Author Archives: Luisella Mazza

Past and present female pioneers of science

The manifold contributions that women have made to the world of science are an undeniable part of humanity's history of scientific progress. And while more and more efforts are being made to ensure these heroines receive the credit and acknowledgement they are due, many of the female faces behind the inventions that shaped us all remain hidden.

This is why on the occasion of today’s International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we have opened up a whole new experience on Google Arts & Culture’s Women in Culture hub. We’d like to invite you to start your exploration by getting acquainted with five past and contemporary women of science that you should know:

Get inspired by many more women and girls in science on our Women in Culture hub and browse further to explore other fields beyond science in which female trailblazers made an impact; from civil rights to sports, from arts to fashion and much more on Google Arts & Culture and on our iOS and Android App.

If you know a woman in science, today is the day to celebrate them — although everyday should offer an opportunity to appreciate and highlight the achievements of women in the workplace and beyond. Check out the #IamRemarkable project to get inspired on how to make their voices heard.

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Surfacing women in science with the Smithsonian

As part of the ongoing collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and Google Arts & Culture, the Smithsonian is using new machine ...

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Explore millennia of human inventions in one exhibition

Now on Google Arts & Culture, you can explore a tribute to the stories of humanity’s greatest inventions and discoveries.

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A twist in the tale of the Italian Quirinale Palace

The Quirinale Palace in Rome is one of the world’s most renowned heritage sites. Once home to popes it has been the official residence of the President of the Italian Republic since 1946. However, using the words of said President, Sergio Mattarella, the Quirinale Palace is also the “Home of All Italians”. This is due to its importance for Italian political and institutional life, as well as its incomparable artistic and cultural heritage, representing the genius and creativity of Italians.

Google is proud to join forces with the office of the Italian Head of the State to invite everyone — Italians and people from all over the world — to make this place their home. But you wouldn’t want to call somewhere you’d never visited before “home”, right? So, put on your fancy clothes and let’s open the doors of this house together, courtesy of Google Arts & Culture’s new online experience.

Entering the Palace

Welcome to the Quirinale Palace: let’s begin. Before entering, you will spy the Courtyard of Honor (Cortile d'Onore), a large arcaded square with a harmonious appearance, the result of decades of work and passion. From here, we might stroll up the noble Staircase of Honor (Scalone d'Onore) where you will have access to the main rooms in the building. Marvel at the immense spaces all around you, with ornate frescos and adornments at every turn.

Hallways full of unexpected items

Let’s continue down the halls and experience even more uniqueness. Art can be so original, especially when it finds a way to relate to every age and interest! For astrology lovers or those just curious to delve deeper into a particular artwork, these hallways are lined with decorations where you can find your zodiac sign among beautiful astrological images. In doing so, you can feel part of something greater, and imagine others doing the same centuries ago. This theme continues with the furnishings: leaning against the walls are twelve armchairs made at the beginning of the 18th century by Andrea Brustolon, an artist described as the "Michelangelo of wood" by the one and only Honoré de Balzac.

Next, keep walking down the halls and chambers and you will soon notice a certain love for clocks and pendulums. In fact, the Quirinale Palace holds over 200 of them! Time really is a precious commodity and you won’t be able to forget it in this place. Home to hand made clocks and pendulums imported from all over the world, you can explore how they are cared for and repaired in the watchmaker’s laboratory. Get your clocks right by learning about how “telling time” has changed and trended in history.

  • A wheel shaped statue with the palace in the background

    The Quirinale Palace, seat of the Presidency of the Italian Republic, opens its door to everyone

  • A hallway with colorful marble floor and richly decorated painted walls and ceilings.

    Explore where the public life of the Palace takes place like the majestic Great Hall of Cuirassiers, where delegations have met for centuries

  • An abstract artwork depicting red, blue and green geometric forms

    Zoom into masterpieces and discover the incredible Quirinale collection, and the people that are taking care of them

  • Image of a forest on a sunny day.

    Walk more than 100 kilometers of unspoiled nature and learn about the wildlife preserved at Castelporziano Presidential Residency

  • Painting of a man standing on a richly decorated balcony.

