Tour Buckingham Palace, the Sistine Chapel, and Other Attractions, With VR Experiences From Home

With over 775 rooms, the formidable Buckingham Palace has been the official royal residence since 1873, when Queen Victoria moved in. (The core of the current palace, Buckingham House, dates back to 1703 when it was built for the Duke of Buckingham.) Today, Buckingham Palace is one of London’s most popular tourist sites, but you don’t need a ticket to go on the official royal virtual tour. Admire the ornate Grand Staircase designed by architect John Nash for King George IV, as well as the dazzling White Drawing Room, the Blue Drawing Room, and the Throne Room, which you’ll recognize from Will and Kate’s official royal wedding photos.

Even if you’re lucky enough to have seen Michelangelo’s masterpiece in person, it’s hard to appreciate the detailed splendor of the ceiling fresco from ground level and amongst crushing crowds. However, with the Vatican Museum’s virtual tour, it’s easy to get a sense of what it would be like to experience this seminal Renaissance work of art—and the Pope’s personal chapel—without any distractions. Also, on the Vatican Museum site, explore 360-degree views of the Vatican’s Raphael Room, which also can be experienced via a VR headset for a more immersive take.

Though you can’t see the Great Wall Of China from the moon (a common misconception), you can see it virtually thanks to The China Guide, a Beijing-based travel agency that offers virtual tours of the 2,500-year-old structure, on their website. The virtual tour includes about 6 miles of the wall running from Jinshanling to Simatai, and also shows off watchtower views and even a winter scene.

Best known for its sunset-hued cliffs and the surrealist bowls and spires of its natural amphitheater, Utah’s Bryce Canyon National Park is nothing short of a national treasure. Google Arts & Culture’s online tour (best experienced with the sound turned on) offers epic views from the park’s Sunset Point. Bryce Canyon is only one National Park covered by Google Arts & Culture; you can also go for a virtual hike through the National Parks of Alaska, Hawaii, New Mexico, and Florida.

Set in the bohemian neighborhood of Coyoacán just outside of Mexico City, the electric cobalt blue Casa Azul—birthplace and once-residence of art world it-girl Frida Kahlo—is consistently packed with flower-crowned free spirits and creative devotees from around the world. Take a peek inside via Museo Frida Kahlo and marvel at Kahlo’s highly emotive personal artifacts, like her canopied bed, which features in several of her spellbinding, mystical works, including The Dream (The Bed).

Named after the desert-red sandstone monolith Uluru and the lesser-known (but equally impressive) lunar-like domed rock formations Kata Tjuta, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Parkis known for its otherworldly scenery. See for yourself on Parks Australia’s virtual tour, created in collaboration with Google Story Spheres, which blends 360-degree panoramas with informational and background audio for a sensory experience.

Go on a virtual safari in the wild bush of northern Kenya with Google Street View. Created in partnership with Save the Elephants (and with the support of the Samburu County Government), this ground-level virtual game drive lets you explore Samburu National Reserve, including the arid plains on the banks of the Ewaso Ng'iro River, which is home to many African bush elephant families, as well as big cats like lions, cheetah, and African leopards.

Attracting around 8 million visitors per year, the Taj Mahal is India’s most popular tourist destination and it doesn’t disappoint. Constructed in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, there is no such thing as a bad view of this white marble masterpiece. Explore the exquisitely detailed nooks and crannies of the interior and exterior via Google Art & Culture, which also delivers dizzying bird’s eye views.