I'm hooked on this free Google app that transports me to different countries from my couch

I use Google apps on my Samsung phone daily, but hadn’t heard of Arts & Culture until recently.  I’m more of a gaming and movie enthusiast, and I didn’t think it would appeal to me because I’ve never been particularly interested in art. My perspective changed when I started using the app during my free time and was drawn into worlds that I knew existed, but had never experienced before.

The app has helped me reduce my doomscrolling and explore designs, food, and nature from countries around the world. I find it relaxing to view historical artifacts and famous art, and I feel like I gain valuable knowledge instead of seeking quick dopamine hits. There’s always something interesting to see, and the information is never overwhelming because it’s presented in bite-sized chunks. I can’t travel to all the exotic places I’d like to see, but Google’s Arts & Culture Android app is the next best thing to explore the world.

Google Arts & Culture is available for free on the Google Play Store. You can also access Google Arts & Culture from your browser on your Windows PC, Apple laptop, and other devices without downloading the app.  Google Arts & Culture is broken into several sections, like Visual Arts, Nature, Design, and more, to make it more organized and user-friendly. Today, I’ll discuss how I use the app and the features I enjoy the most. I’ll also highlight its shortcomings and features that could be improved.

I didn’t think I’d enjoy visual arts

I’ve never considered myself an art expert, despite appreciating the skill it requires. I was hesitant to try the Visual Arts feature because I thought it would be boring, and I was proven wrong by the vast selection of interesting pieces. Instead of displaying the Mona Lisa and other famous pieces, the app lists the art randomly. I can then scroll through them and pick the ones I like. Sometimes it’s classic Renaissance paintings, but most of the time it’s just abstract images, bright flowers, and whatever catches my eye. I scroll like I would on TikTok, but I view paintings instead of videos.

I appreciate that I can expand each image to view all its details and read about it with the provided tag, which provides just enough information without going overboard. Art aficionados will likely utilize the advanced search features to find specific art pieces based on the artist, movement, location, and other relevant factors.

I love nature and exploring places I can’t visit

I love nature and try to spend as much time outdoors as possible. However, there are still limitations to how far I can go, and that’s why I enjoy the Arts & Culture Nature feature. This section mimics the Visual Arts feature by displaying a massive list of stunning locations to scroll through. I get to experience many natural and man-made wonders, like Japan’s Ogawa Waterfall or Italy’s picturesque Farra di Soligo area, which I’d never heard of until now.

Out of the countless images available, I always find some that I like, and it’s easy to disregard the rest and skip over them. When I’m looking for something specific, I search by country or use the filter to find mountains, beaches, and other geographical landmarks. I find that the information tags in the Nature section can sometimes lack detail, and I need to do independent searches to find out more about a place. It isn’t usually an issue for me because I use the same search to download calming desktop wallpapers of the places I’d like to visit.

I find new dishes to try

I visit countries for free

We all wish we could travel more, but it’s usually not possible because of work or family commitments. The Arts & Culture Travel feature transports me to faraway countries to take in the fantastic architecture and scenery that I would never get to see in real life. It displays many tourist destinations, like the Arc de Triomphe and the Taj Mahal, but I prefer looking at pictures of places I’ve never seen before, like Carisbrooke Castle in England or the Hwaseong Fortress in South Korea.

Travel is probably my favorite Arts & Culture feature because of the amount of detail it offers. It displays the history of the locations under the Stories tab, and I get to see a three-dimensional view of fascinating places under the Virtual Visits tab. I usually scroll randomly to find places I like, but other users may prefer to search for specific destinations or buildings using the search function.

I discover groundbreaking designs that shaped society

I like this app, but it isn’t perfect

Most Google apps have a similar minimalist style, but Google Arts & Culture takes a different approach with its cluttered interface. Perhaps it’s due to the sheer volume of information displayed, but navigating the app has a steep learning curve, mainly because of the numerous tabs and submenus within menus. There is also a significant discrepancy in the amount of information displayed for each image, with some tabs providing in-depth details and others barely scratching the surface.

Google Arts & Culture is packed with features, and I’ve highlighted the ones I use the most. Others, like Sport, History, and Science, aren’t my cup of tea, but will surely have fans who enjoy them. I took it slow when sifting through the menus to find what I liked because the information became overwhelming in large doses. However, none of these are dealbreakers and haven’t stopped me enjoying the app and expanding my knowledge of the world.