Image via BoJack / Shutterstock.com
It’s not just its stunning glass
pyramid shape that sets it apart; being home to history-making artworks like the
Mona Lisa,
Liberty Leading the People, and
Venus de Milo, the Louvre in Paris is the
most-visited museum in the world.
With COVID-19 halting travel and visiting plans, however, the former palace remains closed to the public. But its artifacts aren’t shying away and retreating to a life of solitude—the Louvre has launched an
online platform showcasing all of the museum’s pieces for free, inviting art lovers, as well as those whose interests in culture have budded during the pandemic, to revel in the artworks, wherever they may be.
“Today, the Louvre is dusting off its treasures, even the least-known,” shared Jean-Luc Martinez, the president and director of the Louvre, in a
press statement. “For the first time, anyone can access the entire collection of works from a computer or smartphone for free, whether they are on display in the museum, on loan, even long-term, or in storage… I am sure that this digital content is going to further inspire people to come to the Louvre to discover the collections in person.”
Digital visitors can browse the museum’s works via an
interactive map taking them from room to room.
To delve deeper, they can also sift through the 480,000-plus pieces through simple or advanced searches, or take a look at curated entries or themed albums. All eight departments from the Louvre’s galleries can be viewed online.
In the meantime, the Louvre is making the most out of this downtime by taking on
major renovations. The online platform will also continue being updated as the museum’s collection grows.
[via
CNN Style, cover image via
BoJack / Shutterstock.com]