Looking for a great way to keep young minds active and curious this summer? Exploring a museum or cultural center can be both educational and fun for kids, but the time and expense to plan and take these trips can often be prohibitive for families. However, our ability to access the world’s historical and cultural treasures has dramatically changed since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Venture Beyond Borders: The Rise of Virtual Museum Tours
As the world went on lockdown, museums, galleries, and cultural centers pivoted swiftly— providing students and enthusiasts with new avenues to explore their vast collections virtually. Now, the world of art, history, and culture is at our fingertips thanks to these free, cutting-edge virtual tours.
Your Passport to World History and Culture
Below are some fantastic virtual experiences for families to explore the finest collections from around the world:
- British Museum, London, UK: Explore the British Museum’s collection of world art and artifacts, including the Rosetta Stone, Parthenon sculptures, and Egyptian mummies. The online touring experience enables the user to explore the museum based on a historical timeline (from 2 billion BC to the present) as if they are driving down a road, with each “lane” a different world region (Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceana). As they travel up and down the timeline, they can also sort the type of content (art and design, living and dying, power and identity, religion and belief, trade, and conflict). Users can select a point on the region and timeline, and items to explore pop up with pictures, written descriptions, and audio explanations.
- Louvre Museum, Paris, France: Take a virtual tour of the world-famous Louvre Museum, home to Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, ancient Greek sculptures, and Islamic art. This site gives people an opportunity to conduct a virtual tour of the museum by collection as if they are walking through the halls of the museum itself. The experience feels similar to exploring a neighborhood using Google Earth’s street view. Users can also select “Louvre at Home” to find “Louvre for Kids,” where animated stories explaining art, science, and history related to collections in the Louvre are provided in English for children.
- National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City, Mexico: Experience the rich cultural heritage of Mexico through the National Museum of Anthropology’s virtual tour, which features pre-Columbian artifacts and exhibits on Mexican history and culture. This museum provides extensive information about the history of the Americas, including life in traditional villages, and histories of different regions. Users can select English or Spanish settings, and opt to learn through the lens of archeology or ethnography.
- Vatican Museums, Vatican City (Rome, Italy): Virtually explore the Vatican Museums and discover panoramic views of a vast collection of breathtaking Italian sacred art and artifacts, including the Sistine Chapel and works by Raphael and Caravaggio.
- Google Arts & Culture Exploration Page: This is an excellent go-to spot for families with varying interests or individuals who are not sure where to start. So much more than a single museum collection—this page is a clearinghouse for numerous multisensory adventures. Users can choose to explore famous works of art up close by zooming in with a high-def camera, experience the arts in 360-degree videos, and participate in art experiments. Access to collections from Germany, South Korea, India, England, Brazil, and the U.S. are available.
Inspired to explore some more? This curated list of the 75 best virtual museum tours – including museums of art, history, and science can keep families actively exploring for months on end. In addition to being great experiences for families, these tours also offer limitless possibilities for educators to expose their students to the world’s wonders and provide enriching learning experiences throughout the school year.
The Future of Learning: Virtual Museum Tours
It’s exciting to imagine how these new culture-enriching options for families and educators will change the landscape of education and lifelong learning for generations to come. Where will your next virtual road trip take you?
About TLC
The Lincoln Center for Family and Youth (TLC) is a social enterprise company serving the Greater Philadelphia Area. Among its five divisions, TLC offers School-based Staffing Solutions, Mobile Coaching and Counseling, and Heather’s Hope: A Center for Victims of Crime. These major programs are united under TLC’s mission to promote positive choices and cultivate meaningful connections through education, counseling, coaching, and consulting.
About the Author
MaryJo Burchard (Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership) is co-founder and principal of Concord Solutions, a Virginia-based consultancy firm focused on helping leaders and organizations thrive while facing major disruption. Concord Solutions offers consulting, coaching, training, research, and keynote speaking surrounding trauma-informed leadership and assessing and building change readiness, trust, and belonging.