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The 19 Best Free Virtual Field Trips of 2024

Stuck at home? Travel virtually all over the world instead (but seriously, check out the Son Doong Cave)

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When you can't get away, your kids still can by taking a virtual field trip to a museum, farm, zoo, or another fun location. We compiled our list of favorites to help you keep your kids engaged and entertained. Some of these are virtual tours (you can actively decide where to go on the tour) and others are video walkthroughs (just watch and learn), but all give you a great experience of the location.

Best Art-Centric Virtual Tour: The Met

A glimpse at some of the greatest works of art created.

Online exhibits on various topics.

There's only one view of the museum currently available.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is home to over 5,000 years of art from around the world. You can see some of it from the comfort of your home. Take a virtual stroll through part of the museum using Google Street View. There are also numerous online exhibits on topics like Coco Chanel, Vermeer, Catholic allegory in art, and more.

Best Tour of Space: NASA

The volume of space videos.

The approachable aspect of the videos.

So much more to see on the site.

It's not easily searchable unless you know what you're looking for.

This might be cheating a bit because it's really a collection of videos, but, oh boy, what a collection to tour! The Galleries open up an array of videos covering space topics from testing a parachute for Mars to moving water in space. Each video is a mini virtual tour that will awe kids and encourage interest in science and space.

Best Tour of the White House: Google Arts & Culture's The White House

Stunning 360-degree images.

See inside and outside the White House.

Offers views of 140 paintings.

Once inside a tour, it's hard to know what you're looking at.

No search functions.

Every President since John Adams has occupied the White House and now your children can visit it, too. Google Arts & Culture offers four museum views (three tours of The White House and one of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building) plus a look at more than 140 paintings that grace (or have graced) the walls of the country's most famous abode. The 360-degree images let kids explore to their heart's desire.

Best Cave Virtual Tour: Son Doong Cave

Son Doong is beautiful.

The virtual tour includes lots of information.

Zoom into areas for a more detailed look.

No supplemental online activities.

Son Doong is the world's largest natural cave. Located in Vietnam, it features a subterranean river and the largest cross-section of any cave worldwide. National Geographic's virtual tour lets you explore the cave with full 360-degree views and immersive sounds. You can even zoom in one area to check out the campers in their tents. Son Doong is beautiful and worth a virtual visit.

Best National Park Virtual Tour: Yellowstone

Offers multiple tours.

Lots of historical information.

Amazing images.

No video tours.

Lots of written information that can turn off some kids.

Yellowstone offers seven virtual tours appropriate for older elementary and middle school ages. There's a lot of written information along with the images, and the tours aren't in video. However, the information is fascinating, and the photos are stunning.

From learning about old Fort Yellowstone to discovering park anomalies like Mud Volcano, these tours are a great way for kids to discover unique facts about America.

Best Natural History Tour: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

So many exhibits to see!

Easy, clickable maps.

Quick and easy to navigate.

It's not always easy to read the signs in the exhibits.

This iconic museum is dedicated to understanding the natural world and humanity's place in it. There's so much to see it can't possibly be listed here. However, the museum offers an online tour of most of its exhibits. Split this tour up into multiple lessons, so kids don't get overwhelmed.

Skip the ground floor and go straight to the first or second floors.

Best Aquarium Virtual Tour: National Aquarium

Easy to find exhibits.

Fun to explore using the 360-degree options.

Some scenes spin quickly, which can frustrate young learners.

Baltimore's National Aquarium features more than 20,000 aquatic animals. Kids can click and drag images to navigate their way around and use arrows, the map, or a scene list to explore various exhibits. Explore eight areas, such as the Amazon River, a tropical rain forest, and jellyfish.

Best Tours of the World: AirPano

Bright, well-produced videos and images.

Offers tours of numerous countries.

Includes video and still frame-images.

What's not to like?

AirPano has a variety of tours in China, Portugal, Switzerland, and more countries. Children can visit the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge in China, an underwater cave in Indonesia, ski resorts in France, and more destinations around the globe.

What makes this site so good is that it offers narrations of several tours, provides closeups through interactive actions, and includes short chunks of written information that's easy for kids of most ages to read. The tours are also fairly short, which makes these tours great for younger kids, but older kids will still enjoy the trip.

Best Virtual Tour for Car Lovers: Lane Motor Museum

Totally unique tour.

An inside look that allows for deep diving into collections.

There's no way to tell what a specific vehicle is unless you know cars.

Scroll to the bottom of the link to watch a fun virtual tour of one of the most unique car museums in the world. Lane Motor Museum is home to an oddball collection of vehicles dating from the 1920s up to modern times.

Your child will love seeing amphibious vehicles, microcars, prototypes, and more. The tour is easy to click through and offers six angles to entertain viewers.

Best Tours of Nature: Nature Works Everywhere

Tours are narrated and easy to follow.

Provides student handouts, vocabulary, and discussion questions.

We wish there was a larger library of tours!

Explore nature around the world with Nature Works Everywhere's virtual tours. Visit the coral reefs of Palau, the deserts and grasslands of Africa, a rainforest (from a canoe's viewpoint), a renewable energy plant, and more.

The tours are narrated and give great, quick facts to help kids learn in simple, straightforward ways. All tours are appropriate for grades 3 through 12 but are marked with notes about the grades most likely to enjoy the tour.

Best Historical Tour: Ellis Island

A clear explanation of Ellis Island, how it worked, and why it was needed.

Includes children asking questions of tour guides.

The images in much of the tour are small in order to focus on the tour guides.

Ellis Island is a key piece of American history. This virtual tour offers lots of anecdotes and features actual guides from Ellis Island telling stories. Plus, it includes lots of pictures and views of the island.

It's more appropriate for fourth grade and up, mainly due to the litany of facts and complexity of the information provided.

Best Slime-Based Virtual Tour: Slime in Space

Nickelodeon

It's playful and educational.

Good production values.

Fun experiments.

It's a video, not an interactive virtual tour.

What happens to Nickelodeon's iconic slime when it's in space? That's the concept behind the Slime in Space virtual field trip. Featuring real astronauts and Nickelodeon celebrities, the 15-minute video shows kids how slime and water react in a microgravity environment 250 miles above the Earth. Along the way, it answers burning questions like, "Is slime a solid or a liquid?" and "Can you slime a person in space?" (The answer is: yes, very slowly.)

Best Virtual Zoo Tour: San Diego Zoo

Live cams of the animals.

A variety of educational videos.

Fun games and activities.

Fixed camera angles mean you're not always guaranteed to see the animals.

The San Diego Zoo is home to more than 3,500 animals of more than 650 species and subspecies. It's widely considered one of the best zoos in the world. But, if you can't make it to California, it has a robust virtual experience online.

You can peek in on the animals through live cams. There's also a variety of videos that teach kids about vultures or show them how to draw a tiger, for example. There are also zoo-related games and activities kids can do at home.

Best General Farm Tour: FarmFood 360

360-degree views of the farm.

Offers a free app for Android and iOS.

It can be hard to see things on a mobile device.

FarmFood 360 gives an inside look at the activities of a Canadian farm. Kids see 360-degree views of the farm as they learn about milk and cheese production, sheep farming, egg processing, and more.

There's an app available for Android and iOS devices, and it's compatible with some virtual reality headsets.

Best Virtual Planetarium: Stellarium

Realistic night sky simulation.

Mobile apps are available.

Includes a telescope control module for experienced astronomers.

