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The Tate Museum has worked with computer game makers to recreate some of its classic paintings and sculptures in Minecraft.

Players can download the worlds to their computer to explore, and even play games as they move through the world.

The first two maps are inspired by André Derain's 1906 painting of London, The Pool of London, and Christopher Nevinson's 1920 painting of New York, Soul of the Soulless City.

Taking inspiration from Derain's painting of 'The Pool of London', the Minecraft version of the painting shows a section of the river Thames where ships unloaded cargo and goods were traded.

The map allows users to explore London along the Thames as Fauvist painter André Derain did in 1906 to create the original painting

Jane Burton, Creative Director, Tate Media said: 'Minecraft is a wonderful game which embraces imagination and creativity. 

'It has captivated millions of children and young people across the world. 

'In playfully reimagining art in Tate Worlds for Minecraft we hope to introduce a new generation to inspirational works from Tate's collection.'

The virtual environments or 'maps' known as Tate Worlds are based on paintings and sculptures in the Tate Collection.

Players of the video game can explore and undertake activities and challenges that relate to the themes of the art work, or explore how they were made.

The first Tate Worlds maps are already available to download for free.  

The first two maps are inspired by André Derain's 1906 painting of London, The Pool of London, and Christopher Nevinson's 1920 painting of New York, Soul of the Soulless City. 

In Tate Worlds: Soul of the SoullessCity, inspired by the futurist-style painting by Nevinson, players will enter the bustling and fast-changing place of 1920s New York, as depicted in the painting. 

'On entering the Tate Worlds map, Minecraft players will board a train taking them past New York landmarks of the time, before they roller-coast into the future as the skyscrapers go up and up,' the Tate said.

In Tate Worlds: Soul of the SoullessCity, inspired by the futurist-style painting by Nevinson, players will enter the bustling and fast-changing place of 1920s New York, as depicted in the painting.

On entering the Tate Worlds map, Minecraft players will board a train taking them past New York landmarks of the time, before they roller-coast into the future as the skyscrapers go up and up.

'The sights and sounds of the 'roaring twenties' will accompany the journey as the players build a skyscraper, join construction workers for a dangerous sky-high lunch, and race to catch a movie.'

Painted in 1920, the Tate says of the painting: 'New York in the 1920s was a bustling and fast-changing place. 

'Its emerging skyscrapers and railways epitomised the dynamism of the modern metropolis, inspiring British artist Christopher Nevinson to paint his Futurist-style painting Soul of the Soulless City in 1920.' 

Six more Tate Worlds maps will be released over the coming year on the themes of 'Play', 'Destruction' and 'Fantasy', inspired by well-known artworks including John Singer Sargent's, Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose, 1885-6; Peter Blake's, The Toy Shop, 1962; John Martin's, The Destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum, 1822; and Cornelia Parker's, Cold Dark Matter: An Exploded View, 1991.

The second map allows users to explore London along the Thames as Fauvist painter André Derain did in 1906. 

Taking inspiration from Derain's painting of 'The Pool of London', a section of the river Thames where ships unloaded cargo and goods were traded, discover historical landmarks in a brightly coloured world, like the painting itself. 

'Starting at London Bridge, visit historic sites such as The Tower of London; climb 'The Queens Pipe' chimney at St Katharine's Dock; and descend into the forgotten river Nickinger that runs beneath the city whilst you search for the pigments Monsieur Derain used in his painting,' the Tate said.