    Discover an unexpected Qurinale and the lesser-known gems hidden in the Palace

The office where it all happens

Here we are. The moment has come to hop into the President’s office (no pictures with flash, please!) and uncover all the details that he works next to as he performs his duties, attends functions, and receives foreign guests and members of Parliament. Few know that, originally, when the Quirinale Palace was the seat of the Vatican, the lavishing room was the Pope's summer bedroom. During the Napoleonic restyling, it was used as the emperor's dining room and at the end of the 19th century, King Umberto I turned it into an office that linked to the bedroom in the adjoining Sala di Druso (Room of Drusus the Elder).

They’re only human

It was an eclectic group of people who lived — and live — in this Palace over the years. Here is one such example: the Savoy family, and other former habitants, used the Great Hall of the Cuirassiers, the largest of the rooms, as an indoor tennis court. At a point in time, it was also used as a skating rink for the entertainment of the Savoy princes. Which explains why, during some recent restorations, a tennis ball was found behind the tympanum (decorative arch) that tops the access portal of the Pauline Chapel, a space dedicated to Pope Paul V, who commissioned this and other large rooms at the South of the Palace.

A love for nature and its fruits

Last but not least, you will arrive at the beautiful outdoor gardens which you can also see through the Street View technology on Google Arts & Culture. You can also see the Porta Giardini, a nineteenth-century gate entering the Viale delle Palmen, bordered on both sides by twelve geometric flower beds with a rare and rich collection of tree species.

Your trip to the Quirinale Palace doesn’t end here! Browse over 1000 images, photoshoots of 13 artworks through Art Camera and more than 100 km of Street View digitizations in the Palace and President’s summer location in the woods, Castelporziano Residence.

Visit g.co/quirinale, or download Google Arts & Culture’s Android or iOS app to continue learning and having fun. And if this exhibition got you in the mood to see more of Italy and its beauties, embark on our other online experiences, such as a trip to Parma Capital of Culture 2020+21 .

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The grand tour of Italy: traveling through the past and present to define our future

We’ve reinterpreted the The Grand Tour of Italy through vivid exhibits and storytelling on Google Arts & Culture.

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Italy’s capital of culture: Parma

Meet Parma, an Italian beauty and Capital of Culture now online on Google Arts & Culture with its breathtaking heritage.

Read Article

A twist in the tale of the Italian Quirinale Palace

The Quirinale Palace in Rome is one of the world’s most renowned heritage sites. Once home to popes it has been the official residence of the President of the Italian Republic since 1946. However, using the words of said President, Sergio Mattarella, the Quirinale Palace is also the “Home of All Italians”. This is due to its importance for Italian political and institutional life, as well as its incomparable artistic and cultural heritage, representing the genius and creativity of Italians.

Google is proud to join forces with the office of the Italian Head of the State to invite everyone — Italians and people from all over the world — to make this place their home. But you wouldn’t want to call somewhere you’d never visited before “home”, right? So, put on your fancy clothes and let’s open the doors of this house together, courtesy of Google Arts & Culture’s new online experience.

Entering the Palace

Welcome to the Quirinale Palace: let’s begin. Before entering, you will spy the Courtyard of Honor (Cortile d'Onore), a large arcaded square with a harmonious appearance, the result of decades of work and passion. From here, we might stroll up the noble Staircase of Honor (Scalone d'Onore) where you will have access to the main rooms in the building. Marvel at the immense spaces all around you, with ornate frescos and adornments at every turn.

Hallways full of unexpected items

Let’s continue down the halls and experience even more uniqueness. Art can be so original, especially when it finds a way to relate to every age and interest! For astrology lovers or those just curious to delve deeper into a particular artwork, these hallways are lined with decorations where you can find your zodiac sign among beautiful astrological images. In doing so, you can feel part of something greater, and imagine others doing the same centuries ago. This theme continues with the furnishings: leaning against the walls are twelve armchairs made at the beginning of the 18th century by Andrea Brustolon, an artist described as the "Michelangelo of wood" by the one and only Honoré de Balzac.

Next, keep walking down the halls and chambers and you will soon notice a certain love for clocks and pendulums. In fact, the Quirinale Palace holds over 200 of them! Time really is a precious commodity and you won’t be able to forget it in this place. Home to hand made clocks and pendulums imported from all over the world, you can explore how they are cared for and repaired in the watchmaker’s laboratory. Get your clocks right by learning about how “telling time” has changed and trended in history.

