While most museums are closed to the public these days, that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on all that these amazing institutions have to offer. Here’s a peek at some of the ways museums are reaching out while their communities are stuck at home.
Virtual Tours and Online Exhibits
If you can’t get to a museum during quarantine closures, many museums will come to you! Virtual tours can be a fun way to explore from home and range from video tours to interactive Google Street View style presentations that allow you to explore at your own pace. Museum Pass partners with virtual tours include the Boston Children’s Museum, the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire and the Manchester Historical Society's Millyard Museum.
Beyond the institutions we offer passes for, there are also many internationally renowned museums that offer virtual tours for those of us without the budget to travel to Paris on a whim. To find a few – including the Louvre, the Met and the San Diego Zoo - click the link to bring up a great list published by Good Housekeeping.
Many art museums also offer online exhibits and searchable collections that allow you to search for and browse all kinds of art, including pieces that are not currently on display. This includes the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Currier Museum and the Peabody Essex Museum.
Want to go behind the scenes and get close-up with some animals? Check out the New England Aquarium’s daily Facebook presentations at 11:00 AM or visit their YouTube page for a host of archived videos that take you inside the Giant Ocean Tank, get up close and personal with sharks and penguins and show you how an octopus eats.
Activities, Projects and Experiments to Try at Home
If you’re looking for something more hands-on, many museums are providing instructions and how-to videos with some activities for you to try at home. Ranging from art projects to science experiments, you can use these ideas, instructions and videos to entertain and keep busy as well as to supplement at-home education. Click the links to check out projects from:
Currier Museum of Art (Scroll down to "Engage with Currier from Home")
McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center
Educational Resources
For those of you who suddenly find yourselves stepping into the role of teacher, some museums are also offering guidance and resources. The Museum of Science is advertising webinars, which you can access from their Twitter feed. The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire offers weekly Story Times and archives them here. Or you can access a great list of learning resources from the Boston Children’s Museum. The SEE Science Center also has some science videos to check out.
We hope these online museum resources are helpful and that you’re able to follow up your virtual museum visits with an in-person trip soon. Once the Library reopens, be sure to visit our Museum Passes page to reserve your free or discounted tickets with your Bedford Public Library card!