On April 21, the New-York Historical Society and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C., partnered "to brighten social media feeds" by sharing sunny artworks with people during the dark days of coronavirus stay-at-home orders.

Within just over a week, some 3,000 users shared over 5,000 posts, and more than 800 temporarily closed art and cultural institutions reached over 40 million people worldwide with the hashtag #MuseumSunshine. 

Emily Haight, social media manager for the New-York Historical Society, who originated the hashtag, told the Observer, “After the overwhelming and positive reaction to #MuseumBouquet, which was co-created by the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and us here at the New-York Historical Society, we decided to team up again and follow it with #MuseumSunshine as something that would help bring some much needed cheer to everyone’s Twitter feeds,” she said. “We wanted to focus on something that would be uncomplicated for our fellow social media managers at cultural organizations: almost everyone has a yellow object or a sunshine-filled work of art in their collections. 

While quarantine continues, catch some rays with highlights from the still-trending #MuseumSunshine on social media.

☀️Sending a bit of #MuseumSunshine to the @MSUMuseum today! We hope this brightens your day!☀️

📷: 1. Karel Appel, Sunflower Girls, from the album "Sunshine People", 1974. Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, Michigan State University, Gift of Eugene Ivan Schuster. pic.twitter.com/8ohdc4HeeS

— MSU Broad Art Museum (@MSUBroad) April 21, 2020

Today, museums across the country are sharing a little bit of #MuseumSunshine, and what better way to celebrate than with this glamorous ring found in the Macknight Room? ☀️ Object: https://t.co/1NnFdJbodX pic.twitter.com/Lay2ZHBZAh

— Gardner Museum (@gardnermuseum) April 21, 2020

#MuseumSunshine | It may be rainy today, but we know where to find some sun to send to everyone... Landscape by William Hart (1823–1894), c. 1855–1860, oil on canvas attached to panel, 1958.1.14 #MuseumFromHome #HudsonRiverSchool pic.twitter.com/M0MP8uU8aY

— Albany Institute (@AlbanyInstitute) April 21, 2020

Here’s some #MuseumSunshine to brighten your day! ☀️ Today we team up with cultural organizations around the globe to blast some light into the world. ✨
_____________________________
Bernard Chaet, “Sunrise,” Undated. Oil on canvas. Gift of the artist, 2011. pic.twitter.com/W4hV8APr58

— Cape Ann Museum (@CapeAnnMuseum) April 21, 2020

Sending out some #MuseumSunshine with this beautiful star quilt from the Cascade Locks Historical Museum's Collection. #Cascadelocks #CascadeLcoskHistoricalMuseum pic.twitter.com/rDCGuU2BsV

— Cascade Locks Historical Museum (@Brittan13653342) April 21, 2020

*plays Sheryl Crow's "Soak Up the Sun" on repeat* #MuseumSunshine ☀️

William Sommer painted this beautiful landscape of his backyard in Ohio because he was OBSESSED with how beautiful his home was. #relatable?

"Brandywine Landscape," about 1914. pic.twitter.com/vXReOjz8qS

— Speed Art Museum (@SpeedArtMuseum) April 21, 2020

All the colors of the rainbow make up this solar eclipse by #AlmaThomas 🌈🌞 We hope it will shine some light on your day, @ngadc #MuseumSunshine
Alma Thomas, ”The Eclipse,“ 1970, acrylic on canvashttps://t.co/aUnV3o3D0X pic.twitter.com/1UlE8aCkeB

— americanart (@americanart) April 21, 2020

Sending you a ray of sunshine, @NYHistory ☀️ Hope it brightens your day 😊
Roy Lichtenstein “Modern Painting with Sun Rays” 🌤 https://t.co/AALnuFjNhI #MuseumSunshine pic.twitter.com/ikTpmdIamw

— Hirshhorn (@hirshhorn) April 21, 2020