Virtual Museum Tours
From the comfort of your couch, you can experience some of the world’s most famous museums thanks to technology. Seeing it through a screen and first-hand are obviously totally different experiences but we feel it can be a pivotal step in the dreaming stage of your trip planning. You can explore some of the most famous museums virtually, including the National Museum of History, the Guggenheim, or many others we’ve found here.
Major Paris museums like the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay are virtually available to explore thanks to Google Arts and Culture. This online platform provides digital tours of over 2,500 museums and galleries around the world. Featured collections for each museum vary but most include digital exhibits as well as a “street view”.
Some institutions such as the Louvre Museum in Paris, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, and the San Diego Museum of Art also offer virtual tours of their own. These tours are led by museum guides, taking viewers through collections in the museum just as they would if you were there in person. Some museums have even made educational materials available to the public for free including scientific articles and videos on topics like climate change and human health. If you’re looking for information geared towards your younger ones, some museums have made science classes, games, and quizzes for kids available on the museum’s website.
Taste the World
You know what they say – pasta is always better in Italy and macaroons are never the same once you’ve tasted them in Paris. And just because the best foods of a destination may not be within reach on a daily basis for you, doesn’t mean you can’t bring the flavors to your kitchen.
We are sharing some of our favorite recipes for cocktails, appetizers, entrees, and more!
- El Diablo cocktail – from the One&Only Palmilla
- A Taste of Rocco Forte – recipes from our partners at Rocco Forte
- Caribbean Cookbook – recipes from our partners at Ritz Carlton
- A Taste of Europe – recipes from our partners at Park Hyatt & Andaz
- The Hemingway
- Best Traditional Foods in 30 European Countries – Far & Wide
Some chefs at hotels around the world even offer virtual cooking classes! Renowned Italian chef Massimo Bottura—the restauranteur behind Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy offers his culinary insights through daily cooking classes on Instagram Live, @massimobottura . He even addresses recipe questions after making the meals from tuned-in viewers.
Watch a Travel Movie
When we think about it, we oftentimes have some amount of free time of our hands that could be put to use. Our free time can still be relaxing and restorative while also creating opportunities and new ideas for our lives, rather than wasting time away. Take a break from the news, Instagram, Netflix, (insert your time waster of choice here) and relax while watching one of our suggested travel-inspiring movies.
Context Conversations
The internet is an amazing place! Context Travel is a unique platform offering what they call “Context Conversations“. These seminars are led by scholars are a place to discover more about a destination or museum.
You can select the date and time for your seminar here, and then enjoy learning and conversation from the comfort of home! Each seminar is live and lasts about 90 minutes, with 15 to 30 minutes at the end of the session for conversation and questions. They anticipate adding more dates, times, and topics to the platform and are open to feedback as to what you might be interested in learning about!
Live Stream Views
Who said you have to leave your living room to see what’s happening around the world? Many of our favorite hotels and destinations offer live streaming so you can experience their destination in real-time!
Another New York City art institution, 92Y, has made its online archives—which contain hundreds of recordings of readings, concerts, and educational talks—free to the public during this time. Many people do not know New York City Broadway has a streaming platform, BroadwayHD. The site has a hefty archive of Broadway performances with everything from Cats (1998) and Swan Lake (2015) to Sweeney Todd (1982).
The Berlin Philharmonic, the legendary German orchestra, also offers an online video streaming service, Digital Concert Hall. Offering archival performances to home audiences, enjoy the soothing sounds of the orchestra while working or relaxation in your home.
Other major opera houses and concert halls around the world offer similar archival performances including the Paris Opera, London’s Wigmore Hall, Munich’s Bavarian State Opera, the Vienna State Opera, and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
Children’s Virtual Activities
Do you have little ones who love learning and traveling? Sometimes kids offer us vantage points and ask questions that show us the wheels in their head are really turning in amazing ways! Here are some activities to enjoy at home for young travelers.
- Virtual Expedition to the Galapagos with Lindblad Expeditions
- Van Gogh coloring pages and “walk” through the Van Gogh Museum together here
How would you like to experience the World from home? We’d love to know! Send us an email at [email protected] or submit a Travel Request Form on our website to explore more ways to virtually travel or to get started planning your next trip!