a narrator will tell you the story of this Inca settlement.

2. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

Who has not heard about the famous Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh, known for cutting his ear and his unmistakable painting style? He painted over 2,000 artworks, most of them dating from the last two years of his life. Some of these famous paintings can be admired at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. Here you can find out more about his life, relationship with his brother Theo, and the most used techniques in painting.

Van Gogh Museum can be explored from the comfort of your home. It represents the largest collection of artworks by this tragic painter and you can get the chance to see over 700 paintings and drawings, as well as over 750 personal letters.

3. Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is one of the wonders you must see at least once in your life. These incredible artworks created by humans in secluded and inaccessible places arouse your admiration for the human race. However, the Great Wall of China is threatened by climate change and people are trying to preserve it by offering virtual tours. If you head straight to Google’s project Heritage on the Edge and you can explore it in 3D.

4. The Louvre, Paris

We can all remember those endless and discouraging queues in front of the Louvre. It is one of the most famous and visited museums in the world, every year seeing millions of international visitors. However, due to the current restrictions, the Louvre is closed for visitors. But, exploring it through a virtual tour is now possible. You can explore Egyptian artifacts, admire DaVinci’s Mona Lisa, the statue of Venus de Milo, the Code of Hammurabi, and more than 30,000 individual artworks.

5. Guggenheim Museum, New York City

On the list of the most visited and popular museums of the world, the Guggenheim Museum ranks near the Louvre. The architecture of the museum is a monument to modernism that houses art collections and special exhibitions. Guggenheim Museum in New York is a must-see for every age, having lots of exhibitions and galleries to admire, but also amazing architecture, both inside and outside the building. Here you can see artworks by Pablo Picasso, Henri Rousseau, or Paul Cezanne.

6. Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta

Georgia Aquarium is one of the most amazing aquariums in the world. In fact, it is the largest aquarium in the western world, being the only institution outside Asia that houses whale sharks. You can explore the amazing underwater life with a live tour of the aquarium. It has seven major galleries you can visit and learn more about thousands of animals and species you can now see virtually.

7. The Broad, Los Angeles

The Broad is a contemporary art museum in Los Angeles that houses over 200 artworks of the Broad’s collection. Even though the museum generally offers free admission to its galleries, it’s now closed due to the current state of the world. However, you can virtually explore the galleries of The Broad museum, and its most popular room, the Infinite Mirrored Room of Yayoi Kusama. Now you can spend all day in the twinkling abyss of the infinite.

8. A Trip to Mars

Even though real trips to Mars are not available, NASA has teamed up with Google to offer people all over the world a virtual tour to Mars. The Red Planet has always aroused humanity’s interest and now you can explore it in a 3D Virtual Tour and find out more about its surface and history. Thanks to technology, you can explore outer space without leaving your home. How wonderful is this?

Conclusion

The world has changed, and it will continue to evolve in ways we cannot even imagine. For the moment, there are travel restrictions. And for people who love exploring new places and meeting new cultures, this is a major drawback and disappointment. However, to stop the spread of the virus, these restrictions are necessary.

Choosing to see the full part of the glass is important during these times, and it can foster more positive experiences. Virtual tours can be a saving option, especially because you can choose what iconic and historical place you want to explore. You can choose from a wide variety of historical sites, museums, aquariums, and iconic places that can be explored for free, from the comfort of your own home. Give it a try — start exploring and visiting virtually.

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Author Bio: Michael Gorman is a highly skilled freelance writer and proofreader from the UK who offers the essay writer at a dissertation writing service and essay writing service uk. Being interested in everyday development, he writes various blog posts and discovers new aspects of human existence every day. Michael loves traveling, history, and deciphering myths of the ancient world. Feel free to contact him via Facebook or check his Twitter. 

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by Rebecca Pahle

New York, London and Paris are among the great cities of the world for gallery hopping or visiting a museum or two. But, to do so, you may have to also elbow your way through crowds on public transportation and pay exorbitant prices for accommodations and dining. Sometimes, you might just want something a little less hectic—smaller, perhaps, but just as artistically enriching for it. Don’t worry: we have your back. Next time you’re thinking about booking a flight to LaGuardia, why not try one of these less well-known artistic hot spots instead?

Asheville, N.C.
A stone’s throw from the gorgeous Blue Ridge Parkway, Asheville is a prime location for artistic inspiration, so this small Southern town is packed to the gills with galleries, museums and culture. The River Arts District (riverartsdistrict.com) has many arts-and-crafts studios and classes, and more than 20 galleries are within easy strolling distance from each other at the Downtown Asheville Art District (ashevilledowntowngalleries.org).