Can be difficult to navigate.

The mobile apps aren't free, but the money supports the project.

Stellarium Web is an online planetarium created by two brothers. Offering an accurate and realistic view of the night sky, it lets you pan around and spot stars, satellites, and other celestial bodies.

It offers mobile apps for Android and iOS that aren't free. The money goes toward paying server and development costs for the two-person project.

Best Living-History Virtual Tour: Colonial Williamsburg

Next best thing to being there.

The virtual scavenger hunt.

The virtual tours are highly interactive.

Virtual tour models can load slowly.

Condensation or inclement weather can obstruct the webcam views.

Colonial Williamsburg is a living-history museum in Virginia that offers a glimpse at what life was like in the 18th century. Its virtual tour is highly interactive and includes videos, informational signs, and 3D models you can rotate.

With its various webcams, you can see the armory, courthouse, merchants square, and more. Colonial Williamsburg's website also offers a virtual scavenger hunt your kids can participate in as they tour the area.

Best European Museum Virtual Tour: The Louvre

It's the Louvre.

The website offers a list of online family-friendly activities.

The virtual tours include a map and an information button.

The website offers limited language options.

Sure, we'd love to jet off to France and tour its fabulous museums personally. But if that's not an option, the Louvre has several virtual tours available on its website. The offerings include exhibitions on the body in movement, founding myths, Egyptian antiquities, and more.

The Louvre also has a handy list of family-friendly online resources everyone can enjoy, including a Mona Lisa VR experience.

Best Factory Virtual Tour: M&M Factory Tour

Zoonar RF / Getty Images

Who doesn't love chocolate?

360-degree views of the factory.

It's short.

The Food Network teamed up with candy maker Mars to give M&M fans a virtual tour of one of its factories. During the short YouTube video, viewers can pan around as a tour guide explains how unrefined chocolate is turned into the little candies we know and love.

Best General Virtual Tour Resource: Discovery Education

An eclectic variety of virtual field trips.

Watch live or on demand.

Trips come with a companion guide packed with activities.

A schedule of when field trips go live would be nice.

Discovery Education offers a variety of virtual field trips for kids learning from home. The offerings change often but currently include an NFL experience, a doodling experience meant to encourage creativity, and a virtual field trip through the internet of things. You can watch the field trips live or catch the videos later on-demand.

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Freedom Homeschooling

Free virtual field trips.

by Freedom Homeschooling | Mar 21, 2023 | Field Trips

Virtual field trips allow children to visit places around the world without ever leaving their homes. Through virtual field trips, they can visit other states, countries across the globe, and even other planets. This allows children to experience places they wouldn’t get to see otherwise. Virtual field trips are also great for when you can’t get out due to illness or can’t afford to travel.  Here are several free resources your family can use to take virtual field trips.

Zoo & Aquarium Free Virtual Field Trips

Dublin Zoo – Watch the giraffes, zebras, rhinos, elephants, and penguins of this Ireland zoo via live webcams.

Franklin Park Zoo – Explore this Boston zoo using an interactive map and videos.

Houston Zoo – Observe animals in several of the zoo’s exhibits via live webcam.

Marineland Dolphin Adventure – Learn about dolphins, sea turtles, and more during a video-based tour of this marine mammal park in Florida.

Monterey Bay Aquarium – Watch sea creatures in this California aquarium with the live animal cam.

National Aquarium – Take a virtual tour of this aquarium located in Baltimore, Maryland.

San Diego Zoo – View live videos, learn about animals, play games, and more on this interactive website.

Zoo Tours – This YouTube channel visits zoos around the US.

Observe Wildlife With Free Virtual Field Trips

Africam – Watch animals in the African bush using live webcams.

All About Birds – Observe birds all over the US and world via live webcams.

Explore – View animals around the world with these live webcams.

Nature & National Parks Free Virtual Field Trips

Great Lakes Now – Learn about the Great Lakes of North America with this series of video-based virtual field trips.

Mount Everest – Explore this peak in the Himalayan mountain range through 360-degree photos and informative articles.

The Nature Conservancy – Learn about ecosystems around the world with video-based tours.

The Nature Conservancy of Oklahoma – Explore nature in Oklahoma through videos and photographs.

Son Doong Cave – Explore the world’s largest cave with 360-degree images.

The Virtual Rainforest – Learn about the rainforest with this interactive tour that includes informative videos and articles.

Yosemite National Park – Tour this national park located in California through interactive panoramic photographs.

Visit Farms With Free Virtual  Field Trips

Farm Tours – Learn about agriculture through these virtual tours of farms in Canada.

HenCam – Observe chickens on a small backyard farm in Massachusetts.

Purina Farms – Learn about the animals at Purina Farms with this virtual field trip.

History Museums Free Virtual Field Trips

Anne Frank House – Take a 360-degree tour of Anne Frank’s home in Amsterdam.

The British Museum – Browse the online galleries of this museum, which is located in London.

Colonial Williamsburg – Take a 3D tour of the world’s largest living history museum.

Corrie ten Boom Home – View the home in 360 degrees as the digital guide tells Corrie’s story.

Museo Galileo – Virtually tour this museum dedicated to Galileo in Florence, Italy.

National Women’s History Museum – Learn about trailblazing women while exploring the museum’s virtual exhibits.

Old Sturbridge Village – Learn about life in 1830s New England with this 3D tour.

September 11th Memorial and Museum – Explore the museum with this interactive video-based virtual tour.

Smithsonian Museum of Natural History – Virtually explore many current and past exhibits of this museum located in Washington D.C.

War & Military History Museums Free Virtual Field Trips

Battleship New Jersey – Take a video-based tour of the US’s most decorated battleship.

Beyond the Battle Field – Watch a behind-the-scenes video-based field trip of the Museum of the American Revolution.

National Museum of the US Air Force – Take a virtual tour of this museum located in Dayton, Ohio.

The National World War II Museum – Learn about World War II with this series of video-based field trips.

Historical Sites, Landmarks, & Monuments Free Virtual Field Trips

Ellis Island – Visit Ellis Island with this video created by Scholastic.

Historic Philadelphia – Take a picture-based tour of historic sites in Philadelphia, PA. Stops include the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Betsy Ross Hall, and more.

Mount Rushmore – Explore this national memorial located in South Dakota through 360-degree images.

Mount Vernon – Take an interactive and informative tour of George Washington’s home in Virginia.

The Statue of Liberty – Learn about the Statue of Liberty through the videos and photographs in this virtual tour.

The White House – Go on a  360-degree tour of the President’s home.

Art Museum Free Virtual Field Trips

The Dalí Museum – Take a 360-degree virtual tour of this St. Petersburg, Florida, museum and view online galleries of Salvador Dalí’s artwork.

Google Arts and Culture – View the art collections of over 500 museums and galleries. Some of the museums also offer full virtual tours.

The Louvre Museum – Explore exhibits at this famous art museum in Paris, France.

MetKids – Explore the Metropolitan Museum of Arts, located in New York City, using an interactive map and videos.

Learn About Space With Free Virtual Field Trips

Boeing Aerospace Tour – Join Boeing on a virtual field trip to the Johnson Space Center.

Callisto: Space Innovation Tour – Explore the Orion Spacecraft with a video-based field trip.

International Space Station – Take a video tour of the space station.

Johnson Space Center – Tour Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, with this series of videos from Boeing and Discovery Education.

Mars – Explore the surface of Mars in a 360-degree view while learning about the planet and space exploration.

NASA Glenn Research Center – Take a look around the facilities with these interactive virtual tours.

Factory & Business Free Virtual Field Trips

Amazon Fulfillment Center – Learn how Amazon fills customers’ orders with this online field trip.

Mount Olive Tour – Find out how pickles are made with this video tour.

Taylor Guitars Factory – Watch guitars being made with this video-based factory tour.

Community Helpers & Services Free Virtual Field Trips

Clover Post Office – Visit the Clover Post Office in North Carolina to learn how mail is delivered.

Martin County Sheriff’s Department – Join a group of preschoolers for a video-based virtual field trip to the sheriff’s office in Martin County, Florida.

Memphis Fire Department – Watch a video tour of the fire department.

Republic Services – See what happens to our trash with virtual field trips to landfills and recycling centers.

Explore the World With Free Virtual Field Trips

AirPano – Visit locations all over the world virtually with 360-degree videos and photographs.

Borneo – Travel to Borneo, the third largest island in the world, and learn about the rainforest with this video.

Holy Land Tour – Virtually visit Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and more.

The Journey of Water – This video explores Columbia’s paramo ecosystem and follows water’s path to the kitchen sink.

The Most Dangerous Ways to School – Watch children all over the world travel to school with this 13-episode documentary series.

Rick Steves’ Europe – Visit and learn about Europe with this YouTube channel.

Vatican Museums – Virtually tour numerous museums, chapels, and galleries.

World of Wonder Travel – Take virtual trips around the US and the world. The website includes a free printable passport and stamps to track field trips.

360 Cities – This website provides interactive 360-degree videos and images of locations around the world.

Miscellaneous Free Virtual Field Trips

National Geographic Education – This YouTube playlist includes virtual field trips to various locations.

Discovery Education – Discover Education offers a wide variety of virtual field trips.

Google Earth – “Fly” anywhere in the world in seconds, explore hundreds of cities in 3D, take guided tours, and create your own maps and stories.

Google Maps Street View – Type in any address, select street view, and explore the area. Not only can you take a virtual trip down the streets, but you can also “step” into many museums, landmarks, and other attractions. Here are some I’ve found.

• The White House – Washington, D.C.
• The Colosseum – Rome, Italy
• Great Wall of China – Huairou District, China
• Stonehenge – Wiltshire, United Kingdom
• Palace of Versailles – Versailles, France
• This is just a small sample of the places you can tour with Google Maps. Search for other locations that interest your family and see if Google will let you take a peek inside.

Free Printable Field Trip Journal & Log

Our 20 Ways to Save on Field Trips post includes a free printable field trip journal and log. This printable works well for both in-person and virtual field trips.

Other Resources You May Enjoy

• YouTube Channels That Get Kids Moving
• Homeschooling With Movies, TV, and Videos
• Free Curriculum for All Subjects and Every Grade – Simply choose a subject from the menu on the main page to get started.

Note: This post was originally published on March 16, 2020 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

At the Freedom Homeschooling Blog, you'll find homeschool resources and information, tips for homeschooling on a budget, encouragement, and more! Please follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Threads, and X.

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42 Virtual Field Trips for Kids to Get Them Learning About the World

Kids can go from Ellis Island to Mars without leaving the couch.

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With rates of COVID-19 on the rise again, parents are preparing for the possibility of another round of stay-at-home orders. Or, even if the official word to stay indoors isn't coming down from local governments, careful families might be planning for a winter at home, just to be safe.

While your kids may be home physically, online tours still give them some access to the rest of the outside world. The same way school has gone digital — with remote homeschooling , live-streamed extra-curricular classes , and learning-at-home portals wherever you look — class trips have moved online, too.

These virtual field trips for kids will have them gazing at world-class art, learning about history, discovering science, and even checking out what it's like in outer space. No matter their interests, be it history, art or science, you'll be able to take a "trip" to match.

Of course, these are still screen experiences. If you want to make the most out of a virtual field trip, try to get your kids to continue to engage with the material even after they've turned off their devices with a fun learning activity . Depending on their age, they could either draw what they most remember or what their favorite part of the "trip" was, or write out a couple of facts that they've learned. If you plan on doing many of these, you can even create a binder to act as a log for your virtual explorer.

Tour collections and learn about the history of art and artifacts with these online museum experiences.

• American Museum of Natural History : Brian Selznick, author of Wonderstruck , leads a virtual tour of the museum, meeting field experts along the way.
• British Museum : This cool, interactive site lets kids browse the museum collection by time period, not by room, so kids can focus in on the era they're most interested in.
• Colonial Williamsburg : Eight different webcams let viewers peek in on what's happening at places like Merchants' Square or Raleigh Tavern.
• Frida Kahlo Museum : You might not be able to get to Mexico City, Mexico, but you can still explore the work of artist Frida Kahlo and imagine her life in the "Casa Azul" (Blue House).
• Historic Hudson Valley : This site offers many history-themed online experiences for kids, from " Traders and Raiders ," which looks at the history of pirates in the greater New York Area, to " People Not Property ," which teaches kids about slavery. There are also lots of ideas for at-home historical activities, like cooking with cornmeal or " tinsmithing " at home with aluminum foil.
• Metropolitan Museum of Art : The #MetKids site is geared for little ones, and lets them explore a cute, illustrated map to find treasures in the museum's collection.
• Musée du Louvre : The world-famous museum offers virtual tours by subject, from the body in art to Egyptian antiquities.
• Museum of Science : The #MOSatHome page offers virtual looks at the Boston museum's exhibits and hosts daily livestreams and webinars.
• National Baseball Hall of Fame : Browse through the collection of photographs, memorabilia and more to learn more about America's national pastime. The museum also offers virtual programming on its YouTube page .
• National Constitution Center : Explore exhibitions about constitutional conflicts through the years, including "Hamilton: The Constitutional Clashes That Shaped a Nation." For a fee groups can also participate in live, virtual guided tours for up to 300 people.
• National Gallery of Art : The National Gallery has 50 video tours specifically geared towards kids, focusing on a work and the people, places, and scenes surrounding its creation.
• National Museum of Computing : Located in Bletchley Park in the U.K., home of the famous WWII codebreakers like Alan Turing, this museum offers a virtual tour that takes visitors through the history of computers.
• Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History : You can bookmark this one to visit over and over, since it offers virtual version of every exhibition in the museum.
• The Vatican Museum : You can get 360 looks at nine rooms in the Vatican — including the magnificent Sistine Chapel.

See how food grows, is harvested, and gets to your table with these farm tours.

• American Egg Board : The Egg Board has virtual tours of different egg farms, and many of them let you choose different videos for elementary and middle school students.
• Bonnie Plants : Home Depot takes kids on a multi-part virtual field trip to this grower, hoping to inspire kids to get into gardening themselves.
• Bright Farms : A farm grower in Irvington, NY shows kids how food goes from the field (in this case, an indoor grower) to the grocery store. There's even a quiz at the end!
• Farm Food 360 : Kids can see 11 different sorts of farm and food plants, including dairy cow farms, egg processing facilities and an apple orchard.

You might not be able to go on your sightseeing vacation at the moment, but these virtual landmark tours are the next best thing.

• Buckingham Palace : Go room-by-room and see all of the amazing historical objects in the palace.
• Ellis Island : See the island the way the 12 million immigrants did between 1892 and 1954 through a virtual tour with lots of first-hand stories.
• Washington, DC : Pick and choose from more than 24 landmarks in our nation's capital, including the White House, the Capitol, the Supreme Court — even that National Zoo! The tours are given by Richard Kurin, Ph.D., Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar and Ambassador-at-Large, and feature videos, quizzes, reader polls and interactive maps.
• Mount Rushmore : The virtual tour of Mount Rushmore was created through 3D scans of the mountain.
• Mount Vernon : Take a look inside George Washington's home the same way you would click through Street View on a Google Map.
• Plimoth Plantation : Take a tour of the site of the first Thanksgiving, and learn the history behind the event.
• The White House : President Obama narrates a tour of "The People's House," and you can scroll around and click on points of interest.

Zoos and Aquariums

These zoos and aquariums have live cams where kid can check in with the animals.

• Atlanta Zoo
• Cincinnati Zoo
• Georgia Aquarium
• Houston Zoo
• Reid Park Zoo
• Shedd Aquarium
• San Diego Zoo
• Monterey Bay Aquarium
• National Aquarium

Even More Fun

From a candy factory to the surface of Mars, these tours take kids to places that aren't available to them even in normal times.

• Discovery Education : The site hosts virtual field trips for kids, from engineering plants that make the cars of the future to a lab that researches nuclear energy.
• Johnson Space Center : Boeing leads the tour through the Houston, Texas facility, covering the history — and future — of aerospace innovation.
• M&Ms Factory Tour : The Food Network hosts a virtual tour of the M&Ms factory and shows how the delicious candy gets made.
• Outer Space Tours: Kids can see the real surface of Mars , courtesy of the Curiosity rover. NASA also does virtual tours of the Moon , along with the International Space Station .
• Recycling Simplified : Take kids on a tour of a modern-day recycling center or landfill, and teach them about environmental sustainability.
• Sơn Đoòng : National Geographic offers a 360-degree tour of the world's largest cave, situated in Quảng Bình Province, Vietnam. You can even hear the water as it runs over the rocks.

Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; she previously wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother . She lives with her husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found dominating the audio round at her local bar trivia night or tweeting about movies.

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No permission slips required! These virtual events let educators take students to amazing places and give them remarkable experiences, without ever leaving the classroom.

Featured and upcoming virtual field trips.

Join us for our Virtual Field Trips or watch them on-demand after their premieres. Each no-cost Virtual Field Trip comes with a companion guide packed with standards-aligned, hands-on learning activities! Select one of the options below to register.

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FREE Virtual Field Trips To Zoos -No Permission Slips Needed

o Now you can take free virtual field trips to zoos right from the comfort of your own home. Think you can’t go anywhere over Spring Break, well think again. Thanks to technology, it’s now possible for you and your family to visit.

all kinds of places from the comfort of your living room. When I was teaching Kindergarten, one of my student’s favorite things to do was to tune in to the live cams from everywhere from the Monterey Bay Aquarium to the  National Zoo in Washinton D.C., and beyond.  It was a great way to open the door to learning about life around us in a fun and unique way without ever leaving the classroom. With so many families turning to online learning activities, we’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite free virtual field trips to zoos and aquariums for you, so enjoy your “visit”! The best part, for these field trips, there are no permission slips needed Here are some of our favorite virtual field trips to zoos:

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened its doors to guests thus introducing to the world a place where the magic of nature with rare animals and world-class entertainment came together but this year Disney’s Animal Kingdom marked its anniversary on Earth Day, April 22, with more wild adventures than ever before and reconfirmed their commitment to the Disney Conservation Fund and preserving wildlife and protecting the planet for future generations by inspiring action. From creatures wild and whimsical to Broadway-caliber shows, from unparalleled experiences toward-winning conservation efforts, from exotic lands to cuisine that celebrates a global park, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park is a world of adventures from day to night, with exotic animals, prehistoric giants, and beloved Disney characters

Kilimanjaro Safari : full ride experience of Kilimanjaro Safari. It’s a guided tour with fun facts about many of the animals found at Animal Kingdom

San Diego Zoo

PANDA MEMORIES

In honoring the terms of their conservation loan agreement with the People’s Republic of China, 27-year-old Bai Yun and her son, 6-year-old Xiao Liwu, have been repatriated to their ancestral homeland.

But luckily you can still enjoy the archived footage of Bai Yun and Xiao Liwu at the San Diego Zoo recorded from January through April 2019.

Smithsonian’s National Zoo

While you are watching pandas chomp on bamboo, play in trees and tumble in the grass, specially trained volunteers with Friends of the National Zoo are hard at work using these cameras to collect behavioral data on the giant pandas. Be sure to toggle back and forth between Panda Cam 1 and Panda Cam 2 using the tabs at the top of the video player to get the full Panda Cam experience.

Houston Zoo

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Gayle is an educator, storyteller and lifelong learner with a passion for spontaneous travel. Here you’ll find practical tips and creative hacks with the hope of helping you to create your own extraordinary life experiences - without breaking the bank.

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44 Captivating Virtual Field Trips to Explore from The Classroom

Virtual field trips are a great alternative to traditional field trips when obstacles such as budget or scheduling prevent in-person experiences. They also provide access to educational opportunities across the globe and throughout history, without the need for fundraising or permission slips.

You can also consider using a virtual field trip as a reward for good behavior for your students. Whatever the case, there are numerous tours and trips that are simply outstanding and captivating.

How do virtual field trips work?

Virtual field trips are a type of digital experience that enables students to explore different places, events, or experiences without having to physically leave their classrooms. These trips use technology to create an interactive and immersive learning environment.

Typically, in order to take part in a virtual field trip, you will need certain tech on hand:

• A computer and ideally as smart whiteboard in class. It’s best if students have their own tablets or computers. But this can be done with one large projector.
• Stable internet connection.
• Speakers for good audio in class. We love and suggest the Anker Soundcore speaker .
• Optional VR headset. Some tours are compatible with VR and provide an immersive experience.

You can use virtual field trips to boost learning outcomes by connecting them with particular lessons, units, or topics in the curriculum. To reinforce the ideas explored throughout the virtual experience, create follow-up activities or assignments.

The best virtual field trips for students

With that out of the way, here are Teach and GO’s top choices for virtual field trips:

The Vatican Museums Virtual Tour

Explore the extensive collection of art at the Vatican Museums and discover iconic sites like the Sistine Chapel. Discover masterpieces from the Renaissance period and take in the beauty of Raphael’s Rooms. You can also visit St. Peter’s Basilica.

Ellis Island Virtual Tour

Explore Ellis Island and discover the immigration procedure and the experiences of those who went through this important entrance to America. Ellis Island is one of the most important sites in American history. It was the main port of entry for millions of immigrants from 1892 to 1954.

Machu Picchu Virtual Tour

Explore Machu Picchu, the ancient Inca city nestled in the Andes Mountains of Peru, through a virtual hike. Begin with a scenic hike to the Sun Gate, where you will get an unforgettable view of Machu Picchu from the top.

The National Gallery of Art Virtual Tour

You should visit the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. There you can discover a wide range of art pieces, including paintings, sculptures, and other works of art. The museum features both permanent and temporary exhibitions, offering visitors the chance to learn about a variety of artists, cultures, and time periods.

Anne Frank House Virtual Tour

Explore the secret annex where Anne Frank and her family concealed themselves during World War II and gain understanding of their experiences. Take a tour of the museum, then view original artifacts from Anne’s time in hiding. Learn about her journaling and other writings.