  • A wheel shaped statue with the palace in the background

    The Quirinale Palace, seat of the Presidency of the Italian Republic, opens its door to everyone

  • A hallway with colorful marble floor and richly decorated painted walls and ceilings.

    Explore where the public life of the Palace takes place like the majestic Great Hall of Cuirassiers, where delegations have met for centuries

  • An abstract artwork depicting red, blue and green geometric forms

    Zoom into masterpieces and discover the incredible Quirinale collection, and the people that are taking care of them

  • Image of a forest on a sunny day.

    Walk more than 100 kilometers of unspoiled nature and learn about the wildlife preserved at Castelporziano Presidential Residency

  • Painting of a man standing on a richly decorated balcony.

    Discover an unexpected Qurinale and the lesser-known gems hidden in the Palace

The office where it all happens

Here we are. The moment has come to hop into the President’s office (no pictures with flash, please!) and uncover all the details that he works next to as he performs his duties, attends functions, and receives foreign guests and members of Parliament. Few know that, originally, when the Quirinale Palace was the seat of the Vatican, the lavishing room was the Pope's summer bedroom. During the Napoleonic restyling, it was used as the emperor's dining room and at the end of the 19th century, King Umberto I turned it into an office that linked to the bedroom in the adjoining Sala di Druso (Room of Drusus the Elder).

They’re only human

It was an eclectic group of people who lived — and live — in this Palace over the years. Here is one such example: the Savoy family, and other former habitants, used the Great Hall of the Cuirassiers, the largest of the rooms, as an indoor tennis court. At a point in time, it was also used as a skating rink for the entertainment of the Savoy princes. Which explains why, during some recent restorations, a tennis ball was found behind the tympanum (decorative arch) that tops the access portal of the Pauline Chapel, a space dedicated to Pope Paul V, who commissioned this and other large rooms at the South of the Palace.

A love for nature and its fruits

Last but not least, you will arrive at the beautiful outdoor gardens which you can also see through the Street View technology on Google Arts & Culture. You can also see the Porta Giardini, a nineteenth-century gate entering the Viale delle Palmen, bordered on both sides by twelve geometric flower beds with a rare and rich collection of tree species.

Your trip to the Quirinale Palace doesn’t end here! Browse over 1000 images, photoshoots of 13 artworks through Art Camera and more than 100 km of Street View digitizations in the Palace and President’s summer location in the woods, Castelporziano Residence.

Visit g.co/quirinale, or download Google Arts & Culture’s Android or iOS app to continue learning and having fun. And if this exhibition got you in the mood to see more of Italy and its beauties, embark on our other online experiences, such as a trip to Parma Capital of Culture 2020+21 .

Read Article

The grand tour of Italy: traveling through the past and present to define our future

We’ve reinterpreted the The Grand Tour of Italy through vivid exhibits and storytelling on Google Arts & Culture.

Read Article

Read Article

Italy’s capital of culture: Parma

Meet Parma, an Italian beauty and Capital of Culture now online on Google Arts & Culture with its breathtaking heritage.

Read Article

50 years of film with NFTS and Google Arts & Culture

What do Wallace and Gromit, Blade Runner and We Need to Talk About Kevin all have in common? Answer: they were each made possible by alumni from the prestigious National Film and Television School based in Beaconsfield, UK. 


The National Film and Television School (NFTS) is an internationally respected institution for education and creativity, launching the careers of many directors, producers, cinematographers, animators and more. Many of whom have gone on to become household names, and earn multipleBAFTAs and Oscars, makingNFTS the most awarded film school globally. To celebrate their 50th anniversary, for the first time in the school’s history, online audiences will be able to explore a new digital archive of over 200 graduate films from alumni of the school. 


Alongside the films, audiences can explore a series of stories, curated playlists and articles. As well as newer films are creations from names such as: Nick Park (Wallace and Gromit), Lynne Ramsay (We Need to Talk About Kevin), and Fantastic Beasts director David Yates. 

A gif featuring a clip of Wallace and Gromit, a black and white 16MM camera, two bears in a forest and a woman holding a flying machines

Introducing the Digital Archive

In collaboration with Google Arts & Culture, NFTS have curated an online Digital Archive that allows users to watch unseen films, hear from experts from the industry and enjoy carefully curated film playlists from the NFTS students.


The NFTS Digital Archive, launching in September, is a curated collection of over 200 graduate films taken from the NFTS vaults, with behind the scenes stills, trailers, original screenplays and recent interviews with NFTS filmmakers including Beeban Kidron (Oranges are not the only Fruit), Adrian Rhodes (Tomorrow Never Dies) and Anthony Chen (Ilo Ilo) plus many more. 

There is so much to learn from looking behind the scenes, hearing the filmmakers voice and analyzing each film scene by scene. Dr Jon Wardle
Director NFTS

The NFTS at 50

The NFTS Digital Archive is launching as part of the NFTS’ 50th Anniversary celebrations. To help mark the occasion, the release of NFTS at 50 is the result of over two years of work to digitize hundreds of tapes from the archive, bring together alumni for interviews, and bring it all together for audiences around the world to explore on Google Arts & Culture. 


The NFTS at 50 season, taking place at the British Film Institute in London throughout September, is a rare chance for audiences to see work from early on  in the careers of some of the most distinctive and successful voices from the NFTS including Roger Deakins (Blade Runner) and Clio Barnard (The Selfish Giant).


How to enjoy it online

You can access the entire archive now at:g.co/NFTS and discover stories and over 200 films celebrating the NFTS and their incredible half century. 


If you prefer a more guided experience you can explore films by theme, such as Films of Friendship that includes the animated Sleeping with Fishes or from Love Island to Love Gym the fitness dating show. If you are short on time, why not check out 4 shorts all under 10 minutes: Damned, The Alan Dimension, After and A Love Story?


So sit back and enjoy your very own Film Festival and explore more on the Google Arts & Culture app for iOS and Android.

A picture of a man in a driving helmet from Group B starring Richard Madden
10:25
Two polar bears around a fire (animation)
10:25
An illustration of cartoon characters in a yellow car from the film Anna Spud
10:25

Italy’s capital of culture: Parma

The cultural scope of the beautiful Italian Peninsula never ceases to amaze people all over the world. But the possibility of getting to know the traditions and peculiarities of many Italian gems has been drastically reduced since the pandemic hit. Among such treasures is Parma, a delicate city set in the very heart of Italy. Beyond being the capital of iconic food such as Parmigiano and Prosciutto, Parma is a city of incredible cultural heritage that gained the prestigious title of “Italian Capital of Culture for the year 2020” but had to put a year-long calendar of events on hold due to the pandemic. 

Eighteen months later, the city is ready to celebrate its cultural heritage with the world on Google Arts & Culture. The collaboration between the Municipality of Parma and Google brought online the work of 33 institutional partners in the Parma area, including over 17,000 images from the archives of the municipal museums, 30 places digitized with Street View and much more. It’s a  project of true cultural valorization that highlights the magic behind this city.

Travel to Italy from home and check out some of Parma’s wonders. Explore the masterpieces, enjoy the sound of music and get a taste of that Italian cuisine:


  1. Deep into a towering dome: Step inside and see the details of a 27-meters-high dome like you’ve never seen before and learn about the artist Correggio’s devotion to the Benedectine congregation.

  2. Get your artists in place: Thanks to the Google Art Camera, the online experience faithfully reproduces over 200 masterpieces by international artists such as Picasso, Francis Bacon, Goya, Monet and Tiziano Vecellio but also by Italian artists including Ligabue, De Chirico, Boccioni, Filippo Lippi and Parmigianino.

  3. 300,000 bamboo plants: Did you know Parma holds the largest existing labyrinth in the world? Labirinto della Masone was created by the visionary mind of Franco Maria Ricci. It is composed of 300,000 bamboo plants and is considered a magical place, all waiting to be discovered!  

  4. Music to your ears: The land of renowned musicians Verdi and Toscanini, Parma is a favorite destination for opera lovers, who can now immerse themselves in a collection of 10,000 stage photographs, sketches and posters from the newly digitized Casa della Musica(literally “House of Music) archives. Several museums are now online, with the goal of bringing the history of sound reproduction to all ears. 

  5. No stereotypes when it comes to food: Known worldwide for Parmigiano Reggiano, the digital hub also features the Parmigiano Reggiano Museum to discover all about the history of one of the world’s most loved cheeses. 

  6. Did you say Pasta?: “Pasta” is synonymous with Italy so of course the online hub also includes the famous Pasta Museum to virtually transport you from the wheat fields to the traditional Italian household to make pasta. Check it out to truly understand the role that this type of food has played and continues to play in gastronomy, art, culture and in the lives of people around the world.

  • The painting portrays a noblewoman from the 16th century with soft but rich tones. She is carrying a feathered fan. Her gaze is enigmatic and directed to the observer.

    Get to know the enigmatic noblewomanportrayed by Parmigianino, master of Mannerism.

  • The image is a full view of the fresco that decorates the Church's dome. 27-metres-high, surrounded by a golden light, the Second Coming of Christ is portrayed, surrounded by the Apostles.

    Zoom in and see the details of the San Giovanni Evangelista dome, just as the Italian Master Correggio did back in 1520.

  • Almost shaped like a star, this maze is entirely made of bamboo trees and from this aerial view, you can spot the Masone Pyramid at the very center.

    Get lost in the largest maze existing in the world with over 300.000 bamboo plants.

  • Fresh pasta gets dried by hanging on special racks. Here pictured a golden wall of drying spaghetti at the Pasta Museum.

    A commercial directed by Fellini, a story about the colander, a series of recipe books: it’s all about pasta!

  • A view from the point of view of the stage, to appreciate the five orders and full seating of this opera theater. The arena is glowing thanks to a majestic chandelier.

    Discover the opera lovers’favourite stage.

The journey into the beauty of Parma doesn't end here. Continue to discover the wonders of the Capital of Culture 2020 and 2021and let yourself be amazed by the art, music and culture of the city.  


Want to continue traveling to Italy from home? Look behind the curtain of one of the world’s greatest and oldest theaters, La Scala Theater in Milan or take a virtual tour of some of Italy’s most iconic sites through the “Wonders of Italy” experience. 


This and so much more, on Google Arts & Culture and on the Google Arts & Culture app foriOS and Android

Take a trip around UK Gardens with Google Arts & Culture

People are searching for gardens and green spaces more than ever. In keeping with this green-fingered enthusiasm, Google Arts & Culture is launching our first foray into the natural world, celebrating a unique selection of gardens and gardening from across the United Kingdom: Gardens United.

Gardens United is a new, interactive digital hub sharing the stories of a range of gardens around the country, thanks to collaboration between Google Arts & Culture and over 30 cultural partners in the UK. From archives to allotments, from botanic gardens to heritage bodies, there is something for everyone to enjoy and discover. This is only the beginning and we hope everyone can take some inspiration away from exploring online and in the physical world.

Take a look at 6 ways to jump right in:

  1. Get a bird's eye view. Gardens United brings together over 50 gardens from across the United Kingdom. From the Isle of Wight, to Northern Ireland to the Scottish borders, and see the unique beauty that can be found in each of them.
  2. Learn about modern gardens and why they are so important today. Hear from leading garden designer Juliet Sargent on how she created her award-winning Modern Slavery Garden, and her thoughts on the future of gardening. WhileRainbow Grow founder Clair Battaglino discusses why the rules don’t always have to apply to gardening.
  3. See a garden through a child’s eye. Meet Robin, one of Alnwick Gardens biggest fans, and explore the breadth of plant life that can be found in the Northumberland site, from the largest Taihaku cherry orchard outside Japan, through to a signing gate - all through a child's eye.
  4. Discover the benefits of gardens on our health and wellbeing. We all know nature is good for us, but what does that really mean? Hear fromexperts at Oxford Botanic Gardensabout prescribing gardens, and see how the charityHospital Roomsare working to bring the magic of gardens to aid treatments in clinical settings.
  5. Hear from experts explain the link between climate change and how gardens can play their part. From your cup of coffee to your afternoon snack, changing climates are threatening our food supplies. Teams atKew Gardens are working with local growers to trial new ways of growing crops and save seeds for the future. Meanwhile on the Isle of Wight, Ventnor Botanic Gardens are working to predict the effects of climate change on the rest of the country due to their unique microclimate.
  6. Get creative with gardens-inspired Machine Learning. To celebrate the beauty of gardens using art and technology, we have launched a new set of Machine Learning-powered explorations with Art Transfer, for those looking for more creative interaction. Try them out using the Camera features in the Google Arts & Culture app on iOS and Android.

Want to learn more? Visitg.co/GardensUnited, or download Google Arts & Culture’s Android or iOS app.

  • Watercolour illustration of Gardens United map by artist Gill Heeley

    Gardens United map, illustration by Gill Heeley

  • Photograph of cherry tree orchard at the Alnwick Garden in Northumberland

    Cherry orchard at The Alnwick Garden, Northumberland

  • Photograph of the Modern Slavery Garden by Juliet Sargent

    The Modern Slavery Garden by Juliet Sargent

  • Photograph of the Prarie Fields at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew

    Prairie Fields at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

  • Image of a photograph with multi-coloured Art Transfer filter applied

    Experiment with Art Transfer and transform your photos into garden-inspired works

Take a trip around UK Gardens with Google Arts & Culture

People are searching for gardens and green spaces more than ever. In keeping with this green-fingered enthusiasm, Google Arts & Culture is launching our first foray into the natural world, celebrating a unique selection of gardens and gardening from across the United Kingdom: Gardens United.

Gardens United is a new, interactive digital hub sharing the stories of a range of gardens around the country, thanks to collaboration between Google Arts & Culture and over 30 cultural partners in the UK. From archives to allotments, from botanic gardens to heritage bodies, there is something for everyone to enjoy and discover. This is only the beginning and we hope everyone can take some inspiration away from exploring online and in the physical world.

Take a look at 6 ways to jump right in:

  1. Get a bird's eye view. Gardens United brings together over 50 gardens from across the United Kingdom. From the Isle of Wight, to Northern Ireland to the Scottish borders, and see the unique beauty that can be found in each of them.
  2. Learn about modern gardens and why they are so important today. Hear from leading garden designer Juliet Sargent on how she created her award-winning Modern Slavery Garden, and her thoughts on the future of gardening. WhileRainbow Grow founder Clair Battaglino discusses why the rules don’t always have to apply to gardening.
  3. See a garden through a child’s eye. Meet Robin, one of Alnwick Gardens biggest fans, and explore the breadth of plant life that can be found in the Northumberland site, from the largest Taihaku cherry orchard outside Japan, through to a signing gate - all through a child's eye.
  4. Discover the benefits of gardens on our health and wellbeing. We all know nature is good for us, but what does that really mean? Hear fromexperts at Oxford Botanic Gardensabout prescribing gardens, and see how the charityHospital Roomsare working to bring the magic of gardens to aid treatments in clinical settings.
  5. Hear from experts explain the link between climate change and how gardens can play their part. From your cup of coffee to your afternoon snack, changing climates are threatening our food supplies. Teams atKew Gardens are working with local growers to trial new ways of growing crops and save seeds for the future. Meanwhile on the Isle of Wight, Ventnor Botanic Gardens are working to predict the effects of climate change on the rest of the country due to their unique microclimate.
  6. Get creative with gardens-inspired Machine Learning. To celebrate the beauty of gardens using art and technology, we have launched a new set of Machine Learning-powered explorations with Art Transfer, for those looking for more creative interaction. Try them out using the Camera features in the Google Arts & Culture app on iOS and Android.

Want to learn more? Visitg.co/GardensUnited, or download Google Arts & Culture’s Android or iOS app.

