International Museum Day—Let’s visit London museums online!

The International Museum Day is held on 18 May every year and was established by ICOM (International Council of Museums) on 18 May, 1977.

Every International Museum Day has its special theme which reflects some social problems occurred in recent years. This year's theme is "Museums for Equality: Diversity and Inclusion".

Museums are also the embodiment of the country's cultural heritage. The all-encompassing culture relics and works of art in the exhibition hall have gone through thousands of years, and finally gather here, making unique scenery.

The museum is the eye of a city, giving people a glimpse into her soul. As the annual International Museum Day approaches, every city with row upon row of museums wants to show their unique souls to those who pass by.

As a city known for its diversity and inclusiveness, London's cultural status and influence are globally indisputable. There are nearly 200 museums in London, large or small, many of which are world-renowned. Whether they are cultural relics that bears witness to history, or contemporary art that documents social development, this city which combines classics and fashion perfectly will use her profound museum culture to tell the advancement and prosperity of human civilization.

The richness of London museums may be far beyond your imagination—in addition to the comprehensive National Museum, there are a wide range of themed museums, profession museums, celebrity museums, private-owned museums, etc. and the exhibition content and themes of each museum involve humanities and geography, religion and philosophy, music and painting, science and technology ... Beside the traditional displays and exhibitions, museums use the latest technology to applicate better interaction and create a better and more personal experience for the visitors.

In the special time of the current pandemic, in order to present museums to people in a different way, the majority of London's museums have accelerated the digital process and transformation, they have launched their own online platforms, online exhibitions, so that people can explore their favorite museums without stepping out of their rooms.

The British Museum

——Immersive experience with the history at hand

Prestigious National Museum of England, as the one of the world's four major museums located near Russell Square in London, England. The British Museum is founded in 1753, it’s the world's oldest and most magnificent comprehensive museum.

Until today, the British Museum not only has a 92,000 square metre exhibition space, but also a warehouse with nearly 22,000 square metres for the unexhibited collection. The museum has a collection of more than 8 million pieces, and the actual exhibition in the museum is less than 1% of the total collection, the variety is extensive and number is staggering.

The British Museum has launched a "virtual museum tour" that not only brings people directly into the museum through Google Street View, viewers can also tour the major exhibition halls without leaving home, and download the official audio guide, providing you an all-round tour.

London Science Museum

——Education for fun, learning knowledge while playing games

The Science Museum, founded in 1857, is a comprehensive museum integrating natural sciences, science and technology, astronomy, and mathematics. Its broadness is second to none in the world.

There are 70 exhibition rooms in the museum which contains about 200,000 items, and is divided into 7 floors. Here you can see the clock of the 14th century , the steam engines and trains of the early 18th century, tractors and combine harvesters of the early 19th century, the first general-purpose computer, the lunar module and the return module invented in the mid-20th century, etc. It visually shows the progress the proud mankind has made to the world.

The online learning platform of the London Science Museum now not only offers a virtual tour, but also launched 5 mini games for students. The screen production is full of science and technology, ensuring playability while including the knowledge of science and design.

Design Museum

——Online classroom for you

The London Design Museum located in South Kensington was founded in 1989. As the world's first design-themed museum, its pavilion is designed by world-renowned architectural designers. The exhibition covers Innovations, concepts, technology and craftsmanship in products, industry, graphics, fashion and architectural design, and the ubiquitous impact of design on our lives.

It is worth mentioning that the new site with the adjacent V & A Museum, Natural History Museum, Science Museum and Serpentine Galleries together made the top museum communities in the world, which also won the "European Museum Award" in 2018.

Design Museum also hosts an annual designing exhibition Designs of the Year, which brings together cutting-edge designs from all fields, and one of the criteria for the selection is whether the work is aesthetic and diverse, at mean time, also improves people's quality of life by solving problems.

London Design Museum also launches a virtual online museum. Unlike other museums, Design Museums focuses on an interactive experience. It not only has a large amount of online creative workshops, but also online design courses suitable for all ages, encouraging design enthusiasts from different backgrounds to join them, so they can understand and learn about design together. You can also explore the beauty of classic design through the online archives section or look back at the museum's past large-scale exhibitions.

London Transport Museum

——Bing-watching and museum visiting

London Transport Museum is a museum on the theme of London's public transport development, it’s founded in London's Covent Garden in 1980.

The museum's collection dates back to 1920, back then it was called The Museum of British Transport. In 1980, it was moved to the current location “Covent Garden” and officially renamed London Transport Museum.

London Transport Museum houses London public transport at different times, including a wide range of buses, taxis, trolleybuses, trams and even train carriages, as well as transport promotion posters and staff uniforms from different periods.

London Transport Museum now offers various online themed exhibitions, particularly parent-child programm “Activities at home”. Here are scrabble games for mind, paper-cut models for hands, short stories for children, and so on, it’s perfect for the whole family to participate.

London's museums are closely connected with the spiritual needs of society and people with their diverse content and innovative means. Whether it's physical exhibitions or digital tours, London's museums are constantly being revolutionized to match the differences of every era, making them not only landmark buildings, but also beating hearts that connects mind and civilization.