I received some great ideas for things to do at home during the Coronavirus. Conscious Life News sent this to me today and I’m sharing with you. It’s wonderful to see how many cultural institutions are allowing us to enjoy their offerings. So, for you culture buffs, get to work! (See below)
(TMU) — Let’s face it: things are looking bad in the world, and if we haven’t already felt the heavy impact of the coronavirus outbreak, we soon will.
Across the English-speaking world, public events are being canceled, schools are being closed or placed on an extended vacation, and cultural and art institutions are being shuttered en masse. Professional athletic organizations like the NCAA and MLB are canceling or delaying the start of their seasons, leaving sports fans in the lurch.
Meanwhile, whole municipal zones are instructing to shelter in place, self-quarantine, and otherwise lie low as authorities grasp at ways to keep the novel virus under control.
However, while we may be stuck at home, cultural institutions, national park services, symphonies, and zoos are now offering stunning virtual tours online, allowing us to enjoy some of humankind’s most amazing artistic and musical achievements from our homes.
Here are a few cultural “outings” you can enjoy from your computer, tablet, or phone!
A “Trip” to the Museum
Google’s Arts and Culture pages offer no less than 2,500 world-class museums and galleries, where you can peruse the collections of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the Whitney Museum in New York City, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, and the Tate Modern in London. You can also take a virtual tour of such locales as the Uffizi Galleries. And one cool “feature” of these Google tours is that you can zoom in on the priceless art far closer than you would ever be able to lean into it.
Various museums are also offering virtual tours through their websites. This includes the Louvre, which has a breathtaking exhibit in its Egyptian antiquities department; Madrid’s Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, which offers a virtual tour of its Rembrandt and Portraiture in Amsterdam, 1590-1670 exhibit on virtual view; the Vatican Museums, which offer state-of-the-art 360-degree tours of Raphael’s Rooms, the Sistine Chapel, and other attractions; as well as a self-guided tour of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC.
Take a Guided (Virtual) Tour of U.S. National Parks
In partnership with the U.S. National Parks Services, Google’s Arts & Culture pages are also offering a program called “The Hidden Worlds of the National Parks” that will bring the great outdoors to your living room or bedroom. The digital tour includes five national parks, including Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah, Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico, Dry Tortugas National Park in Florida, Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, and Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska.
Take the Kids to a Virtual Aquarium or Zoo
The Monterey Bay Aquarium in California may have been closed since March 12, but that’s not stopping it from allowing online visitors from enjoying the everyday life of its aquatic critters. Visitors can see a range of free live camera streams, ranging from their world-famous kelp forest to the jellyfish exhibit, or you can just watch penguins waddle about adorably. Scheduled feeding times will also be shown.
Meanwhile, at Boston’s New England Aquarium you can also watch feedings, tours, and a behind-the-scenes glimpse of operations through scheduled Facebook Live streams.
The California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco is also featuring views of penguins as well as their Philippine Coral Reef exhibit, while the Oakland Zoo is offering live views of their elephants, sun bears, and black bears.
Enjoy a Night Out at the Symphony (Without Dressing Up)!
While nothing can substitute a live performance from a symphony orchestra, many are offering live streams of their performances rather than cancel them entirely. Old shows are also being offered for free online.
The Philharmonie Berlin, which will remain closed until at least April 19, has opened its digital library of performances to the public, allowing unfettered access to over 600 shows. Just use the code BERLINPHIL by March 31 to get a 30-day all-access pass to the orchestra’s amazing work. The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is also live-streaming its performances through YouTube, and while those of us in the Western Hemisphere may not prefer to wake up at 7 p.m. AEDT (or 4 a.m. EDT) to catch a symphony performance, we can still watch replays on the orchestra’s YouTube channel. Make sure to check out their outstanding performance of Rimsky-Korsakov’s immortal classic, Scheherazade.
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM
I also received an e-mail from the Director & CEO of the Royal Ontario Museum, Josh Basseches, today. It is about how you can also access their online collection if you would like. This is part of what he said: “Museums play an important role in our lives. In the current period of societal stress, we are being asked to change our ways, but not the qualities that bind us to each other. Now more than ever, art, culture, and nature can lift our spirits, brighten our days and support our wellbeing. With that in mind, I invite you to visit our website to explore the museum and enjoy our robust online collections, as well as follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.”
The ROM is temporarily closed to the public as of Friday, March 13 at 5:30 pm. … The ROM’s Online Collection opens the Museum to everyone, anywhere in the world. … With thousands of items currently logged in its database, ROM’s Online Collections is an ongoing project to digitally …
ADDED MARCH 21st
Scholastic is offering free online courses so your kids can keep learning while schools are closed
The educational company has launched a “Learn at Home” website that has daily courses for students from Pre-kindergarten to grades 6 and higher.
From learning about why zebras have stripes to math lessons based on K-Pop stars, Scholastic’s learning plans cover all the subjects your student would be taking at school.
cnn.com The fact is, most of us are going to be spending a lot of time at home. And while nothing can replicate the swell of a live orchestra or the quiet murmur of an art gallery on a Saturday morning, there are countless cultural experiences at your fingertips to make your time indoors more artful and imaginative.
CNN Style looks at some of the most fascinating, immersive concerts, museum tours and other virtual experiences you can explore from the comfort of your own couch.
But first, some tips on enjoying them:
Make a moment of it. You would schedule time for a museum visit or a concert, right? Do the same for your virtual version. Find a place or time with minimal interruptions so you can get the most out of the experience. Forego extraneous internet browsing or Facebook messenger, and enjoy the art in front of you. This is why livestreams are so great. Of course, you can watch a performance afterward, but if you can, experiencing it in the moment feels more like the real thing.
Class it up. OK, you don’t need to get glammed up (you could, though!). But a little pour of wine or tea and a plate of snacks will help set the mood.
Choose a theme. If museum jaunts are your thing, plan out your dream art tour across the world, or hone in on a particular history or interest. Or pick a city, like Washington, D.C., and load up all the local cultural experiences you can.
Involve the kids. Sure, they may not want to watch “Carmen,” but plenty of zoos and museums are offering cool programs for kids while they’re out of school, like animal spotlights and virtual safaris. (Bonus: No long walk back to the car after your visit.)
1/20 – 1. Louvre, Paris
The Louvre is the world’s most-popular museum, according to the 2015 Museum Index released by the Themed Entertainment Association and AECOM. The Louvre welcomed 8.7 million visitors. Click through the gallery to see the rest of the world’s most popular museums. Credit: Watcharee Suphaluxana/Shutterstock
Now, on to the good stuff, with suggestions. (And remember, these are just a few options in a virtual sea of things to do. Explore, or look up your favorite local cultural landmark to see what online offerings they have.)
Art galleries
Shutterstock
Musée d’Orsay: Paris
Take in 278 masterpieces here. Our suggestions: Vincent Van Gogh’s self portrait, and Éduoard Manet’s legendary nude, “Olympia.” Don’t worry about clicking aimlessly, all the pieces have extensive descriptions and notations.
National Gallery of Art: Washington, D.C.
View online exhibits and more than 42,000 works here. Our suggestion: A selection of fashion watercolors from the Index of American Design.
Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images
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Uffizi Gallery: Florence, Italy
Take a virtual walk through Florence’s artistic gem before stopping to admire some of the museum’s most famous inhabitants. Our suggestion: Sandro Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus,” of course. But also, in the tour, don’t forget to drag the screen and look up at the beautiful frescoes on the ceiling, painted by Alessandro Allori.
Johannesburg Art Gallery: Johannesburg
Browse more than 500 works from Africa’s largest art gallery. Our suggestion: The museum houses plenty of works form Dutch and other European artists, but it also offers an array of works from South African artists. For a more historical angle, browse their online exhibit about the role of photography and resistance in the era of Apartheid.
Paul Morigi
National Portrait Gallery: Washington, D.C.
The intimate nature of portraiture makes this museum a particularly great option for a home browse. Our suggestion: Now’s the time to take a closer look at the Obama portraits everyone raves about.
National Gallery Victoria: Victoria, Melbourne
After a 6-year digitization project, more than 75,000 works from the gallery’s collection are available online. Also on offer are free curator-led virtual exhibition tours, which are added to regularly. This weekend visit ‘KAWS: Companionship in the Age of Loneliness’ (from Saturday March 21), and ‘Keith Haring | Jean-Michel Basquiat: Crossing Lines’ (as of Saturday March 28).
Tate Galleries in the UK are offering downloadable exhibition guides, including for the recently opened Aubrey Beardsley and Andy Warhol exhibitions, and their online collection, featuring nearly 80k artworks is available to all.
For more ideas, online art marketplace Artsy have put together a list of other virtual exhibitions and art experiences you can visit.
Museums
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
British Museum: London
Explore a stunning visual timeline of the world, with an array of annotated objects. Our suggestion: This timeline pairs nicely with “A History of the World in 100 Objects,” a podcast narrated by the Director of the British Museum, Neil MacGregor. (If your ears are craving more, here are some more culture podcasts to enjoy.)
African American History and Culture: Washington, D.C.
If you’ve ever wanted to visit an extremely popular museum but couldn’t seem to nab tickets, a virtual tour is the next best thing! This one gives you just a taste of what the museum has to offer, and where in the museum each feature is located.
Lucia RM Martino/National Museum of Natural History
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Smithsonian Museum of Natural History: Washington, D.C.
Dinosaurs! Snakes in jars! Giant diamonds! This is a good option for kids. Our suggestions: The Ocean Hall, The Hall of Mammals, and the Hall of Fossils. Or, mix it up with minerals.
