When I was writing the article about free virtual tours of art museums in Europe, I realized that there are so many other wonderful European museums with free virtual tours and collections available online, so I immediately decided I would dedicate an article to them too.
These 30 non-art European museums offer free virtual tours and online collections, making it easy to explore them from the comfort of your home. From natural history and technology to fashion, food, ships, vikings, cars, and more, these virtual experiences are educational, entertaining, and absolutely free.
I am including below personal favorites – museums I visited live – but also many museums I discovered – like you will through this article – online.
I chose to include museums from different domains so that you can find something of interest to you.
These free virtual tours of museums are great ways to discover the world, the past and the present, to learn something (or teach, as kids can learn too) and, best of all, they can be visited and re-visited for as many times as you want, completely free.
As I mentioned in the article focused on European art museums with free virtual tours, there are different purposes for an online tour and these tours complement visiting a museum in person. More than that, sometimes these museums are very far from us and having access to their online collection is the only way to visit them. And I for one am very grateful that I can do that!
So let’s see my 30 non-art European museums with free virtual tours.
30 Fascinating Non-Art Museums in Europe You Can Visit Online for Free
1. Deutsches Museum, Munich (Germany)
I am opening this article with a museum I visited last year, a museum both my son and I loved: Deutsches Museum, Munich – you can read here my article with everything you need to know before visiting the Deutsches Museum, Munich.
This is one of the largest museums of science and technology in the world – a day was not enough for us to explore it thoroughly!
I’m inviting you to discover exhibits ranging from mining and aerospace to astronomy and chemistry in the official virtual tour here https://virtualtour.deutsches-museum.de/?site=853557939357960&vlon=1.73&vlat=0.02&fov=100.0&image=1997495815397580
Google Arts and Culture has also this museum included – here: https://artsandculture.google.com/story/explore-the-deutsches-museum-from-home/_wVBDXWuHggILw?hl=en
2. Natural History Museum, London, UK
Next on my list of European museums virtual tours is the Natural History Museum in London.
So I am inviting you to step into a world of ancient fossils, glittering gemstones, and towering dinosaurs. The museum offers several virtual tours including Hintze Hall with the iconic blue whale skeleton: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit/virtual-museum.html – there are 13 ways to explore from home!
3. Viking Ship Museum, Oslo, Norway
My husband loves Norway, so you can easily understand why a museum from this country is the third on this list of free virtual tours museums in Europe.
This museum is home to the best-preserved Viking ships in the world, plus artifacts from Viking tombs. The online site includes 3D scans and virtual exhibitions – you can visit them here: https://viking.tv/tv/cultural-partners/the-viking-ship-museum and see details about the collection here: https://www.vikingtidsmuseet.no/english/the-collection/
4. Museum of Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium
Famous for its collection of Iguanodon dinosaur skeletons, but offering also vital information and items on evolution, biodiversity, and the human body, the Museum of Natural Sciences has virtual tours available via Google here: https://artsandculture.google.com/story/a-short-360%C2%B0-guided-tour-royal-belgian-institute-of-natural-sciences/lAXR5ogqdyqGJg?hl=en. Details about the exhibitions are here: https://www.naturalsciences.be/en/museum/exhibitions-activities
5. Museum of the History of Science, Oxford, UK
This museum houses an extraordinary collection of early scientific instruments, including Einstein’s blackboard and astrolabes from the Islamic world.
You can find out more about the collections here https://hsm.ox.ac.uk/collections and you can explore it 3d here https://v21artspace.com/museum-of-the-history-of-science – as a fun note: when I wanted to go to a different level, I ended up in the wall :)) I moved and got back to the stairs and then got to the right floor, but it put a smile on my face!
6. The British Museum, London, UK
Yes, there are several museums from the UK on this list. But this is only because their collections are great and there are available tours online.
So if you want to get a comprehensive timeline of human civilization, check out this museum. With over two million years of human history and culture, the British Museum’s virtual platform organizes artifacts chronologically and geographically.
You can see here the official details on how to explore the museum online – tour, collections, podcast, and more – https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/how-explore-british-museum-home and here is an extra virtual tour available: https://360stories.com/London/story/the-british-museum
7. Acropolis Museum, Athens, Greece
I got from the UK to Greece in just a second 🙂 And you can too! And you will love the experience!
Athens’ stunning museum offers virtual access to ancient Greek sculptures, architectural elements, and everyday artifacts.
I included above indoor museums, but I love outdoor museums too. Archaeological sites are amazing!
There are several virtual tours available here https://www.theacropolismuseum.gr/en/multimedia#apps and prepare to spend at least half an hour here: https://www.acropolisvirtualtour.gr/ I loved walking this site!
8. National Archaeological Museum, Naples, Italy
From Greece, I moved to Italy for another amazing archaeological museum with free virtual tours.
This museum houses extraordinary treasures recovered from the ash-preserved Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Their virtual tour https://www.namuseum.gr/en/digital-virtual-tour-for-persons-with-mobility-impairment-or-hard-of-hearing-individuals-in-the-context-of-the-national-archaeological-museum-action-plan-for-people-with-disabilities/ highlights everyday Roman life through preserved mosaics, frescoes, and household items. You simply have to use the zoom option to see the items up close. I loved it!
Another link is this one: https://artsandculture.google.com/story/explore-the-national-archaeological-museum-of-naples/xwWh9Tju8Vkcrw?hl=en
9. The National Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
I do not even know where to begin the presentation of this museum.
I would have to start by mentioning that Denmark’s premier museum offers exceptional virtual access to one of Europe’s finest collections of prehistoric and Viking artifacts.
And then I am giving you a link: https://en.natmus.dk/museums-and-palaces/the-national-museum-of-denmark/exhibitions/ but also a heads up: prepare for a looooong visit on their website.
On the right side, you have their exhibitions. As you click on each one, you will see that almost all of them have virtual tours available!
I told you you will need time exploring this!
PS an extra link: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/national-museum-of-denmark
10. Royal Armouries, Tower of London, UK
And now, to a different domain! See how amazing touring museums online can be?
Royal Armouries is a specialized museum, and it offers detailed virtual access to one of the world’s most comprehensive collections of arms and armor. There are several virtual tours available – and you can find them all here: https://royalarmouries.org/leeds/3d-virtual-tour . Enjoy (hopefully, as much as I did!)
11. Museo Galileo, Florence, Italy
ID 333344978 | Museum © Menno Van Der Haven | Dreamstime.com
Another interesting discovery I made online is Museo Galilei. This specialized museum houses an important collection of scientific instruments, including Galileo’s telescopes and the preserved finger of the great scientist himself.
Their virtual platform demonstrates how these historic instruments functioned. Here are the links: https://www2.museogalileo.it/en/library-and-research-institute/projects/virtual-exhibitions/2702-palazzo-vecchio-maps-room.html and the link to the catalogue and more opportunities for this museum: https://catalogue.museogalileo.it/index.html?_ga=2.8003634.1687375326.1747150795-1720370375.1747150795 and, finally, the last link:https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/museo-galileo
12. Imperial Carriage Museum, Vienna, Austria
Welcome to a royal trip back in time! I love carriages and I always include them on my trips.
The good news is that we can all admire the ones from this Viennese collection. This stunning museum houses the grand fleet of Habsburg court vehicles – carriages, sleds, litters, and a 1914 court automobile. Highlights include the gilded coronation coach and Empress Elisabeth’s personal landaulet.
Virtual access via Google Arts & Culture here https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/the-museum-of-carriages-schonbrunn-palace
13. Electropolis Museum, Mulhouse, France
I admit I did not know this museum before discovering it online. But it is very interesting and it allows you to trace the electrifying history of power through virtual Sulzer-BBC machinery tours.
On the official website I found several exhibitions and items presented (not a virtual tour: photos + explanations – still interesting!) https://www.musee-electropolis.fr/en/edf/exhibitions-collections and here I found 2 virtual tours too https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/museum-edf-%C3%A9lectropolis
14. Tallinn City Museum, Estonia
I always include a visit to a museum about the city – or country – I am visiting. I discovered that you can virtually wander through medieval Tallinn via Google Arts & Culture Street View https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/tallinn-city-museum. There are 3 tours:
- City Life Museum https://artsandculture.google.com/streetview/tallinn-city-museum/0AFkLcCtYYAHcg?sv_lng=24.748136693030702&sv_lat=59.43870323053607&sv_h=210.85&sv_p=0&sv_pid=uUN4LEzbZDMAsIT5_6mv2Q&sv_z=1.0000000000000002
- Kiek in de Kök https://artsandculture.google.com/streetview/kiek-in-de-kok/rgHPcCh_0ny7lw?sv_lng=24.74132687491783&sv_lat=59.43475252492553&sv_h=156.55&sv_p=-13.299999999999997&sv_pid=fIRqZCS97JDMUBU2uqBJAg&sv_z=1 and
- The House of Peter the Great https://artsandculture.google.com/streetview/peeter-i-majamuuseum/0gGVj5wFC0hmgQ?sv_lng=24.79623242322191&sv_lat=59.43764540823388&sv_h=310.83&sv_p=-13.299999999999997&sv_pid=JjEuWDZWBmccmXJ2eDsM2A&sv_z=1
15. National Air and Space Museum of France – Paris
With this museum, we are stepping into the beautiful world of flying. France’s Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace lets you pan 360° around Le Bourget’s vast hangars, sliding past the supersonic Concorde, Ariane launch vehicles and WW-I biplanes. I have for you 2 links. The first one is this – https://www.museeairespace.fr/en/collections/ . You click on each item and you get a lot of information and, below, a 360degrees tour and, for some exhibits, a video.
