The Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum has expanded its digital offerings with an online guided tour that acts as a virtual stroll through its collection. For a 5 euro option, visitors can explore up to 15 masterpieces from the permanent collection in ultra-high definition, with narration provided by a museum expert. This new format makes it easy to experience world-class art from home while still receiving authoritative commentary and curatorial insight.
To meet the needs of a growing digital audience, the museum has rolled out a series of immersive virtual tours for both its permanent collection and temporary exhibitions. The virtual tour now puts the viewer in control, letting them choose a route and move from room to room, pausing at works that catch their eye. It’s designed to feel like a personal gallery visit, with the freedom to linger where interest peaks and skip past sections that are less compelling. This approach reflects the museum’s intent to blend accessibility with a curated, expert-driven experience.
There is also a complimentary version of the tour, often described as the introductory stroll, which guides viewers through select works from the collection. In this option, a museum expert provides narration in multiple languages, including Spanish and English, helping international visitors appreciate context, technique, and historical significance as they view the pieces from home.
The curator-selected pieces highlighted during the tour emphasize the lives and stories behind the works. For example, visitors might encounter Paul Gauguin’s Mata Mua and Domenico Ghirlandaio’s Portrait of Giovanna Tornabuoni, with expert notes about the artists, the era, and the cultural currents that shaped each painting. The museum explains the meaning, provenance, and stylistic traits of these works to deepen understanding and appreciation while guiding viewers through a meaningful narrative in the artwork’s own terms.
A third digital offering, a live guided virtual tour, targets corporate groups and organized sessions. These live events occur on specific dates, in real time, and can accommodate participants in several languages. The sessions cover fourteen distinct themes and are led by a trained museum guide who responds to questions and adapts the session to the group’s interests, providing an interactive, communal viewing experience that mirrors a traditional guided visit but with the convenience of virtual access. | Source attribution: The Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum.