Whilst we are all isolated in our homes, there are many online resources to help us look to the future – the hopeful not so distant future where we may once again freely enter the ‘outside’ and no longer have to be ‘distant’ whilst we are being ‘social’ – especially difficult when we usually socialise in groups of 10 plus!
These are some of the many online ways you can research future group excursions – or just play around on the internet to fill an empty afternoon, entirely up to you!
British Museum, The Fancy a virtual trip to the British Museum? The museum’s 60 free galleries can be explored online, complete with images, facts and highlights.
Cirque de Soleil Enjoy the magical, world-renowned performances of Cirque du Soleil from the comfort of your home with #CirqueConnect. Take a front-row seat and enjoy moments from their awe-inspiring performances of KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities, “O”, and LUZIA, with never-before-seen angles that can only be experienced on your screen.
Great Wall of China Virtual Tour As China's most famous attraction, the Great Wall of China is an essential stop on all tours. Commonly considered a wonder of the world, the Great Wall boasts a history of over 2,000 years and stretches more than 4,800 kilometres across several provinces of northern China, making it one of the most impressive ancient structures on the planet. Would you like to see this amazing construction for yourself?
Google Arts & Culture Tours
Explore cultural institutions and famous landmarks such as the Colosseum and the Effiel Tower. You can also learn more about artefacts from places such as the British Museum with an interactive historical timeline.
Hampsted Theatre at Home In partnership with The Guardian, Hampsted Theatre will be streaming a series of hit productions from its digital archive for free. Hampsted Theatre at Home will launch a new production each week, streaming them on their website and The Guardian.
House’s of Parliament Virtual Tour Take a tour around the historic Houses of Parliament, giving a close-up view of famous rooms, halls and lobbies, including the House of Commons and House of Lords chambers.
Jack the Ripper Murder Mystery and Virtual Tour Hit the streets of East End London without leaving your couch! This interactive Jack the Ripper walking tour will take you back to the dark and mysterious world of 1888 Victorian London as you try to suss out suspects and solve some murders. You will virtually "meet" your live tour guide in the impoverished neighborhood of Whitechapel, where you will be assigned a suspect card with which you can investigate the alleged perpetrators. Learn more about Jack the Ripper, his victims, and the suspects on this virtual tour - it's a must for all murder mystery fans!
Louvre Museum Virtual Tour Enjoy one of the greatest museums in the world from the comfort of your home! The Louvre has taken four of its exhibitions and turned them into virtual rooms that you can visit with just a click of your mouse: The Advent of the Artist, Egyptian Antiquities, Remains of the Louvre's Moat, and Galerie d'Apollon. You don't have to go to Paris to contemplate the museum's façades and surround yourself with culture.
Magical London Film Tour Go on a spellbinding and interactive walking tour from the comfort of your home! After logging on and being sorted into a house alongside other virtual tourists, you'll virtually "meet" your tour guide outside the Palace Theatre to go on a journey exploring the exquisite magical world that is hidden in the streets of London. You'll be able to explore some of London's top sites as well as a myriad of enchanting corners - some of which have been used as filming locations. Play games with the rest of the participants, and compete to outwit your guide in a series of trivia quizzes about famous films. Fans of the wizarding world can't miss this virtual tour!
National Theatre at Home The National Theatre are giving you the chance to watch four of the theatre’s best-loved productions from the past few years in your own homes, with a new show added weekly. 2nd April - One Man, Two Guvnors 9th April – Jane Eyre 16th April – Treasure Island 23rd April – Twelfth Night
Northern Lights, The You can live-stream the Northern Lights from Churchill, Manitoba in Canada.
Proud Galleries London based Proud have created an online gallery, bringing closer to the finest pop culture photography, bringing the rock stars into your home.
Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House has launched a programme of free online content to access and view at home. These free programmes will include online broadcasts, musical masterclasses and cultural insights that get under the skin of both ballet and opera and offer everyone a unique look behind the scenes at one of the world’s most famous cultural institutions.
Royal Shakespeare Company In conjunction with the BBC Arts, the RSC has launched ‘Culture in Quarantine’ to bring their performances to audiences across the UK. Over the coming weeks, you will be able to watch full-length productions of Shakespeare classics such as Macbeth, Hamlet and Romeo & Juliet.
Sadler’s Wells Sadler’s Wells has launched ‘Digital Stage’, streaming full-length dance performances and workshops online. Launching with an exclusive online screening of Deluxe by BalletBoyz, Sadler’s Wells will make a new production available every Friday, free to stream from their Facebook Page.
Shakespeare’s Globe Player Shakespeare’s Globe will be releasing six free Globe Player films, one on rotation every two weeks, including Hamlet (2018), Romeo and Juliet (2009), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2013) and The Two Noble Kinsmen (2018), plus two previously unreleased titles The Winter’s Tale (2018) and The Merry Wives of Windsor (2019).
The Smithsonian Museum: Natural History Virtual Tours The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History virtual site allows you to go on self-guided, room-by-room tours of select exhibits and areas within the museum, all from the comfort of your home. Explore permanent exhibits as well as current and even past exhibits, or take a look at select collections in the museum support center & research stations. You'll find a wealth of knowledge about natural history just one click away!
National Gallery Virtual Tour Virtual Tours of The National Gallery’s Rooms and Galleries, giving an immersive experience at home exploring Renaissance masterpieces from Northern Italy, the Netherlands, and Germany.
Yosemite National Park Virtual Tour Just because you're stuck indoors doesn't mean you can't experience the calming effects of nature. Yosemite National Park is currently offering a delightful 360-degree virtual tour complete with a map, detailed explanations and even immersive audio for each location. Listen to the cheerful birdsong in Union Point, the running water of Merced River, the crashing sound of the imposing Yosemite Falls, the rustling of leaves on a windy day... Overlook the park from Glacier Point, and seamlessly fly like a bird from one node to the next, getting a complete view of everything the area has to offer.