The second link is to the French version, where you have immersive walkthroughs such as “Verdun, la guerre aérienne” and “Trois pilotes, une guerre” https://www.museeairespace.fr/en/collections/ .
16. Roman Baths, Bath, UK
Tucked in the heart of Bath, this ancient Roman complex is quite fascinating. I honestly love their website, especially the walkthrough, because it allows any visitor to learn instantly about this complex and the Roman baths. https://www.romanbaths.co.uk/walkthrough
The 3d tour is here https://goo.gl/maps/573LM6ne2c12
17. Old Operating Theatre & Herb Garret, London, UK
Housed in a cramped Georgian church attic in Southwark, the Old Operating Theatre & Herb Garret transports you back to 1822. You can see surgical instruments, medicine, herbs, and even a very interesting short movie about a female skeleton and what it reveals about the woman’s life and body.
This was a very nice surprise for me – to find this small museum online. You can visit it too from your home by accessing https://my.merlin360tours.co.uk/en/tour/oldoperatingtheatre – from the Menu in the top right corner, next to the three horizontal lines, you can change the rooms and exhibitions.
18. The Air Museum, Portugal
Museu do Ar, Portugal, located at Sintra Air Base, with additional exhibition spaces in Ovar and Alverca. If you like airplanes, you will like this museum. And, until you are able to see all the amazing airplanes in person, you can see them online!
There are two virtual tours: The Air Museum in Sintra with this nice virtual tour https://museudoar.pt/vvmusar/ and The Air Museum in Alverca with this free virtual tour https://museudoar.pt/vvmusaralvercaenglish/
19. MAUTO – Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile, Turin, Italy
ID 232093482 | Museum © Santiago Rodríguez Fontoba | Dreamstime.com
I kept the original name of this museum because I like the acronym. If you want to see 200 original cars from 80 brands and to learn more about the automobile, this is the place for you.
I did not know about this museum prior to working on this article, so it was a nice surprise for me. The museum has cars both old and new, including Formula 1 cars! And, when you click on an item in the collection (available online here https://www.museoauto.com/en/collection/) you get more than a photo and a make and model: you get complete details!
Take a free tour here https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/museo-nazionale-dell-automobile
20. The Deutsches Röntgen-Museum
In Remscheid-Lennep, the birthplace of Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, the Deutsches Röntgen-Museum traces the story of his groundbreaking discovery of X-rays in 1895. Through original equipment, early fluoroscopes, and a recreated 19th-century lab, the museum offers an interactive journey into the invisible world that revolutionized science and medicine.
As fun as an interactive museum for an in-person visit is, if you cannot go there, you can still roam through the museum through the virtual guide. https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/deutsches-roentgen-museum and the tour https://artsandculture.google.com/streetview/german-r%C3%B6ntgen-museum/wgGlrH7ziF3Eug?sv_lng=7.259653652915722&sv_lat=51.1937824685918&sv_h=115.69&sv_p=-13.299999999999997&sv_pid=A0jnwvvYqWQAAARAtEWUcQ&sv_z=0.9999999999999997
21. Parlamentarium, Brussels, Belgium
Would you like to visit the European Parliament? Then I have good news for you, as it is accessible online – and I have to say that I love the way you can visit it online! Not only can you explore it with a 360° virtual tour, but the tour also includes videos where a person (your guide) explains everything about the Parliament (from decorations, rooms, a bit of history, and more.)
You have a Personal Multimedia Guide (PMG) and that makes a difference, trust me! Access it in English here https://360-experience.digital-journey.europarl.europa.eu/#/en (there are tours in other languages available, you can find them with an online search)
22. The National Museum of Computing, Bletchley, UK
Prepare to step back in time through the fascinating world of computers. This museum, houses, according to the official website, “the world’s largest collection of functional historic computers and World War II machines, including Enigma, Lorenz”, and many more!
