MUSEUMS & GALLERIES
Technology can provide a way of experiencing artworks that are currently behind closed doors, sitting deep in a dusty archive, or housed on the other side of the world. Although many people would say there's no way of matching the experience of seeing something in the flesh, the versions we can access online go some way in bridging the gap. Scroll down to see a selection of artworks, videos about collections and archives, and the architecture and location of some museums and galleries.
WATCH
FROM GLASGOW UNIVERSITY TO KELVINGROVE MUSEUM
We glide along with the help of this extremely smooth video. It traces the walk around and between two architectural giants of the West End.
Image: Kelvingrove Museum and Gallery Central Hall by Michael D Beckwith (CC use)
READ | ARCHIVE
THE PEOPLE'S PALACE
The People's Palace on Glasgow Green is a popular social history museum and a chance to see the story of the people and city of Glasgow from 1750 to the present.
"The People's Palace and Winter Gardens provide one of the focal points for Glasgow Green. This was Glasgow's first public open space and was given to the people of the city by the Bishop of Glasgow in 1450. Once used primarily for washing, bleaching linen, grazing, drying fishing nets and swimming, it now serves a variety of leisure uses as one of the City of Glasgow's many public parks: though perhaps still the one held in the greatest affection by most residents of the city."
CLICK HERE for an in-depth article about the social, cultural and political history of the museum. This piece traces how it was conceived, curated and how it has changed over time, in parallel with the ever increasing privatisation of once public space.
Image: The People's Palace and Winter Gardens. Courtesy of Hailey Maxwell.
Image: Inside The People's Palace. Courtesy of Hailey Maxwell.
INTERACTIVE
EXPLORE MARY CASSAT'TS PAINTINGS
Image: Mary Cassatt Little Girl in a Blue Armchair, 1878. Public domain image.
An impressionist painter and printmaker, Mary Cassatt (1844-1926) is known for capturing the quiet moments of figures, especially between mother and child, movement, tone and light. Coming from an affluent family, she was able to study in Paris and Rome, and was latterly influenced by Japanese printmaking.
INTERACTIVE
ZOOM INTO MONET'S
'THE WATER LILY POND'
Image: Claude Monet, The Water Lily Pond, 1899. Public domain image.
One of many 'in-painting tours' from the National Gallery.
WATCH
SECRETS OF THE MUSEUM
This BBC series looks at the work taking place behind the scenes in order to conserve the old and fascinating objects residing in the Victoria and Albert museum in London.
Image: Frieze detail from internal courtyard showing Queen Victoria in front of the 1851 Great Exhibition (CC use)
INTERACTIVE
EXPLORE VERMEER'S
'THE MILKMAID'
Image: Johannes Vermeer, The Milk Maid, 1657-58. Public domain image.
One of many 'in-painting tours' from the National Gallery.
INTERACTIVE
EXPLORE FRIDA KAHLO'S CASA AZUL
Photographs of Casa Azul (by Rod Waddington) and Kahlo's easel and wheelchair. All CC.
Explore the different rooms of Kahlo's Blue House on the outskirts of Mexico City, with this virtual tour. Kahlo spent her childhood here and the latter part of her life when she was unable to travel.