  • Watercolour illustration of Gardens United map by artist Gill Heeley

    Gardens United map, illustration by Gill Heeley

  • Photograph of cherry tree orchard at the Alnwick Garden in Northumberland

    Cherry orchard at The Alnwick Garden, Northumberland

  • Photograph of the Modern Slavery Garden by Juliet Sargent

    The Modern Slavery Garden by Juliet Sargent

  • Photograph of the Prarie Fields at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew

    Prairie Fields at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

  • Image of a photograph with multi-coloured Art Transfer filter applied

    Experiment with Art Transfer and transform your photos into garden-inspired works

Meet Barbara Hepworth, her art and life with Google Arts & Culture

Barbara Hepworth was one of the most important artists of the 20th century,and on this day in 1964 she unveiled her iconic sculpture Single Form at the United Nations in New York City. The piece is a dedication to her friend, UN Secretary General, Dag Hammarskjöld. To mark the decade since the opening of her namesake gallery — the Hepworth Wakefield — Google Arts & Culture’s latest collaboration brings thelargest retrospective of Hepworth’s work online, for audiences everywhere to explore.

Perhaps what one wants to say is formed in childhood and the rest of one's life is spent in trying to say it. Barbara Hepworth

Born and raised in the Yorkshire town of Wakefield, Hepworth worked at the forefront of contemporary art during her lifetime. Learn about Hepworth’s relationship with Yorkshire, and see how its influences can be seen throughout her career. The exhibition emphasizes how her work spanned across disciplines including space exploration, music, dance, politics and religion, while also reflecting her personal experiences.

  • Archival photograph of Barbara Hepworth with a plaster, 1961

    Archival photograph of Barbara Hepworth with a plaster, 1961

  • Large and Small Form by Barbara Hepworth, 1934

    Large and Small Form by Barbara Hepworth, 1934

  • The Hepworth Wakefield, by David Chipperfield, 2011

    The Hepworth Wakefield, by David Chipperfield, 2011

  • Itea, by Barbara Hepworth, 1971

    Itea, by Barbara Hepworth, 1971

  • Spring, by Barbara Hepworth, 1966

    Spring, by Barbara Hepworth, 1966

Seminal sculptures such as Mother and Child, Springand Single Form have been captured in ultra high resolution using the latest technology, to allow viewers to get up close with the texture of the materials and see the carefully created marks Hepworth made during creation. Audiences can also discover more about the artist's lesser-known artworks including her printmaking and designs for theaters.

And if you aren’t able to make it to Yorkshire, art fans everywhere cantake a virtual walk around the stunning exhibition using Google Street View. A selection of Hepworth’s iconic sculptures can also be experienced using Augmented Reality to see them up close in your own space with the Google Arts & Culture app.

For a more contemporary fix, discover the newly commissioned works by Tacita Dean and Veronica Ryan, made especially for the anniversary exhibition. Or, if you are feeling creative, perhaps you could have a go at creating a Hepworth-inspired artwork yourself. There are activities for all agesand interests available, with videos, quizzes and more.

Visit g.co/BarbaraHepworth to explore more, and discover the incredible exhibition online. The Google Arts & Culture app is free and available online for iOS and Android.

Creativity in a crisis

As the realities of a global pandemic sank in and the UK went into lockdown, children and young people employed their everyday surroundings as inspiration for creativity. Kitchen tables, living room floors and gardens were transformed into art studios. The hand-drawn rainbows that started appearing in windows across England in early spring were one of many signals that young people want to be heard, and that they are able to respond to the current crisis in an artistic way. 


Google Arts & Culture has teamed up with Arts Council England to collect these voices and allow young people to express themselves on a global platform. Arts Council England, dedicated to promoting the performing, visual and literary arts in England, launched The Way I See It at the start of the summer. Working with five cultural organizations, they invited children and young people across the country to stretch their creative muscles as they responded to the effects of the COVID-19 crisis. The partner organizations—English National Opera, BALTIC, Company Three, Dancefest and Heart & Soul—set out challenges such “Lockdown Aria,” “This Is My Statement” and “Half A Minute Movie,” which invited 30-second films inspired by a newly acquired skill.
I was inspired by communities coming together during lockdown and I felt it was a good thing to document what had happened. Ben from Birmingham, age 13

Now, Google Arts & Culture has provided the projects with a permanent digital home. Explore this playful and personal collection of spoken word, film, visual art, photography, music, dance and more created during lockdown, as well as new pieces produced in response to a series of summer challenges. It’s an engaging depiction of life in 2020 as experienced by 170 people aged between 2 and 28 years old. Visit g.co/TheWayISeeIt to explore the whole collection. 