And we all have the chance to visit it online https://mpembed.com/show/?details=1&ga=UA-32443811-1&hdir=2&m=pq6v8gMmxMw&mdir=3&minimap=2&minimaptags=0
23. Museo della Radiologia, Palermo, Italy
Yes, another radiology museum (there are four in Europe) – Museo della Radiologia was open in 1995 and has some really interesting exhibits.
You can check them online here: ground floor https://artsandculture.google.com/streetview/museum-entrance/vQHbwwZse07rdg?sv_lng=13.359522914429593&sv_lat=38.1054224534817&sv_h=119.4688829253116&sv_p=-16.344798477995425&sv_pid=doVgZyGYV80AAARF8_9Ngw&sv_z=1 and the other exhibition here: https://artsandculture.google.com/streetview/second-floor/EwG-fOhZh5fXrQ?sv_lng=13.359439363430452&sv_lat=38.10534595181983&sv_h=198.81&sv_p=-13.299999999999997&sv_pid=aqJKVXBhRdUAAARF8_9NYQ&sv_z=0.9999999999999997
24. Postal Museum & Mail Rail, London, UK
ID 375282256 | Museum © Alexkane1977vi | Dreamstime.com
The Postal Museum & Mail Rail reveals a secret subterranean world where miniature trains once zipped beneath London, moving millions of letters in silence.
Its virtual experience takes you on a narrated ride through these historic tunnels, enriched with rare archival footage that brings the city’s hidden postal network to life. Yes, this is a different virtual tour – as it has videos and it is narrated – but it is quite a fascinating journey to take from the comfort of your home. I for one loved it! https://vimeo.com/407574682
25. Natural History Museum Vienna, Austria
This museum is home to several unique items – and has a rich collection. I was very happy to find a virtual tour of it to show it to you – https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/natural-history-museum-vienna alongside the collection
26. The Berlin Museum of Musical Instruments, Berlin, Germany
While we cannot interact with them, this museum has musical instruments of European art music from the 16th to the 21st century. The collection and 2 virtual tours are here https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/musikinstrumenten-museum
27. The National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo Da Vinci of Milan
There are many items exhibited at this museum and included in the online collection, but my main recommendation for visiting this museum online is that you can get inside a submarine! Yes, there a virtual tour dedicated to the submarine – along with a second virtual tour dedicated to railways – both here https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/museo-nazionale-della-scienza-e-della-tecnologia-leonardo-da-vinci
28. National Coach Museum, Lisbon, Portugal
ID 51297215 | Museum © Steirus | Dreamstime.com
Set inside a bright riverside hall, Lisbon’s National Coach Museum brings history to life with royal coaches and papal carriages shimmering in gold and rich velvet. Yes, a second carriage museum in this article, but there are wonderful exhibits here, so I am recommending you this museum.
There are 2 free virtual tours – you can find them here https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/national-coach-museum
29. Bank of England, London, UK
The Bank of England Museum takes you behind the scenes of Britain’s financial heart, from 17th-century handwritten ledgers to a gold bar you can lift – on a live tour. Its free online tours (audio!) reveal rare banknotes, security secrets, and the evolution of money. There are 3 tours, watch with different chapters, which is why, even if they are not virtual tours per se, I am still recommending them to you.
You can find the audio guides here:
- The Future of Money https://app.smartify.org/en-GB/tours/the-future-of-money
- Slavery and the Bank https://app.smartify.org/en-GB/tours/slavery-the-bank
- Highlights tour https://app.smartify.org/en-GB/tours/bank-of-england-museum-highlights-tour
30. Škoda Museum
Škoda Auto dates back to 1895, and the online museum showcases this impressive history.
There are many guides and tours, only they are more video than virtual tours. Still, an impressive brand with an impressive background, so definitely worth sharing this museum with you: https://museum.skoda-auto.com/en/museum-online
Conclusion
Europe has a lot to offer to all museum lovers. We have a long, interesting history and culture – and the museums in Europe are a testimony of that. They also help all visitors learn more about the world in its entirety.
I included in this article many amazing museums that offer a chance to anyone interested to view their collections online (either on their official websites or in partnership with Google Art and Culture) as well as free virtual tours.
I tried to offer you museums from all areas – from cars to airplanes and old, royal and imperial carriages, from science to dinosaurs, from medical instruments and information to ancient Greece. I hope you like them 🙂
Photo sources (in order of appearance, APART from those from dreamstime): 1 my photo, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