The Great Barrier Reef Virtual Tour

Explore the vibrant marine life and ecological importance of the Great Barrier Reef, which is the world’s largest coral reef system. Dive in to find out more of the spectacular array of coral and marine life in this diverse and vibrant ecosystem.

Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Virtual Tour

Visit the Museum of Modern Art to see their extensive collection of modern and contemporary art, which includes pieces by well-known artists. From there, take a stroll through Central Park to appreciate its lush greenery and peaceful atmosphere.

Acropolis Museum Virtual Tour

You can explore ancient artifacts and sculptures from the Acropolis site by visiting the Acropolis Museum in Athens, Greece. The museum features a variety of exhibits ranging from ancient Greek culture to the modern era.

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Virtual Tour

Take a virtual tour of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum and discover the fascinating world of aviation and space exploration. Explore the incredible history of aviation and space exploration through interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, educational resources, and 3D models.

The Museum of Natural History Virtual Tour

Visit the American Museum of Natural History to see displays featuring dinosaurs, fossils, human evolution, and other subjects. Browse the galleries to learn about cultures and civilizations around the world, from ancient Egypt to modern India.

Palace of Versailles Virtual Tour

Experience a virtual tour of the Palace of Versailles in France, which includes its magnificent gardens and luxurious interiors. Explore the Hall of Mirrors, the Pyramids Room, and other historically significant rooms. Learn about the works of art that are housed in this breathtaking palace.

The National Aquarium Virtual Tour

Experience a virtual tour of the National Aquarium and explore diverse marine life in their natural habitats. Get an up-close look at the many species of fish, sharks, reptiles and amphibians that live under the sea.

National Museum of African American History and Culture Virtual Tour

Visit the Smithsonian museum to discover the exhibits and learn about the history and contributions of African Americans. Explore the National Museum of African American History and Culture, where you can learn about the African American experience through interactive exhibits and displays.

The Colosseum Virtual Tour

Discover the captivating history and impressive architecture of the ancient amphitheater by exploring the Colosseum, an iconic destination in Rome, Italy. Begin your visit with a guided tour inside the Colosseum, where you’ll find information about its construction and bloody past.

Galapagos Islands Virtual Tour

Experience and learn about the distinctive plant and animal life of the Galapagos Islands through interactive virtual activities. From listening to the songs of the endemic Galapagos mockingbird or exploring the archipelago’s unique lava landscapes, you can discover what this beautiful area of the world has to offer.

Galapagos National Park Virtual Tour

Experience the diverse wildlife of the Galápagos Islands by taking a virtual tour through its unique ecosystems. From the mangrove forests of Isabela Island to the dry landscapes of Santiago Island, you can explore each island’s natural habitat.

The National Museum of China Virtual Tour

You should go to the National Museum of China in Beijing to learn about the rich cultural and historical heritage of the country. Explore the various galleries and exhibitions that showcase artifacts from ancient dynasties, and get a glimpse into China’s past.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum Virtual Tour

Explore the historical events that led to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, as well as its impact on peace and world history. Learn about the complex decisions behind the bombing and its long-term consequences. Discover how this event shaped international relations, nuclear policy, and affected human lives.

Grand Canyon Virtual Tour

Experience a virtual tour of the stunning landscapes of Grand Canyon National Park. Take a journey through the breathtaking views of the canyons, rock formations, and colorful sandstone walls and Explore the fascinating history of this National Park.

The Pyramids of Giza Virtual Tour

Discover the secrets of the pharaohs as you visit the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, one of the world’s oldest wonders. Explore the tombs of kings and queens, admire the unique architecture, and learn about their fascinating history.

California Academy of Sciences Virtual Tour

Explore interactive exhibits about science, nature, and the environment at the California Academy of Sciences. From the four-story rainforest dome to live animal encounters, you can find something to explore for visitors of all ages.

Getty Museum Virtual Tour

You should visit the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, California to see their famous collection of art and antiquities. The Getty Museum was founded in 1954 and is one of the largest museums of art in the United States.

The Hermitage Museum Virtual Tour

Visit impressive Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia, and appreciate its vast collection of artwork. Admire the works of Italian, Dutch, Spanish and French masters, including Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Dyck, Monet and others.

African Safari Virtual Tour

Experience a virtual safari and observe diverse wildlife. From the comfort of your classroom, you can take a trip to Africa and explore its stunning landscapes.

The Louvre Museum Virtual Tour

Visit the famous Louvre Museum in Paris, France to see its vast collection of art and historical artifacts. Explore the world-famous galleries and see some of the most famous works in history, including the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Michelangelo.

The Great Wall of China Virtual Tour

Experience the breathtaking views and rich history of the iconic Great Wall of China by taking a virtual walk. With so much to take in, your virtual journey will be full of surprises and unforgettable moments.

National Park Virtual Tours

Students can explore the natural wonders and unique ecosystems of national parks such as Yosemite National Park and Yellowstone National Park through virtual tours.

NASA’s Langley Research Center Virtual Tour

Learn about the pioneering aeronautical and aerospace research conducted at NASA’s Langley Research Center. Explore the history of Langley’s groundbreaking achievements in aviation and space exploration, from its earliest days as the first civilian aeronautics research center.

The British Museum Virtual Tour

Explore the extensive assortment of art and artifacts from various civilizations and historical epochs by visiting the British Museum in London, UK.

San Diego Zoo Virtual Field Trips

The San Diego Zoo offers virtual field trips that allow students to watch live animal cams, discover various species, and participate in interactive activities.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art Virtual Tour

Explore the extensive collection of artworks spanning various cultures and centuries at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, USA through its virtual tour.

The International Space Station Virtual Tour

Explore the International Space Station (ISS) through a virtual tour and discover more about the experiments and daily life of astronauts in space. Learn about the unique opportunities and challenges of living in a microgravity environment through videos, interactive media, and more.

Google Arts & Culture – Perfect for students

Google Arts & Culture allows you to explore virtual tours and exhibits of a variety of museums, historical landmarks, and cultural sites from all around the world. With interactive experiences, videos, and photos, you can explore different cultures and learn more about their history.

In addition to virtual tours and exhibitions, Google Arts & Culture also provides educational materials such as articles, informative videos, and activities for kids to help them engage with the material.

Best virtual tours for students – Conclusion

Virtual tours can provide a great way for students to get an authentic view of what their day-to-day lives may look like in different places around the world. Whether it be a casual look at campus life or something more structured and technical such as science labs, virtual tours have the power to bring the sights and sounds of faraway locations right into your living room.

From national parks to foreign universities to cultural attractions, there’s truly something for everyone. With these amazing websites, you’ll always have access to exciting new adventures from around the globe.

David Unwin

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6 Free Resources for Virtual Field Trips

Teachers can use panoramic photos and videos of locations all around the world to make lessons more engaging.

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How can you take students around the world without moving very far? If you haven’t yet, it’s worth trying virtual field trips and excursions. Now more than ever, these resources allow students to experience spaces they might not otherwise get to see, and there are many ways to introduce them to students as they explore a topic.

Virtual field trips can help students explore a new space, build vocabulary and background knowledge, and expand their world view. Whether you want to explore the setting of a novel, introduce a place-based math problem, or make connections to current events, virtual field trips can expand upon traditional lessons in many ways. One of the reasons I love them so much is that they allow students to view a space that piques their curiosity and provides context for their learning.

