The highly accessible world of virtual tourism

Virtual tourism is exactly what it sounds like: touring a city or a landmark using the power of technology and the internet. It gives people a chance to experience exciting locations that they might not otherwise ever get to see, all from the comfort of their computer or smartphone device.

Many iconic tourist destinations are getting onboard with the VR trend, so we’ve listed some of the best ones below, ranging from art galleries to space stations.

National Museum of Natural History

This famous museum in Washington has several virtual tours integrated directly onto the web. The digital experiences include both permanent and past exhibitions, with the core tour offering dozens of panoramic images that can be navigated via an on-screen map or interactive arrows.

What the tour lacks in supporting content, it definitely makes up for in scope and range, with an exciting selection of works on dinosaurs, sea life, geology and many more available to view.

Find the tours here.

The Louvre

Popular VR business YouVisit has really been gathering steam lately within higher education circles, presenting a range of exciting virtual university campus tours. Recently they offered a guided tour through the stunning Louvre in Paris, which can be accessed via the web or directly within their free VR app.

The tour begins outside under the Parisian sky and then moves through ten areas of the museum. Each location offers additional images, videos clips and information about the exhibits on show at the time.

Take the Louvre tour here.

The Vatican

This page on the Vatican’s website allows you to click on any of several fascinating locations in the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church and pop inside for a virtual look around.

You can visit the Choir Chapel, the Altar of St. Jerome and the Transepts, all without leaving your home.

Make your way through the Vatican here.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met is home to over two million works of fine art, and now you don’t even have to be in New York City to enjoy them. The museum’s website features an online collection and virtual tours of some of its most impressive pieces, including works from art icons such as Vincent van Gogh, Jackson Pollock and Giotto di Bondone.

Feast your eyes on some wonderful paintings here.

NASA For fans of all things astronomical, NASA offers free virtual tours of its Space Center in Houston, even adding to the experience by giving you a sassy animated robot named Audima as your tour guide.

Budding astronauts and stargazers can take a virtual stroll around various sections of the facility, including the Ballistics Impact Lab and the Space Environments Complex.

Visit the NASA website here to take one small step into a brave new world.