I am back again with another History From Afar post for you! As someone who lives in the middle of Canada and therefore quite distant from the historical sites and museums that I would love to visit, I have to get more creative with finding ways to enjoy history. Perhaps you also live at a great distance. You might be on a tighter budget, or these sites may not be physically accessible for you. In any case, many of us are limited. In this History From Afar: Online Exhibitions post, I will be sharing how you can find and enjoy online exhibitions.
Online Exhibitions- They Are Not the Same…
Before I get into the meat of this post, I have to state the obvious: No, online exhibitions are not the same as visiting in-person. I and every person who has visited an exhibition in a museum and “visited” one online know the difference. If you are going to say “well, I prefer in-person exhibitions, online just isn’t the same”, this is not the post for you. You very well might be better placed to visit exhibitions in person but not all of us have that luxury. For many of us, online exhibitions that are different are better than no exhibitions at all.
Where to Find Online Exhibitions
One of the few positives of the pandemic was many museums, historic sites, and cultural organisations moving online. For a year plus some, exhibitions, talks, and more were all hosted online where any of us could enjoy them. Unfortunately, most organisations have moved entirely back to in-person operations. (I absolutely understand that it takes time, staff, and resources to host things online, but even one exhibition a year would be nice.) While we are now limited for new online exhibitions, there are still some museums and organisations that are creating them.
Canadian History Museum
The Canadian History Museum has nearly one hundred different online exhibitions, many where they have partnered with other organisations. Obviously, several of the exhibitions focus on Canadian history, but many extend beyond Canadian confines- you will find Ancient Egypt, fashion history, and more online here.
National Museums Liverpool
National Museums Liverpool have created virtual tours of all of their galleries, allowing you to enjoy these exhibitions from home. They also have transcripts available for the audio clips included for any who needs or wants them. (Yes, there is a Titantic exhibition for anyone interested!)
The Smithsonian
The Smithsonian Institute has many past and present exhibitions from several different museums staged online. Like the Canadian History Museum, many of these are focused on American history and related topics but not all.
Bata Shoe Museum
The Bata Shoe Museum remains one of my favourite museums to visit in Toronto. However, the BSM is not only for those in Toronto to enjoy- they have several online exhibitions that anyone can enjoy from home. Unshockingly, my favourite online exhibition is looking
Google Arts and Culture
Google Arts and Culture is a fantastic online repository of thousands of exhibitions, museums, performances, and more. You can tour exhibitions, read essays, and play games while exploring history and culture. There are some notable institutions involved, including the British Museum.
If you are interested in fashion history, I have multiple posts rounding up the best online exhibitions from 2020 and 2021! (You can click on each image to go to that post.)
How to Find Online Exhibitions
Of course, the list above of online exhibitions is not exhaustive. There are a few ways that I’ve found to be most effective in finding new exhibitions to enjoy.
-Follow your favourite museums, sites, and organisations on social media. This is where they will be announced!
-Make sure to look into smaller museums and groups- more often than not, they host online exhibitions whereas the larger museums don’t need to bother.
-Do not be afraid to inquire with museums if they have/will have anything online- the worst thing that happens is they say no.
-In addition to the museums themselves, follow museum associations and groups on social media- they often help share information about new exhibitions.
-If nothing else, googling “online exhibition + TOPIC” is usually a great place to start. (It seems basic, but basic does not necessarily mean bad.)
The History From Afar Series
If you missed the previous posts in my History From Afar series:
Intro: History From Afar – The full details on the series!
History From Afar: Books– How and where to find free and affordable history books!
History From Afar: Online History Talks– How and where to find free and paid online history talks!
I hope that History From Afar: Online Exhibitions has been helpful for you- happy history-ing!
Cheers,
The Historian
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