Virtual Field Trips To Take When Everyone’s Itching To Get Out Of The House
We all want to do our part to help flatten the COVID-19 curve. Unfortunately, long days in close quarters with the whole family can make everyone a little squirrelly. Luckily, our friend the Internet has a ton of awesome virtual field trips that the whole family can enjoy. Whether you’re visiting penguins at a zoo, enjoying a little bit of art, or exploring a spot on the globe that you haven’t been to yet, these are some of our favourite virtual field trips to check out while you’re hanging out at home.
Check Out Some Animals
Calgary Zoo’s Panda Cam | calgaryzoo.com
The zoo may be closed, but Calgary’s favourite pandas are still busy playing away in their exhibit. Log in anytime between 9 am and 6 pm to see what they’re up to! Don’t worry – if you tune in when the live hours are done, you can still catch the highlights for the day.
Home Safaris With The Cincinnati Zoo | cincinnatizoo.org
Tune in at 3:00 Eastern Time (5:00 Calgary time) to join the Cincinnati Zoo as they present a Home Safari Facebook Live. A new animal will be highlighted each day, along with a fun activity that you can try at home.
San Diego Zoo | sandiegozoo.org
San Diego Zoo has live cams for 11 of your favourite animals, including apes, baboons, elephants, giraffes, koalas, penguins, and more. There are also fun prerecorded videos to watch, in addition to a variety of crafts and games to try out.
Vancouver Aquarium | vanaqua.org
Watch jellyfish glide past, join in the fun as the sea otters splash, and watch the penguins play via the live cams at the Vancouver Aquarium.
Seattle Aquarium | youtube.com
Even if you got the chance to visit the Seattle Aquarium in person, there’s nothing quite like getting a diver’s-eye view of life inside the tank. Hop on this 30-minute virtual field trip to learn about the animals and the food web that reside in the the waters of Puget Sound.
Georgia Aquarium | georgiaaquarium.org
Jellyfish, piranhas, beluga whales, sea otters and puffins are just a few of the majestic underwater creatures you can visit thanks to the Georgia Aquarium’s webcams. Each gallery also comes complete with links for all of the animals inside to help you learn more about their diet, range, physical features, habitat, and more.
Travel The World
Parks Canada YouTube Channel | youtube.com
Parks Canada has tons of videos to help you explore the beauty that awaits all across the country we call home. There are even 360-degree videos to explore to help you look all around places like Kootenay, Banff, the Pacific Rim, The Dunes of Prince Edward Island, and more.
Alberta Legislature | learnalberta.ca
Build an avatar and explore Alberta’s Legislature on your own or through a guided tour. Virtual activities that are aligned with the K-12 Alberta Education curriculum advance your tour experience by helping you to learn more about the building itself and what important events take place inside.
Ottawa Parliament Buildings | davidanderson.ca
If you’ve ever wanted to visit the Parliament buildings in Ottawa, this is your chance! Explore rooms like The House of Commons, the Senate Chamber, the Library of Parliament, the Office of the Prime Minister and more. The virtual tour takes you through the buildings while explaining what takes place in each room you stop at along the way.
Graffiti Tours | streetart.withgoogle.com
There is beautiful graffiti and street art covering urban surfaces all around the world. This website brings a collection of incredible artwork from all over into one convenient place. Enjoy narrated virtual tours of a variety of locations across the globe as you learn more about the art that makes them unique.
5 National Parks in the US | artsandculture.withgoogle.com
Google Arts and Culture has put together some beautiful, narrated virtual tours of 5 breathtaking national parks across the United States. You’ll feel like you’re really there as you take the 360-degree tours of Kenai Fjords National Park, Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park and Dry Tortugas National Park.
Walt Disney World | visitorlando.com
The only thing better than being in the most magical place on earth is taking a virtual tour of it. Explore Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, Blizzard Beach, and more. You can even enjoy your tour in true virtual reality by popping your device into Google Cardboard or another VR headset.
Explore A Museum
Vatican Museum | museivaticani.va
Get a 360 degree view of the halls and exhibits in the Vatican Museum. Explore Raphael’s Rooms, the Niccoline Chapel, the Chiaramonti Museum, and, of course, the Sistine Chapel, amongst other fantastic exhibits in one-of-a-kind virtual tour.
Glenbow Musuem | glenbow.org
Until we’re able to visit the Glenbow in real life again, there are tons of great exhibits to explore online. Learn more about Alberta’s history by getting a glimpse of Calgary over the years and hearing stories of the people who have always lived on our land and who have come here from other places. Most exhibits require Flash, so make sure you have it downloaded ahead of time.
National Museum of Natural History | naturalhistory.si.edu
The National Museum of Natural History has tours available for a number of different exhibits, including permanent favourites and temporary exhibits. Make your way through the building as you explore the ground, first, and the second floor, stopping to take in exhibits showing the people, animals, and other creatures that make our earth diverse and incredible!
What are your favourite virtual tours to take from our list? Are there any that we missed? We’d love to hear them in the comments!