Beacon, N.Y.
A large part of Beacon’s charm is its vibrant arts culture, which includes Dia:Beacon (diaart.org/sites/main/beacon), one of the country’s largest museums of contemporary art. But another major draw is not what’s in Beacon but what’s near it: the many art-friendly cities dotting the Hudson Valley, including New Windsor, home of the Storm King Art Center (stormking.org), and Peekskill, with its Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art (hvcca.org)—both only a short drive from Beacon.

Crested Butte, Colo.
During the winter, Crested Butte is a ski town through and through, but in summer it becomes the perfect vacation spot for lovers of nature, hiking, mountain biking and art. “The dramatic beauty of Crested Butte attracts artistic adventurers,” writes Teresa Rijks, co-owner of the Rijks Family Gallery (rijksgallery.com), one of the 12 participants in Artists of the West Elks’ summer Art Walk (awearts.org). “Thus, the art lover who visits Crested Butte will be amazed by the number of opportunities to meet artists, take classes and visit galleries in this small mountain town.”

New Bedford, Mass.
About an hour south of Boston, New Bedford has recently become a mecca for artists, thanks to the city’s conscious effort over the last few years to develop a “creative economy” that involves encouraging the growth of galleries and cultural institutions. This cozy seaside town offers a lot for art enthusiasts to see. Attractions include, for example, the ArtWorks! community art space (artworksforyou.org) or the interestingly named UGLY (U Gotta Love Yourself) Gallery (uglygallery.com), which focuses on progressive art and street culture. If you get overwhelmed by art after a while and want to mix it up a bit, you might consider the New Bedford Whaling Museum (whalingmuseum.org).

San Juan, Puerto Rico
In Old San Juan, the historic colonial district of the Puerto Rican capital, centuries-old buildings are themselves works of art. Within them, you’ll find shops; live-music venues; art galleries, including the Galería Botello (botello.com); and museums, such as the Museo de Las Américas (museolasamericas.org). A short drive from Old San Juan is the Santurce arts district, home to art spaces that the New York Times once described as having “an offbeat style that’s more Lower East Side than Latin Caribbean.”

Santa Fe, N.M.
The problem with taking a vacation to Santa Fe is that you might have a hard time leaving at the end of it. No matter how long your trip is, it probably will be too short to visit the more than 200 galleries and museums the city has to offer. Some that you might want to cross off your list include the Blue Rain Gallery of American Indian and regional art (blueraingallery.com) and the Museum of International Folk Art (internationalfolkart.org). For those looking for inspiration for their own work, it’s tough to beat Santa Fe’s natural beauty. You can explore the local attractions during horseback riding, hiking, mountain biking and skiing, depending on the season.

Saugatuck, Mich.
With a year-round population that hovers around 1,000, Saugatuck can’t compete with fellow Lake Michigan coast city Chicago in the number of available galleries and art studios. But it doesn’t need to. Since its creative beginnings as an art colony in the 19th century, it has managed to do just fine for itself. The city’s dozen-plus galleries, including Roan & Black (roanandblack.com) and the African-themed Amazwi Contemporary Art (amazwi.com) lure in the tourists, who can also partake in the art exhibits, theater and musical performances at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts (sc4a.org).

Savannah, Ga.
Get a dose of Southern charm in this Georgia town, where the Savannah Arts Academy and the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) contribute to a bustling arts scene. A big part of that scene is the First Friday Art March (artmarchsavannah.com), where galleries and studios, including the Non-Fiction Gallery (henandcake.com/flourless), open their doors to the public and local artists set up their easels along De Soto Avenue. At other times, you can check out the award-winning SCAD Museum of Art (scadmoa.org), which draws a vast array of professional artists from around the world.

St. Augustine, Fla.
As the United States’ oldest continuously occupied European settlement—or, as its residents call it, “the nation’s oldest city”—St. Augustine has its fair share of gorgeous Spanish colonial-era buildings. But the city’s art scene feels anything but old. The monthly First Friday Art Walk (artgalleriesofstaugustine.org/firstfridayartwalk) invites visitors to explore the galleries in St. Augustine’s historic downtown district, and a free shuttle service makes it easy to get to venues such as the Grand Bohemian Gallery (grandbohemiangallery.com) and the St. Augustine Art Association (staaa.org), which has a new juried exhibit every month. While there, be sure to visit St. Augustine’s numerous beautiful beaches.

Taos, N.M.
Taos is the place to be if you want to intersperse visits to exciting, creatively stimulating galleries and museums with a healthy dose of R&R. “Taos is a place to rejuvenate in all the arts and culture,” says Robert Wilder Nightingale, owner of Wilder Nightingale Fine Art (wnightingale.com) and president of the Taos Gallery Association (taosgalleryassoc.com). Visitors to the city, which has more than 80 art galleries in addition to year-round arts-and-crafts festivals, “will leave… refreshed and renewed mentally and physically.

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