Paris (AFP)

Visits, podcasts, quizzes, series: closed due to coronavirus, the museums, from the Louvre to the Pompidou, from the Quai Branly to Versailles, rely on their virtual offer so that French people in confinement can access their treasures.

"There is hope that the wealth of this offer in a situation of containment will generate new sustainable forms of cultural consumption, and reach new audiences," said Serge Lasvignes, president of the Center Pompidou.

You can virtually revisit the major modern and contemporary art exhibitions at the Pompidou in the company of the curators, listen to thematic series such as "Art and feminism", "Art and therapy". A web series, "My Eye", is offered to children from 5 years old.

The Louvre, the most visited museum in the world with nearly 10 million visitors per year, has a multiplied offer online, with videos and podcasts on its website www.louvre.fr and via social networks with #LouvreChezVous and #MuseumFromHome.

Children can follow the episodes of the cartoon "1 mn at the museum" which decrypts his flagship works. The Louvre site, which recorded 22 million visits in 2019, announces "more discoveries to come next week".

Confinement "is an opportunity to discover Versailles differently", announces the most visited castle in France - also with 10 million visitors per year - which offers quizzes, readings, music, videos, audio tours.

The most successful product is "VersaillesVR", which allows you to visit the entire château from your sofa, with angles that you could never have when you walk around the rooms: you end up on the stage of the 'Royal Opera or in the bed of the Sun King.

Five episodes of a video series "Astonishing Versailles" reveal unusual aspects of Versailles in the past: how we celebrated Christmas there, how we warmed up there ...

The Musée du Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac also showcases its primary art collections with tens of thousands of online resources, while the Musée d'Orsay is one of the pioneers in online content for young audiences .

Small institutions are not to be outdone. In Paris, the Giacometti Institute is setting up new online activities for its exhibitions, as well as interactive workshops, courses, conferences, cinema, etc.

All of these museums are mobilizing the wealth of their free digital offer as part of the program launched by the Ministry of Culture: #CultureChezNous.

jlv / ial // cbn

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