June 5th, 2020

5 Free Virtual Tours: Museums, Zoo and Aquarium

When you’re cooped up at home, or even just when the kids are out of school for the summer, keeping everyone entertained is key to the family staying happy and out of your hair. For something that’s fun and different, why not plan a virtual field trip to a famous museum, zoo or aquarium? It’s not only educational for kids and adults alike, but these online tours are a great way to explore some amazing, far-away places you might not be able to otherwise.

  1. MOSH Connect

    The Museum of Science and History is a local Jacksonville favorite, and one that’s visited frequently by Shearwater residents thanks to the community’s proximity to both Jacksonville and St. Augustine. You can have a blast with the museum crew through the new MOSH Connect program at home! There are educational video recordings, weekly labs to experiment with at home and even Facebook Live events where you and your kids can ask all the questions you desire.

  2. NASA

    For the star-struck kids and kids-at-heart, NASA has online tours of both the Langley Research Center and the Glenn Research Center. There are even tours of some seriously far-away places, like the International Space Station and even visualizations of other planets. And if that isn’t enough, Space Station Houston has an app with virtual reality experiences, video stories and more.

  3. The British Museum

    Located in London, the British Museum isn’t a place you can typically visit on the weekend. But thanks to these online tours, now you can! Travel through two million years of human history and learn more about key artifacts using the Museum of the World tool. Or, discover something new at their other exhibits using Google Street View technology that makes it feel like you’re actually there!

  4. Smithsonian Museum of Natural History

    You can tour every room of this amazing museum using 360-degree technology. From the origin of humans, to towering dinosaur skeletons and deep-sea creatures, to insects and minerals, there’s sure to be something for every member of the family at this museum.

  5. Zoo and Aquarium Live Cameras

    Have some animal lovers in the family? You can get your dose of furry cuteness with a variety of live animal cameras at the San Diego Zoo, including tigers, elephants, pandas and platypuses. And if that’s not enough, hop over to the Monterey Bay Aquarium website, where you can watch live streams of a plethora of critters, from sea otters and jellyfish to sharks and birds.

At Shearwater, staying at home doesn’t have to be boring. In addition to all of these amazing tours, residents have access to a variety of events and activities planned by our Lifestyle Director, both on and offline. To learn more about this new home community in St. Augustine, Florida, join our Interest List.