Some museums are offering 'Moments of Zen' amid the coronavirus pandemic by sharing therapeutic exhibits and artwork on social media

• Several art institutions and museums have temporarily closed to help curb the spread of the coronavirus.
• Some museums are utilizing Twitter and Instagram to share "Moments of Zen" by posting therapeutic photos and videos of artwork.
• One of the first #MuseumMomentOfZen posts amid the coronavirus pandemic was shared by the Museum of the City of New York on March 11.
• History institutions and art exhibits around the world are continuing to participate in the message.
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Amid the coronavirus pandemic and advice from experts calling on people to practice social distancing — or staying home and avoiding public spaces and crowds — many museums and cultural institutions have, for the time being, shut their doors.

But many museums are getting creative by sharing their collections via virtual tours and exhibits, and most recently, through "moments of zen" on social media.

The Museum of the City of New York shared one of the first posts tagged with #MuseumMomentOfZen on Twitter on March 11, and since then, several institutions around the world are following suit, offering photos and videos of relaxing artwork and exhibition views to followers who are craving a moment of serenity.

For example, The Broad contemporary art museum in Los Angeles, California, let social media users on Instagram take a deep breath with a view of the Infinity Mirrored Room, an exhibit by artist Yayoi Kusama.

The Hunter Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee, gave Twitter users a moment of zen in honor of St. Patrick's Day — the painting "Glen (Ireland)" by American artist Rockwell Kent, painted between 1926 and 1927.

The Field Museum in Chicago shared a dreamy underwater scene, which is a model of the Windy City in prehistoric times.

The San Diego Natural History Museum shared a surprisingly relaxing video of a resting Gila monster, a lizard species.

The McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada, wrote: "We know there's a lot going on on your social media feeds right now," sharing Emily Carr's "Dancing Sunlight" from 1937.

The Hammer Museum in Los Angeles let users transport themselves to a beautiful landscape, "View of Bordighera," painted in 1884 by Claude Monet.

The New York Historical Society leaned into the therapeutic power of pets with a 1920s-era dog photo.

The Akron Art Museum in Akron, Ohio, offered a moment of calm with "Winter Evening," painted by Raphael Gleitsmann in 1932.

The museum wrote that when the work of art was created, the US was in the middle of the Great Depression, but the artist, Gleitsmann, "created a cheery scene."

The New York Seaport Museum's photos of the Manhattan skyline make breezy sailing weather feel within reach.

To explore a #MuseumMomentOfZen of your own, find the hashtag on Twitter and Instagram.

• Read more:
• What 'social distancing' actually means, and how to know if you should cancel your plans during the coronavirus outbreak
• 18 ways to leave home without actually leaving the couch, from virtual zoo exhibits to museum gallery tours
• 7 online education tools for parents who are homeschooling during the coronavirus outbreak