Museums around the world are sharing their most zen art on social media to help people relax

Travel + Leisure
·5 min read

Even if you’re stuck at home, you deserve a little zen. As more and more schools, restaurants, and other public places shut down in order to combat the spread of coronavirus, people may find themselves extra anxious about this global outbreak. Of course, spending time alone at home 24/7 probably doesn’t do much to soothe your stress.

Since museums, in particular, are also closing their doors for the time being, these organizations are finding new ways to give a little culture to the public. Some have decided to offer online tours—like these 12 famous museums can you visit virtually—and some are posting as much uplifting content as they can on social media.

In order to help people ease their minds during uncertain times (and enjoy some art), the Museum of the City of New York decided to start the hashtag #MuseumMomentofZen on Twitter and Instagram to share imagery and artworks online in tiny doses.

Since starting the hashtag, over 75 museums (and counting) have followed suit, sharing beautiful artworks, photos of architecture, archival images, and even some videos of installations. And it’s not just art museums that are using the hashtag — natural history, science, and nature museums are also using it as well.

According to the Communications office for the Museum of the City of New York, the hashtag has garnered more than 25,000 likes. Museums across the U.S. (and even some international) have been continually posting incredible imagery. Establishments like The Met in New York City, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Field Museum in Chicago have been joined in.

If you’re starting to feel the stress of isolation while in self-quarantine, it might help to enjoy a little culture. Even if you can’t go outside, you can still feed your brain with works from classic and contemporary artists.

Take a look at some of our favorite posts from museums across the country. Check out the hashtag #MuseumMomentofZen on Twitter and Instagram to see even more amazing images. The museums are also posting with the hashtag #MuseumFromHome.

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Museums across the U.S. are sharing their #MuseumMomentofZen to bring a sense of calm to an otherwise stressful newsfeed. Inside @fordjourstudio’s SHELTER, we've found some light.⁣ ⁣ Click through the hashtag if you need a break, and for further respite, our galleries are open for a quiet place of solace.⁣ ⁣ _____⁣ #DerekFordjour, SHELTER, installation view, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, January 17–April 19, 2020. 📷: @dkessler #NowOnView #camstl

A post shared by CAM St. Louis (@camstl) on Mar 14, 2020 at 6:33am PDT

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Meditative plant art. This #mydbg photo was captured and edited by @nowellphotoworks. #museummomentofzen

A post shared by Denver Botanic Gardens (@denverbotanic) on Mar 15, 2020 at 4:50pm PDT

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We can't help but get lost in this landscape painting of Drumul Taberei by Romanian artist Ileana Radulescu (1909-1981). This work, from the 1960s, is part of the Wende Museum collection and is a picture-perfect #MuseumMomentOfZen 🌿 #WendeOnline

A post shared by The Wende Museum (@wendemuseum) on Mar 14, 2020 at 12:44pm PDT

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#MineralMonday Discovering fantastic minerals 💎 during the preparation of the upcoming #FromDarkToLightExhibition in October 2020: Fluorite (12x12 cm) from Seilles near Namur 🇧🇪 #MNHNLcollections #MuseumMomentofZen #fluorite #fluoritecrystal #mineralogy #minerals #mineral #naturalhistory #seilles_andenne #seilles

A post shared by natur musée (@naturmusee) on Mar 15, 2020 at 11:39pm PDT

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A mountain is a mountain again. #museummomentofzen Clyde Aspevig, Winter In Zion, 1987. Oil on canvas, 48 x 54 in. 88.6 F.

A post shared by The Rockwell Museum (@rockwellmuseum) on Mar 15, 2020 at 12:30pm PDT

This story originally appeared on TravelAndLeisure.com by Andrea Romano.