The Louvre is currently closed to the public due to the ongoing pandemic, but the museum has put its entire art collection to view online.
Most people are used to bingeing on Netflix and other streaming channels during the COVID-19 pandemic. How about bingeing some of the best art in the world instead? While you might not be able to travel to France right now, the Louvre in Paris has gone online for the whole world to see.
The Louvre Goes Online
The Louvre is one of the most-visited museums in the world and hosts one of the most famous paintings ever, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. While it isn’t possible to visit the Musée du Louvre in Paris right now, anyone can do so virtually.
A new platform has been set up to display the richness of the Louvre art collections and brings all of the museum’s artworks into one place for all to see. Also, the museum’s new website is far more user-friendly and immersive than ever.
This is the first time the whole Louvre collection has been placed online and, even better, it includes everything. It isn’t just the artworks displayed in the museum, but also works that are in storage, or currently on loan to other French institutions.
The website has been set up for art lovers and art researchers and more than 482,000 pieces can be seen at no charge. The works are from the Louvre itself, but also from the Musée National Eugène-Delacroix. Sculptures can be viewed from the Tuileries and Carrousel Gardens. Another fascination collection is artworks from Musées Nationaux Récupération. These were recovered following WWII and have been entrusted to the Louvre until they can be returned to their legitimate owners.
Interactive Art Gallery Online
The virtual gallery offers various ways to explore the art collections, including simple or advanced searches. They can also be found from entries by the curatorial department or in themed albums.
Visitors can use an interactive map to organize their visit and explore the museum room by room, just like you would on a normal visit to the Louvre. Even better, the database is set to be updated regularly by museum experts and will continue to grow.
The virtual gallery is available in French, English, Chinese, and Spanish and can be viewed on tablets, laptops, or desktops. However, it is intended primarily for use on smartphones. The site has been designed to stay in sync with the Louvre, as the museum adds more digital content.
Visitors can also admire artworks on the museum’s new website, which has been divided into three main sections. The site focuses on works in the collections, as well as the sumptuous settings in which they are displayed.
Speaking of the new offering, Jean-Luc Martinez, president-director of the museum, says, “The Louvre is dusting off its treasures, even the least-known.”
“The Louvre’s stunning cultural heritage is all now just a click away. I am sure that this digital content is going to further inspire people to come to the Louvre to discover the collections in person.”
Readers can access the new Louvre website here, while the new Louvre collections website can be accessed here.
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