Russia’s State Hermitage Museum: St. Petersburg, Russia
Got five hours to kill? Enjoy this extensive video tour of the largest museum in Russia, complete with 45 galleries and 588 artistic masterpieces.
Art experiences
Cathy Carver/Hirshhorn Museum
Kusama’s Infinity mirrors
If you missed one of the hottest traveling museum exhibits of the past few years, ooh and ahh at a brisk room-by-room rundown of the hypnotic, multi-faceted work of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.
Carl Court/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
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Banksy Murals around the world
Go on an artistic treasure hunt – without the hunt part. With something like street art, it’s much more interesting to see the work it its full context, than just through a close-up.
Van Gogh’s Starry Night at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City
These close-up looks at famous paintings are so intense, you may think a docent will start yelling at you. Few paintings are suited to such a treatment than the bold, textured lines of The Starry Night.
Street Art tours
Explore the stories behind street art across the world with audio-guided tours and online exhibitions, offered by the Google Cultural Institute.
Classical concerts
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Vancouver Symphony
The Vancouver Symphony live streamed its final performance from their BeethovenFest, and it’s available for your viewing – and listening – pleasure any time.
Sean Gallup/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
Berlin Philharmonic
With a special limited-time code, you can enjoy a treasury of online performances from one of the best orchestras in the world. Our suggestion: You can’t go wrong with anything from the trifecta of national B’s: Bach, Beethoven and Brahms. But Gustav Mahler’s second symphony, The Resurrection Symphony, seems apt in these trying time.
Operas, plays and ballets
Royal Opera House: London
When it comes to high culture, don’t underestimate YouTube! The Royal Opera House’s channel has a selection of some of the top performances from famous operas and ballets, just a click away. Our suggestions: The Caterpillar from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and The Dance of the Knights from Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, if just for the incredible costumes.
Getty Images
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Vienna State Opera
If you can’t be in Vienna, you can at least treat yourself to full streams of some of the Vienna State Opera’s latest performances. A reminder, for people who don’t like opera: These works are almost always as much a treat for the eyes as much as the ears.
Metropolitan Opera: New York City
Arts lovers, if appointment viewing is more your thing, the Met is putting on nightly opera streams. But you better not be late! They’re only available until 3:30 p.m. ET the next day. And there’s something to be said for such ephemerality.
Kathy Willens/AP
The Social Distancing Festival
Want more live streamed arts? A theater artist has created The Social Distancing Festival, which gathers live streams and videos of all different types of performances in one place, on one calendar.
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Courtesy Matthew Murphy/The Phantom of the Opera
Broadway shows
Did you know you can stream broadway shows through Amazon, iTunes, YouTube and other streaming services? You can also check out BroadwayHD,a special streaming service that brings you the greatest from the Great White Way. It’s $8.99 a month, but there’s a one-month free trial.
Cultural sites
The White House: Washington, D.C.
Hang out in the Oval Office? Don’t mind if we do! By the way, the online exhibit sections of Google Arts & Culture’s offerings are like having your own personal tour guide. Our suggestion: The Virtual Tour of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building will get you acquainted with stunning spaces you’ve only ever seen on TV.
MARTIN BUREAU/AFP/Getty Images
Palace of Versailles: Versailles, France
Explore one of France’s national treasures and all of the Baroque art, architecture and finery within. Our suggestion: Go outside of the palace interior for an early birds-eye-view of the grounds, to get your bearings.
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The Prambanan Temple: Yogyakarta, Indonesia
There’s so much to behold in this iconic, intricate Hindu temple complex. Good thing you’re in no rush! Step up to the spires with the arrow marks, and drag your cursor to get a good look at the carvings.
AFP / Getty Images
The Sistine Chapel: Vatican City
There are a lot of museum collections to explore on the Vatican’s virtual site. But first, go straight to zooming in on all of the detail on the Sistine Chapel.
Zoos and aquariums
from Facebook
The Cincinnati Zoo
Every day while school is out, the Cincinnati Zoo (home of the famous Fiona the hippo), will be hosting a Home Safari on their Facebook Live Feed at 3 p.m. ET. They’ll have up-close animal experiences, plus activities to do at home.
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The Shedd Aquarium: Chicago, Illinois
The Shedd Aquarium has already captured hearts with the antics of its resident penguins, which have been filmed roaming the now-empty halls of the aquarium, looking at all of the other exhibits. But animal lovers will want to follow their Facebook page, too: They’re sharing all kinds of behind-the-scenes videos and fun virtual experiences.
The San Diego Zoo
Want to have something fun going on in the background while you’re working? Your favorite zoo probably has live cams so you can check in on all the animals. The San Diego Zoo is a great start.
The Georgia Aquarium: Atlanta
The Georgia Aquarium has live streams, too! And you can pick what animal you want to watch. We’re partial to the African Penguins.