Gone are the days when you had to spend on flight tickets to the Louvre Museum in Paris to marvel at Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. Thanks to technology, all it takes is the click of a button to experience artworks, sculptures, and artefacts placed in galleries around the globe. As people were stuck in their homes due to the pandemic-induced lockdown, weekend visits to museums also came to a halt.
In response to this, and to keep the interest in heritage alive, museums created innovative ways—virtual heritage walks, online tours, etc.,—with technology in the forefront. “Virtual museum tours enable tourists to explore the heritage from any place, at any point,” shares Saurav Bhaik, founder and CEO of Tagbin, a Gurugram-based technology company that designed the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya—the museum at Teen Murti celebrates former Indian Prime Ministers, and was inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi in April.
Among the museums that have taken the virtual route is Noida-based modern and contemporary museum Kiran Nadar Museum of Arts (KNMA); they have been organising virtual tours since 2020. “It is important to have the option of virtual tours to enable access for diverse audiences. It plays a big part in demystifying art and helps new viewers accustom themselves to the world of art from their own space,” shares Kiran Nadar, the founder.
Another space that also hopped on the digital bandwagon is the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Shershah Road. Post the pandemic, NGMA, which is under the Ministry of Culture, has been organising virtual exhibition viewings. “Our focus was to share physical exhibitions with people from all over the world,” explains Shashi Bala, Curator (Programmes), NGMA. Adwaita Gadanayak, the Director General of NGMA, adds, “During the pandemic, we wanted to take the museum to people’s homes. This was our way of providing simple pleasures during such a crisis.”
Art at your fingertips
During NGMA’s digital tours, the spectator can virtually view a painting and read about its origin in the description provided. KNMA offers an immersive experience through a 360 degree virtual view of the museum. This not only adds to the visual appeal, but also creates the experience of physically being in the museum. “The 360 degree aspect makes it user-friendly,” says Akanksha Rastogi, KNMA’s senior curator.
These digital spaces also inculcate in people an interest in art and culture. Bhaik elaborates, “Digitisation is a good way to disseminate India’s history and heritage in the most interesting ways.” Tagbin’s upcoming project is a great way to witness the use of digital innovation—by presenting the viewer with a virtual excavation site for Vadnagar, Gujarat.
An accessible endeavour
The paintings that are part of NGMA’s virtual tour are digitally linked with recordings of their history. “To make these tours inclusive, we have introduced voiceovers in regional languages. Along with English and Hindi, there is Marathi (for the Mumbai branch) and Kannada (for Bengaluru),” explains Bala.
Do virtual tours take away from completely indulging in art? Nadar concludes, “The important thing is how comfortable you are connecting with art. It is a personal preference, if the younger and new audiences prefer digital formats in art, then that should be encouraged.”
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