Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, England
Although the Ashmolean Museum is open for in-person visits, there are plenty of online exhibitions to peruse. One of our favorites is A Young Rembrandt, an exhibition that details the rise of the 17th century painter and his experiments with style and medium. The young Rembrandt’s portfolio is a sight to behold, and if you are able to make it in person to see A Young Rembrandt, the Ashmolean has unveiled Head of a Bearded Man,c. 1630, specifically for the occasion. In order to view the online exhibition, click here and if you’re looking to see it in person, don’t forget to click here to book your tickets in advance.
Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland
There is no better time than the present to engage with art history and no better way to do so than with stunning visual aids. The Scottish National Gallery is sharing the exhibition The Life and Legend of Mary, Queen of Scots online so museumgoers can do exactly that from the comfort of their own homes. Life and Legend traces the history of the doomed queen’s life and details all the strife and scandal that help the legend that surrounds her survive more than 400 years. Make sure to click here to take a look at the exhibition online and if you can make it to Edinburgh, click here to reserve free, timed tickets.
The National Quilt Museum, Paducah, Kentucky
The National Quilt Museum has, of course, plenty of exhibitions sharing splendid quilts. This season, one of our favorites is the timely show Women’s Right to Vote: Revolution and Evolution. Comprised of 36 quilts from 16 states, the exhibition celebrates the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment to the constitution, the culmination of the long fight for women’s suffrage in the US. In order to see the quilts in person, make sure to look here. And here you can see what other exhibitions are on view before you go.
Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, Netherlands
If you’re looking for an in depth exploration of the tendencies of an artist, the Rijksmuseum offers exactly that with their online exhibition Vermeer’s Use of the Picture-within-a-Picture. When you take a look at the exhibition, you’ll be in for a treat with in-depth analyses of Vermeer’s work as well as high-resolution, up close looks at some of his best pieces. Picture-within-a-picture gives a comprehensive review of both the rhetorical and practical uses of paintings in the background of Vermeer’s paintings of the homes of the Dutch merchant class. To view this exhibition, click here and look here to see what other online shows Rijksmuseum is offering. If you miss the experience of wandering the halls of a museum, click here to play a searching game that the Rijksmuseum organized to allow online visitors to explore their halls. And, if you’re able to visit in person, click here to plan your visit, as well as book your timed tickets.
Musée des Arts Décoratifs Paris, France
It is not so common anymore that our clothes have an extensive underbelly but, in the 18th and 19th centuries, these structural components were essential to the fashions. With Musée des Arts Décoratifs online exhibition Fashioning the Body, visitors get an in-depth account of the politics and purpose of women’s clothes in those centuries. Whether these garments were made to enhance, hide, or visually alter the body, the history of such clothing is vast and fascinating. To dive in, click here. To see what else the Musée des Arts Décoratifs offers online, click here. If you’ll be able to make it to the museum in person make sure to check here for instructions on how to plan your visit.
The Getty Museum, Los Angeles, California
Although the Getty is currently closed to visitors, there’s a great deal to enjoy on the museum’s website, including an exhibition titled Assyria: Palace Art of Ancient Iraq. The show consists of ancient relief sculptures from Assyria that depict scenes of war, ritual, and court life. As these sculptures become increasingly rare, this is a great opportunity to take a look at the Getty’s hefty collection. As we await the reopening of the Getty, click here and here to look at Assyria and don’t forget to see what other online exhibitions are available at the Getty here.
National Heritage Board, Singapore, Singapore
As conservator of Singapore’s cultural legacy, the National Heritage Board of Singapore curates’ extensive exhibitions showcasing the city-state’s long history. This season the NHB is featuring Nyonya Needlework, an exhibition that focuses on embroidery and beadwork. Nyonya needlework is typically associated with Peranakan Chinese women and is a distinctive feature of their culture. This needlework is highly detailed and a wonder to behold so, click here to take a look at the exhibition online, and see here for the other online exhibitions that the National Heritage Board offers.
