Google's Street View cameras have finally reached the great art museums of the world in Art Project. The Tate, the MOMA, National Gallery, State Hermitage, and even the Van Gogh are among seventeen museums that you can now wander virtually through, much as you would a street corner in Google Earth, although this time without the passerby blocking the view. The view is important because you're not just getting a brief tour or a layout in order to plan a real world visit, the paintings themselves have been scanned for an impressive brushstroke-level of zoomed exploration. More than 400 works by masters are reproduced in 7 billion pixel high-resolution for you to pan and zoom, just click on the plus symbol next to each one.

Other features include Youtube Visitor's Guides for each museum and a collection mode where you can pick and save your favourite pieces from across different locations, making it easier to return to the ones you love or need for study. Every painting has it's own information profile with related media, viewing notes, and links to more works by the same artist. Once you have a collection built up, you can then add your own comments and share it with friends for their own feedback. Many museums prohibit visitors from taking pictures, perhaps Google's Art Project will help become a more useful substitute. 

What's missing at this point are the sculptures, the Museum Kampa has so many such curiosities, it's hard to stroll through their cozy rooms and be unable to lean in closer for a better look. This is, of course, merely the beginning and no doubt Google will soon add 3D renders of physical objects too.

While several museums have taken the step to move their collections online for unique presentations, Anne Frank's home for example, Google's solution allows for museums across the world to potentially connect and share online exhibitions, creating histories and narratives that link pieces from one collection to another, delivering greater value to those subjects. For now it's an excellent way to take a trip from your desktop, to escape the winter, relax, and enlighten your view.