Art of staying home: The world's greatest artworks online

Leave the queues behind – the world's greatest artworks look almost as good online. Rob Sharp takes a virtual tour

After navigating your way around the Louvre's laby- rinthine corridors, you eventually drag your culturally-overexposed frame into the Mona Lisa Room. Jostled, blocked and parried by tourists, you glimpse a sliver of a woman's forehead. You wish you'd stayed in the hotel.

Viewing art doesn't have to be so uncivilised. Forget the long-haul hassle, or even, leaving your own living room: pursue an of-the-moment, culturally rich "staycation" by visiting galleries online. It's a superior experience, say some.

"There can often be a problem with glare, or getting close enough to the top of a work if it's pretty tall," says Rosie Spencer of The Art Newspaper. "People might see online art as something to dip into before going to see the physical work itself; for many without the ability to travel it could be their only opportunity to see it."

Armchair aesthetes, grab your mouse.

Click here to launch the guide