The term virtual field trip can be used to describe not just 360 degree photos and videos but also the live interactions and video conferences you might set up with a subject matter expert like an author or museum docent. Flipgrid (one of my favorite tools) hosts a handful of these types of virtual field trips .

6 Ways to Set Up Virtual Field Trips

The list of free virtual field trip resources here is adapted from my ISTE Live presentation in December 2020. Students can access these resources without logging into a new website—teachers can post the link to a 360 degree panoramic image or interactive experience in a platform students already use, making it easy for them to access in both traditional classroom settings and at home.

1. AirPano : This site includes 360 degree videos and images from around the world. You aren’t required to create an account—you can just jump in and start searching. When you’re ready to share with students, there is a link you can copy and paste or an embed option if you’re adding a widget to a site of resources. If you’re looking for international locations, AirPano is a great choice for exploring outdoor spaces, including Machu Picchu in the daytime, or the northern lights at night.

2. Google Maps Treks : In combination with Google Maps and Earth, Treks organizes content in an easy-to-navigate way. There are Treks for places around the globe, including the U.S. and Canada, Egypt, Nepal, and India. Each one has information and videos for students to explore.

3. National Geographic : National Geographic’s YouTube channel transports students all over the world to learn about different cultures, foods, animals, and more. Have students press play on the video, and as the video begins, they can use their cursor or trackpad to spin the video in different directions. They can tap on one part of the screen to move the video back and forth as they learn about a new place.

4. Nearpod : Known as an interactive presentation tool, Nearpod has virtual reality content built into its platform in the form of 360 degree panoramic views, which can be used as a great pre-reading strategy to introduce a new book or spark discussion about a social studies or science topic. To use these interactive experiences with your students, insert them into any Nearpod lesson in the same way you would add a slide or poll. (Please note: Nearpod also offers a paid plan with additional amenities.)

5. 360Cities : This collection of stock 360 degree images has lots of user-uploaded resources. There is a special school version that allows you to introduce students to more dynamic learning experiences; it has features such as a guided tour creator.

6. Google Arts and Culture :  This tool has a variety of high-quality content, including interactive views that let students walk through notable spaces such as museums and explore examples of beautiful architecture like the Alhambra in Spain. You can let students know that this resource is mobile-responsive in addition to working on a web browser—they can access the content on a smartphone or tablet, or their Chromebook or laptop.

Engaging Students With Guided Questions

Set a purpose for students as they explore these resources by using prompts to guide their excursions. Potential prompts include:

• What do you think the weather is like in this place?
• How do you think someone captured this moment?
• What might be missing from this shot?

I’ve put together more prompts here .

If building student vocabulary is a primary goal of introducing virtual field trips to your students, you can point out different objects in the panoramic views or ask students to find certain features. For example, imagine students are learning about geological features and you take them on a virtual field trip to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Together you can discuss vocabulary like crater , steam vent , and igneous rocks .

When sharing with students, include a prompt or question and post the link and task into a space they already have access to, such as Google Classroom, Seesaw, or Schoology. If you’re sharing a list of resources for students, colleagues, or families that includes some of these virtual excursions, you might curate a list of favorites using a tool like Google Sites, Spark Page, or Microsoft Sway.

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Virtual Field Trips: Ideas & Examples With Links

By: Angela Robinson | Updated: July 17, 2024

You found our list of the best virtual field trips .

Virtual field trips are class outings that take place online, via platforms like Zoom, Google Street View or websites. While some of these activities consist of pre-recorded tours and videos, the best options tend to involve live video feed and student interaction with guides. Examples activities include digital walks along The Great Wall of China and a scrollable deep sea dive. These activities are also known as “online field trips” and “digital field trips”.

These adventures are an example of online classroom activities and often include virtual tours .

This articles includes:

• interactive virtual field trips
• virtual field trips for students
• the best virtual field trip ideas
• free virtual field trips for kids
• live virtual field trips

Here is the list!

List of virtual field trip ideas

From virtual cockpit tours to online historical sites to do-it-yourself options, here is a list of ideas for virtual field trips to captivate and educate students.

1. Online Zoo (Behind the Scenes)

A digital zoo tour is one of the best virtual field trips for kids. While virtual trips may not let students see otters float, elephants play, and lions strut up close, a digital tour allows for more intimate behind-the-scenes access.

Your class can get close with the animals and walk paths usually reserved for zookeepers. While you may not be able to fit 30 squirming first graders into a baby animal nursery or an operating room, the guide can easily broadcast from these venues. Also, since the visit takes place entirely online, you can visit a zoo that is otherwise far from you.

Here is a starter list:

• San Antonio Zoo
• San Diego Zoo
• Cincinnati Zoo (self-guided tours, livestream safari and feeding times)

Many other zoos stream live animal webcams that you and your class can watch. You can also contact your local zoo directly to inquire about facilitated virtual tours and school group discounts.

During the online visit, your students can ask questions using the hand raising or chat features in the video conferencing platform. Once your tour concludes, your students can enjoy thematic snacks such as zebra cakes, goldfish, and of course, animal crackers.

Check our more virtual zoo tours .

2. Virtual Safari

When you do a virtual safari, your students can observe lions, elephants and other animals in their natural habitat. Wild Earth offers twice daily live safaris. Since the broadcast occurs on African time, your best bet is to tune in for the sunset safari, which live streams from 9:00am to 12:30pm Eastern Standard Time. The safari broadcasts from several nature reserves and features animals such as lions, leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas. During the tour, viewers can ask park rangers questions. The unscripted nature of the broadcast lends an element of excitement, since animal sightings are always a surprise.

Learn more at Wild Earth .

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3. Under the Sea Visit

Unless you are secretly Miss Frizzle from The Magic Schoolbus, you cannot whisk your class to the bottom of the ocean in a submarine. However, you can lead your students on an online field trip of the ocean.

The Deep Sea by Neal Agarwal shows all sorts of marine life in the ocean. Viewers can scroll deeper into the ocean, discovering the animals that dwell at each depth. For a fun pre-tour exercise, distribute a handout with the names of various species and challenge students to guess at which depth the creature lives. Then, check answers as you plunge further down into the ocean.

Journey to The Deep Sea .

4. Aquarium Webcam Livestream

The Monterey Bay Aquarium hosts live cams for animals, including sea otters, penguins, jellyfish, and sharks. Aquarium employees narrate during feeding time, so for maximum engagement consider tuning in during mealtimes. The aquarium website also offers free online classes for ages ranging from kindergarten to high school, resources for teachers, and crafts and printables.

Dive into the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s live webcams .

5. Virtual Tour of the Great Wall of China

Your students can trek the Great Wall of China from the comfort of home. For $15, The China Guide offers a guided tour through high resolution images of the Great Wall of China via Zoom. Your students can also take part in question and answer sessions with an expert and have an interactive experience.

Stroll the Great Wall of China .

6. NASA Commercial Crew Program

Until recently, space wasn’t on the list of field trip destinations. NASA decided to teleport students directly to space camp by curating a virtual field trip that highlights its commercial crew program. Teachers can transmit a series of educational videos onto virtual reality sets to create an immersive experience. The tour guide leads virtual visitors through spaceship crew pits and launching pads while explaining the process of becoming an astronaut. The tour puts a heavy emphasis on STEM education and directs teachers to resources useful for supplementary science and math lessons.