  • Zooming by Danielle, Arts Council England.jpg

    "Zooming" by Danielle, Arts Council England

  • Spots and Stripes by Louis, Arts Council England.jpg

    "Spots and Stripes" by Louis, Arts Council England

  • Self Portrait and Things by Savannah, Arts Council England .jpg

    "Self Portrait and Things" by Savannah, Arts Council England 

  • Rainbow by Matilda, Arts Council England.jpg

    "Rainbow" by Matilda, Arts Council England

  • Parents by Mia Takemoto, Edinburgh College of Art.JPG

    "Parents" by Mia Takemoto, Edinburgh College of Art

  • No Place Like Home by Esme Plumb, London College of Fashion.png

    "No Place Like Home" by Esme Plumb, London College of Fashion

  • CIN ! CIN ! by Ruibing Cai, Accademia di Belle Arti di Bologna .PNG

    "CIN ! CIN !" by Ruibing Cai, Accademia di Belle Arti di Bologna

In addition to this collaboration with Arts Council England, Google Arts & Culture has also worked with several European art schools to virtually exhibit their students’ responses to the crisis. For Room with a View, young artists were asked to create a piece of art from or of their window—a fitting symbol, as windows have functioned throughout art history as both barriers and connections to the outside world. Students from Accademia di Belle Arti Bologna, École Camondo, Central Saint Martins, London College of Fashion and Edinburgh College of Art responded with over 150 submissions, ranging from acrylic and oil to video. The final collection has been curated by Amira Gad, Head of Programmes, Light Art Space (LAS), to draw out some common themes like Nostalgia, New Perspectives and Reimagining Spaces. Discover the full collection at g.co/roomwithaview.

Painter and pioneer: Artemisia at The National Gallery

Artemisia Gentileschi didn’t fit the mold of the typical 17th-century Italian gentlewoman. At a time when women had limited opportunities to pursue artistic training, Artemisia forged a career for herself and established an international reputation. 

Thanks to a collaboration with The National Gallery, which is hosting the first major retrospective of Artemisia in the U.K., Google Arts & Culture is bringing Artemisia’s story to life online. The exclusive digital retrospective unites 14 of her incredible works, including The National Gallery’s new acquisition “Self Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria” and the recently rediscovered “Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy.”
With me your Illustrious Lordship will not lose and you will find the spirit of Caesar in the soul of a woman Artemisia Gentileschi

Artemisia’s incredible skill was not just in her paintwork—it was also in her deeply emotive storytelling. In her hands, the canon of saints and biblical figures became formidable women in charge of their own destinies. 

As a result of new ultra-high resolution photography, the painted ceiling of Marlborough House in London is now available to view in all its minute glory. The grand artwork, “An Allegory of Peace and the Arts,” is thought to have been a joint effort between Artemisia and her father Orazio, also a renowned painter, during their time in London, and is now part of the Royal Collection. The work is not usually accessible to the public, but now you can zoom into the finest brushstrokes and get the same perspective Artemisia had from up on her scaffolding.

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    Artemisia Gentileschi’s “Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy” - Private European Collection, photographer Dominique Provost
  • Self Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria

    National Gallery’s recent acquisition “Self Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria”

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    Marlborough House ceiling, “An Allegory of Peace and the Arts” - Royal Collections Trust
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    FKA Twigs discussing “Self Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria” in new Art Zoom film

Musician FKA twigs lent her voice to a series of Art Zoom films that take you on a guided journey through three iconic Artemisia paintings, highlighting Artemisia’s relevance to women of today and how her legacy informed the art canon. “Mary Magdalene was a major inspiration for my last album and when I learned about the history of the female painter Artemisia Gentileschi, it impacted me,” said FKA twigs. “Artists like her have fought so hard to be recognized that it’s amazing I could help shine a light on her beautiful work.”

The collection of artworks has been brought together from eleven partner museums in six countries. There are more than 30 immersive stories that translate the hidden details of Artemisia's self-portraits, recount her life in Rome and Florence, and investigate her troubled relationship with her father.  

Visit g.co/Artemisia to immerse yourself in Artemisia’s incredible legacy and be inspired by her story.