The lockdown isn't all bad. A large number of Parisian museums created virtual visit systems that are available for free and for everyone on their website. At Les Panamiens, we support this initiative. Thanks to it, we can keep busy while we educate ourselves. In this article, you'll find our four favourite digital exhibitions.
1. 1 day, 1 painting, by l'Atelier des Lumières
Let's start this list with one of our favourite museums in Paris. L'Atelier des Lumières is a museum offering entirely digital exhibitions by projecting world famous paintings on big led screens. The exhibition you visit at the Atelier des Lumières is very original and get yourselves immersed in the paintings of the artists exposed.
Right before the lockdown, L’Atelier des Lumières just launched its new exhibition “Monet, Renoir… Chagall. Voyages en Méditerranée” which was announced remarkable. With the particular situation we're living, the museum created the program "1 day, 1 painting" in order for us to be able to discover the exhibition's paintings as a preview showing. Every day on their website, a pop-up window appears with a different painting to learn about!
2. Discover the sculptures of the Bourdelle Museum
Antoine Bourdelle is one of the most famous French sculptors. He was living in Paris at the end of the 19th century. The Bourdelle Museum is located in what used to be the sculptor's studio. It's an oasis of calm with a splendid garden, next to the fuzzy Montparnasse train station.
All the areas of the museum are available for digital visitors. This exhibition invites the viewers to discover the French sculptor and his work in their intimacy. This 360° visit, enabled by the Paris Musées's website Muséosphere, gives you the impression to be in a game. Click on every eye to see details and anecdotes!
3. Myths and Heroes at the Louvre Museum
Le Musée du Louvre without a single visitor? Where do we sign? The world-known museum welcomes more than 10 million visitors every year. What a weird feeling for us, Parisians, to know that this museum is empty as we speak!
During the lockdown, the museum gave digital access on its website to some parts of the museum. We particularly wanted to introduce you to the Petit Gallerie du Louvre's exhibition: “Founding Myths. From Hercules to Dark Vador”. In our opinion, this exhibition is essential in the dark days we're living. It allows us to understand better where we come from, and start imagining the new myths for the world of tomorrow.
Warning! The interfaces aren't user-friendly, so you'll have to take some time to get used to it.
4. Admire Monet's Nymphéas with a 360° view
Who doesn't know those legendary paintings by Claude Monet? The very definition of impressionism. If you never had the opportunity to go to the Orangerie Museum to look at the Nymphéas, then you're in for a treat. The museum puts online a 360° view visit of the two rooms exhibiting this ode to Nature from Monet.
So that you know from the beginning, there is no comparison with the sensation of seeing these paintings in real life. But's it's a great foretaste for the people who don't know this majestic painting series. This virtual 360° visit allows us to see the subtle details of the Nymphéas as well as the spectacular ensemble they represent.
All this makes us want to go back to the Orangerie again once it will reopen.