Learn more about NASA’s at-home STEM activities .

7. Disney Parks Digital Tour

Most children dream of the day the teacher announces a field trip to Disney World. While students may not be able to ride teacups or roller coasters during a digital tour of Disney, they can still experience the excitement of the happiest place on earth by touring a high resolution Google Street view of the parks.

Students who have not yet visited Disney can see what the park is like, and those that have visited can point out sites and share stories. You can also include Disney history and lessons on the inspirations behind the attractions to make the tour more educational. Consider serving Disney themed snacks during breaks, and perhaps initiating a singalong during a music lesson. With the money you save on transportation and admission, you could even hire a beloved Disney character to pay the class a visit.

Learn more about Disney Parks Digital Tour .

8. Streaming Broadway Shows

Instead of escorting your students to a Broadway show, summon a Broadway stage to your classroom. Broadway HD has a library of hundreds of productions, including rare and obscure shows. While not in real time, most filmed productions on the site are of live shows. Your students can uncover hard to find productions and learn about American theatre history too. Broadway HD offers a one week free trial, as well as monthly and yearly subscription options.

Watch a Broadway show .

9. Virtual Reality Rainforest Tour

Even if you had the budget to fly your class to the Amazon, a real-life tour would be too risky for a field trip. A virtual tour lets students experience panoramic views of lush rain forests while learning about indigenous communities and conservation efforts. The tour is viewable as an immersive experience via virtual reality devices, or as a 360 degree video on regular devices. By participating in the Under the Canopy tour, students come to understand the importance of the rain forest and its connection to human life as a whole.

Embark on a virtual reality rain forest tour .

10. Computerized Cockpit Tours

Livestream cockpit tours make thrilling virtual field trips for high school students. While airline regulations call for restricted cockpit access, you may be able to find a private pilot willing to give your students a Skype tour of the craft. The pilot might even broadcast a quick flight.

If you cannot find a live guide, then the following organizations provide self-guided tours with pilot-perspective views of various aircraft:

• The Naval Aviation Museum
• Experimental Aircraft Association
• National Museum of the USAF

Or, you could download and run a flight simulator that gives students the chance to navigate and land a virtual plane.

11. Living Rooms Around the World

A living room might seem like an odd choice for a virtual field trip, but a living room located across the globe is as fascinating as any other destination. You can plan a tour of foreign homes so that your students can learn how everyday life differs around the world.

If you know individuals in other countries willing to Zoom with your students, then you can reach out to these acquaintances and coordinate your experience directly. If not, then you can contact a foreign exchange program or local university for help. You can also watch the Life Where I’m From channel on YouTube, though live tours with question and answer sessions are more personal and immersive.

You and your students can also check out Dollar Street for a strong visual map of how people live around the world.

12. Virtual Tour of the Louvre

The Louvre is one of the most famous museums in the world, but many people will never visit in person. By taking your class on a virtual tour of the Louvre, you save airfare and time spent waiting in line.

The Louvre offers high resolution, 360 degree tours of various exhibitions on its website. Your class can explore Egyptian antiquities, classic Italian paintings, and the remains of an underground moat, all without leaving the classroom.

The Louvre site also directs visitors towards a downloadable “VR Mona Lisa” app that provides an up close peek at the famous painting, and other video and at-home experiences.

Visit the Louvre .

13. Online Tour of the British Museum

The British Museum’s online Museum of the World exhibit lets visitors view and sort artifacts based on time period, area of origin, and themes such as religion or trade. Each point on the timeline contains pictures, descriptions, an audio file, and links to related objects.

This format lends itself well to a virtual scavenger hunt . Solving an activity helps students focus and remain more engaged, which results in students learning more from the experience.

Explore the British Museum .

14. Digital Tour of the Van Gogh Museum

While the digital tour of the Van Gogh Museum fails to capture the paintings’ texture, it does offer contextual information on the artist’s most famous images such as Almond Blossom and Self-portrait With Grey Felt Hat . This tour also provides background information about Van Gogh’s life, with several narrative timelines.

Check out the Van Gogh Museum .

15. Google Meets Visit to the Guggenheim

The Guggenheim offers an interactive virtual museum experience. Booking a tour gives your class access to a guide for one hour, and your class will view three to five famous works and participate in an ongoing Q&A session. The museum educator facilitates activities that encourage students to engage with the art. All tours take place via Zoom or Google Meet.

Though the museum gears most tours towards grade school, they also hold separate online tours for university students and adults as well.

Book a Virtual Group Visit to the Guggenheim .

16. Computerized Career Days

Career day is a staple of the school experience. Typically, parents and community professionals visit classrooms to talk to students about various jobs. Online, these professionals can actually take students along on the job. Students can go to work with firefighters, underwater welders, cake decorators, farmers, or any other interesting vocations that do not mind taking the kids along.

Career days can be an ongoing series, with a five to 15-minute tour of a different workplace every session. This approach spreads the fun across a larger span of time by hosting a mini field trip every day, instead of condensing all the excitement into a single afternoon.

You can do online career tests too, or plan a virtual take your child to work day .

17. Remote City Tours

Tour guides in many cities offer a verbal history and visual slideshow via software like Zoom and WebEx. Remote city tours are one of the easiest-to-execute virtual field trip ideas. The guides already mapped the path and prepared the presentation; you only need to book the tour and show up with your class.

The crew here at TeamBuilding recently embarked on a virtual tour of Black Broadway in Washington DC and an online Harry Potter tour of Edinburgh, Scotland. Our team thoroughly enjoyed both tours and learned a lot.

18. Online Historical Sites

Many online field trips focus on learning about history. You and your class can visit significant sites all around the world and learn how these locations shaped modern history.

Here is a short list of historical sites with online experiences:

• The Sistine Chapel
• The Taj Mahal
• Ellis Island
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• Gettysburg Battlefield

There are many other historically significant locations you can visit online.

19. DIY Virtual Field Trips

Some schools give students options to vote on the yearly field trip. Since online field trips use minimal time and resources, every student can design a dream trip. Instead of organizing a virtual trip yourself, you can assign the planning to your students. Every participant can design an itinerary by using Google Tour Creator .

Students may choose to explore areas such as the tombs of pharaohs, or the birth cities of American jazz. Your students will become the tour guides and teach peers about the chosen topic.

Most of these virtual field trips are available to anyone, and are free to access, meaning your students can visit or revisit the sites anytime. To make your activity extra special, seek out guide-led, live, interactive experiences so that your students can hold conversations with an expert. You can also supplement the trip with assignments and fun games.

Next, check out our list of games to play on Zoom, this list of Google Meet games , and this one with online art classes .

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FAQ: Virtual field trips

Here are some of the most common questions and answers about virtual field trips.

What are virtual field trips?

Virtual field trips are learning excursions that happen online through video conferencing software, livestream video, or digital map and photograph platforms. For example, a virtual zoo tour or an online visit to the Great Wall of China.

What are good online field trip ideas?

The best online field trips often revolve around experiences that are off-limits or logistically impossible for in-person visits. To keep students interested, these activities should involve interactive elements such as question and answer sessions, games, and special requests.

How do you do a virtual field trip?

The first step in planning virtual field trips is to decide on your venue and activity. You can choose between self-guided tours or live-guided experiences. Typically, live video and interaction makes for a more compelling visit. Once you choose your trip, pick a day and time for your visit and inform the students. You can plan additional activities like research assignments and presentations to enhance your student’s learning. You can also make the day special by providing themed snacks.

