Whether you’re doing homeschool, remote learning or a blended plan, in-person field trips may be off the table this term.
The good news: you can escort your children on virtual excursions to destinations worldwide, at any hour — and often at no cost.
Zoos, aquariums, museums — even the lunar surface — have opened virtual experiences and live streams to delight young learners.
Below is a roundup of virtual field trips your family can explore without leaving the house.
Museums
Natural History Museum, London
On Tuesdays and Fridays, tune in for live interactive sessions with scientists and researchers from the museum who discuss their work. Viewers can even submit questions during the live broadcasts.
Just browsing? You can examine a 3D replica of the museum’s dinosaur specimens anytime, and you can peruse a vast chamber that stores specimens preserved in alcohol.
The Natural History Museum dedicates a whole portion of its site to at-home activities, such as folding origami dinosaurs, pressing flowers and crafting bird feeders.
- To visit:nhm.ac.uk
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
Many travelers make the trip to Amsterdam specifically to see this beloved museum. (It ranks among Amsterdam’s top attractions.)
But you can simply go online to view the museum’s full collection, which includes over 200 paintings, 500 drawings and nearly 1,000 of Van Gogh’s personal letters.
Curious about Van Gogh’s influences? He loved to read, and there’s an online exhibit dedicated to the books he cherished. Dive into the novels he admired (favorites included works by Charles Dickens, Jules Michelet and Alphonse Daudet) — they might spark your child’s creativity, too.
The museum has conveniently gathered resources and tips for virtual visits in one spot on its site.
- To visit:vangoghmuseum.nl/en
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Stroll through 5,000 years of art via the Met’s online offerings. You can opt for a quick peek at notable exhibits or immerse yourself in the full collection.
Get motivated by videos of contemporary artists discussing works that move them, or watch conservators at work preserving historical pieces.
Kids’ activities include making a flip book, constructing a banjo, recreating a famous artwork and designing an optical toy.
- To visit:metmuseum.org
(Virtual) Adventures
Tembe Elephant Park, South Africa
This South African elephant reserve streams live footage, so you can watch elephants feeding, interacting and napping whenever you’re in the mood to observe them.
Want more wildlife? The platform also features hundreds of live cams across Africa and worldwide. We lingered in the Gorilla Forest Corridor watching a gorilla groom itself, checked the Nkorho Bush Lodge for baby elephants at their watering hole, and at Balule Nature Reserve got startlingly close to a jaguar on the hunt. The cat was more patient than we were.
The Moon
Believe it or not, you can take virtual tours of the moon. Imagery from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter lets you view all facets of the lunar surface, accompanied by a five-minute narrated clip that explains what you’re seeing. (Otherwise, it may look like a giant pockmarked rock.)
This is likely the closest most of us will come to the moon . . . unless these clips inspire a future generation of astronauts.
The site also offers a wealth of kid-friendly videos covering topics from volcanic eruptions to how latte art is made. There’s something for nearly every interest.
- To visit:thekidshouldseethis.com
Buckingham Palace
Have a little prince or princess at home? Tour Buckingham Palace — roam the grand staircase, the drawing rooms, the Throne Room and more — all while staying in your pajamas.
Is it extravagant? Absolutely! Would you expect anything less than gilt, mirrors and an abundance of candelabras? Of course not.
Ellis Island, New York City
Ellis Island was the entry point for more than 12 million immigrants arriving in the U.S. between 1892 and 1954. Roughly 40% of Americans can trace at least one ancestor through this gateway.
Hear firsthand accounts from people who passed through Ellis Island, watch archival films of immigrants arriving, and learn the stories of those traveling to America.
Zoos and Aquariums
Tennessee Aquarium
The aquarium’s live streams make you feel immersed as you watch penguins, river otters, sharks, sea turtles and other creatures.
After viewing the live feeds, scroll down for more information about the animals. For instance, after watching sand tiger sharks reveal their prominent teeth, we discovered that despite their fierce appearance (you can sometimes see their teeth when their mouths are closed), they rarely pose a threat to people.
- To visit:tnaqua.org/aquarium-at-home/
Monterey Bay Aquarium
The staff operates 10 live cams around the clock, so you can observe pulsing jellyfish, playful sea otters, sharks cruising with fish and more. (Some streams are prerecorded, ensuring you always see genuine movement.)
There are also narrated feedings on weekdays (check the site for schedules). If you enjoy the tranquil views, you can download video backgrounds of jellyfish or turtles from the site.
- To visit:www.montereybayaquarium.org
San Diego Zoo
The zoo features live streams focused on hippos, platypuses, baboons, penguins, polar bears, apes, tigers, koalas and more. (Fun fact: the San Diego Zoo is the sole U.S. zoo that keeps platypuses!)
Because the cams run continuously, it helps to know an animal’s natural routine to catch them at their most active. When we checked in early in the morning, activity was low — but later in the day, the animals were lively and entertaining.
After viewing an animal, click through to learn additional facts. For example, “platypus” comes from Greek meaning “flat foot,” and female platypuses nurse their young through patches of skin rather than nipples.
- To visit:zoo.sandiegozoo.org
Alex Morgan is a contributor to Savinly.
