"Many of us are hunkered down at home for the duration, with walks around the block or a quick grocery store trip as our outdoor respite (with appropriate social distancing, of course). So, we wanted to pull together a list of virtual field trips to offer another adventure you can take with your family—or enjoy yourself after the kids are in bed.
Zoos & Aquariums
The San Diego Zoo has live webcams on a number of their animals plus a section on their website wholly devoted to kids with activities, games, stories, and more!
Fans of the movie Dolphin Tale can live stream Winter, the famous dolphin featured in the movie, from her home in Clearwater, Florida. The website includes a variety of animal live streams and also includes downloadable activities by grade-level.
Chicago’s own Shedd Aquarium is allowing their resident penguins to waddle through the temporarily closed facility. Follow their social media pages to see coupled penguins on a date (swoon). And soon you’ll be able to watch the penguins building their nests.
Outdoor Discovery
See 360 views of Yosemite National Park with their virtual tour, complete with the soothing sounds of nature.
Take the Yellowstone National Park virtual tour to see photos of prime attractions and view the Old Faithful webcam.
Follow researchers on the tundra as they follow polar bears in Canada. The website includes some activity prompts, although more detailed activities and instructions require a passcode.
Visit the Great Wall of China with 360 views of the spectacular structure.
Museums
Google has partnered with museums across the world to provide virtual tours. Use Google street view to virtually visit the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy or the Museo Frida Kahlo in Mexico City, among many others. The Louvre in Paris is also offering their online tour for free.
And More!
Follow the Mars Rover on a narrated tour as you learn more about the planet. Currently, they are updating the experience, but you can still take a virtual 360 tour with fun facts throughout.
For older kids, who may be interested in engineering, manufacturing, or uncovering how things work, take a virtual field trip to Arconic’s Advanced Manufacturing hub in Alcoa, Tennessee.
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