The Wonders of the World From Your Device

Quarantine has already lasted a few months. Students have been doing virtual school on computers at home, and have been social distancing from other people. It has changed the school year, but how will it change the summer? Camps, activities and vacations have been canceled, so what will summer be like without all the fun plans that are usually scheduled?  There is a solution to this problem: we can still “go” to different places around the world through our computers! Below are six virtual tours that let you see different museums and landmarks all over the world through your device. You still can go to see the world without even having to leave your house!

      First, here are two virtual tours that allow you to see famous art museums in Europe: the Louvre Museum in Paris, and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Both of these museums hold famous pieces of art that are well known all around the world. The Louvre Museum has the original Mona Lisa, and the Rijksmuseum has many  of Van Gough’s paintings, including one of his original self portraits. These virtual tours will allow you to explore these famous paintings and many others and learn about them personally without even having to go on a plane and fly to Europe. These virtual tours are so clear and interactive that they will make you feel like you’re in these museums in person, not through a computer in your own house. Click here to virtually visit the Louvre (any device works) and click here to visit the Rijksmuseum (limited to cell phones).

Next, two more virtual tours that allow you to go through different periods of history when exploring include Ellis Island in New York and the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia. The Ellis Island Virtual Tour takes you through the different rooms of Ellis Island. These rooms were used to process where immigrants from Europe went through when they first docked in the 1900s. There is a detailed history for all the rooms in Ellis Island, and it also includes firsthand videos from the 1900s, audio accounts of the immigration process from people who actually went through Ellis Island, and much more. The second historical tour, which is The Museum of the American Revolution, provides a virtual field trip video of the museum. Hosted by Lauren Tarshis, author of the I Survived series, the virtual field trip provides stories from the American Revolution, items that have been preserved for centuries, and a look around at the museum’s exhibits. This includes George Washington’s preserved war tent, the one he lived in throughout his time as general of the Continental Army. These two virtual tours will allow you to be sent back to these two well known time periods that have become famous all over the world.  Click here to virtually visit Ellis Island (any device works) and click here to visit the Museum of the American Revolution (any device works).

Finally, these last two tours are famous landmarks that make up chunks of Europe’s history: Buckingham Palace in London, and Anne Frank’s house, which is also in Amsterdam. With the Buckingham Palace tour, you will be able to see three of Buckingham Palace’s famous rooms: The Throne Room, The Grand Staircase and the White Drawing Room. These three rooms will inform you of Britain’s vast history, and many years of historical value they hold to both the country and the world. The Anne Frank House is also an important part of the world’s history: when Anne Frank, her family, and their family friends went into hiding in order to avoid capture from the Nazis, over the course of two years. Her time in hiding is what eventually led to the publication of her famous diary, and her inspiring the entire world. Now, with this virtual tour, you can explore the different rooms of the Secret Annex, while also learning about Anne’s fears, emotions, excitement and experiences in each room, and about the time that led up to the events of the diary. Click here to virtually visit Buckingham Palace (any device works) and click here to visit Anne Frank’s house (any device works).

  All of these virtual tours offer chances to see famous cultural destinations and landmarks that many people have never seen before. Even though seeing the landmarks through your computer is not the same as actually seeing these landmarks in person, you still can look at the paintings at The Louvre, or at the lifelike exhibits and preserved artifacts of the Museum of the American Revolution. During this tough time where we have to stay home, it’s nice to be able to use these virtual tours and feel like we’re still traveling the world and learning about these amazing worldwide sights.