Author: Angela Robinson

Marketing Coordinator at teambuilding.com. Angela has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and worked as a community manager with Yelp to plan events for businesses.

That was so cool!! I am a child and I am making these things for my JK sister. This was really helpful. Thank you!!

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Marketing Coordinator at teambuilding.com.

Angela has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and worked as a community manager with Yelp to plan events for businesses.

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Virtual Reality Field Trips: Bringing the World to Your Classroom

Imagine a classroom where students can explore ancient civilizations, dive into the depths of the ocean, or journey through space without ever leaving their desks. Virtual reality (VR) is making this possible, transforming traditional field trips into immersive, flipped experiences that captivate students and enhance learning. Flipped field trips using VR technology are revolutionizing education by bringing the world directly into the classroom.

In today's digital age, access to high-quality educational experiences is more important than ever. Traditional field trips, while valuable, often come with logistical challenges and limitations. VR offers a solution by providing safe, cost-effective, and highly engaging alternatives that can be tailored to the curriculum. These virtual excursions enable students to experience places and events that might otherwise be inaccessible due to distance, cost, or time constraints.

We explore the principles, benefits, and practical applications of VR field trips, showcasing how they can enrich education and provide students with unforgettable learning experiences. Join us as we delve into the exciting world of flipped field trips and discover their potential to transform classroom learning. From historical tours to science expeditions, the possibilities are endless, and the impact on students' engagement and understanding can be profound.

Understanding Flipped Field Trips

Flipped field trips leverage virtual reality (VR) technology to create immersive educational experiences that can be accessed from the classroom. Unlike traditional field trips, where students travel to various locations, flipped field trips bring these locations to the students through VR. This approach allows for more flexible and frequent explorations of places that might otherwise be inaccessible due to distance, cost, or logistical constraints.

The concept of flipped field trips has evolved with advancements in VR technology, making it possible to recreate historical sites, scientific environments, cultural settings, and more. These virtual experiences are designed to be interactive, providing students with a deeper understanding of the subject matter. Core principles of flipped field trips include immersion, interactivity, and accessibility, ensuring that all students can benefit from these rich educational experiences.

Check out our engaging printable posters. CLICK HERE to explore!

By integrating VR into the curriculum, flipped field trips offer a unique way to enhance traditional learning methods, providing students with engaging and memorable educational opportunities.

Types of Virtual Reality Field Trips

Virtual reality field trips can take various forms, each offering unique learning experiences. Here are some common types:

• Historical Tours: Students can virtually visit historical sites and events, such as ancient Rome, the Great Wall of China, or the signing of the Declaration of Independence. These tours provide a vivid and immersive way to learn about history.
• Science Expeditions: VR can transport students to scientific phenomena and natural wonders, like exploring the depths of the ocean, walking through a rainforest, or witnessing volcanic eruptions. These expeditions bring science to life in a way that textbooks cannot.
• Cultural Immersions: Students can experience different cultures and global perspectives by virtually visiting countries, participating in cultural festivals, and interacting with diverse communities. This helps foster global awareness and empathy.
• Career Exploration: Virtual job shadowing allows students to explore various professions, from medicine to engineering, by experiencing a day in the life of professionals in these fields. This can help guide their future career choices.
• Space Adventures: VR can take students on journeys through the universe, exploring planets, stars, and galaxies, and learning about space science. These adventures ignite curiosity and interest in astronomy and space exploration.

By exploring these types of VR field trips, educators can provide students with diverse and enriching learning experiences.

Benefits of Virtual Reality Field Trips

Virtual reality field trips offer numerous advantages, making them a valuable addition to educational practices. Here are some key benefits:

• Enhanced Engagement: VR captures students' attention and interest, making learning more captivating and enjoyable. The immersive nature of VR helps students retain information better than traditional methods.
• Accessibility: VR field trips provide opportunities for all students to explore places and experiences that might be inaccessible due to geographical or financial constraints. This ensures equal learning opportunities for everyone.
• Safety and Convenience: Traditional field trips involve logistical challenges and potential risks. VR field trips eliminate these issues, allowing students to explore safely from their classroom.
• Cost-Effective: Virtual trips reduce the costs associated with transportation, admission fees, and other expenses. Schools can save money while still providing valuable educational experiences.
• Supplementary Learning: VR experiences complement classroom instruction by providing context and depth to the subject matter. They can be used to reinforce lessons and provide practical applications of theoretical concepts.

These benefits highlight the potential of VR to transform field trips into more effective and inclusive educational experiences. By understanding these advantages, educators and administrators can better appreciate the value of integrating VR field trips into their teaching strategies.

Implementing VR Field Trips in the Classroom

Implementing VR field trips in the classroom requires careful planning and preparation. The first step is selecting appropriate VR content that aligns with the curriculum. Teachers should choose experiences that enhance and complement their lesson plans, ensuring that the VR trips are educational and relevant.

Technology requirements are a key consideration. Schools need to ensure they have access to VR headsets and compatible devices. Investing in quality equipment and maintaining it properly is essential for a smooth experience.

Teacher training is crucial for the successful integration of VR. Educators need professional development to understand how to use VR technology effectively and how to incorporate it into their teaching. This training should cover both technical skills and pedagogical strategies.

Student orientation is also important. Preparing students for the VR experience and setting clear expectations helps them engage fully with the content. Explaining how the technology works and what they will experience can enhance their learning.

Integration with lessons is vital. VR field trips should be seamlessly incorporated into the curriculum, with follow-up activities that reinforce and expand on the VR experience. This can include discussions, projects, and assessments that tie the virtual trip back to the learning objectives.

Overcoming Challenges in VR Field Trips

Implementing VR field trips comes with its own set of challenges, but these can be effectively managed with strategic planning and collaboration. One major challenge is technical issues. Addressing potential technical difficulties requires proper maintenance of equipment and having a technical support plan in place.

Ensuring student accessibility is another challenge. Providing VR technology to all students, regardless of their socioeconomic status, requires schools to seek funding opportunities and partnerships. Equitable access ensures that no student is left out.

Teacher preparedness is crucial. Providing adequate training and ongoing support helps teachers feel confident and capable of integrating VR into their lessons. This includes both technical training and pedagogical strategies.

Budget constraints can be a barrier. Finding cost-effective solutions, such as grants and community partnerships, can help schools acquire the necessary resources. Prioritizing investments in VR technology can also make a significant difference.

Managing screen time is important. Balancing VR use with other instructional methods ensures that students benefit from a well-rounded educational experience without excessive screen exposure.

By addressing these challenges, schools can create a supportive and effective environment for implementing VR field trips.

Case Studies

Implementing VR field trips has led to notable successes in various educational settings across the country. Here are three case studies highlighting the impact of these methods:

Case Study 1: Historical VR Tours in a Virginia Middle School

A middle school in Virginia incorporated historical VR tours into their history curriculum. Students virtually visited ancient civilizations and key historical events. Teachers reported increased student engagement and a deeper understanding of historical contexts. Students found the experiences immersive and memorable, which enhanced their retention of historical facts.

Case Study 2: Science Expeditions in a California High School

A high school in California used VR to take students on science expeditions. Students explored ecosystems, witnessed geological formations, and observed astronomical phenomena. The program led to higher student interest in science subjects and improved performance in science classes. Teachers noted that the hands-on experiences helped clarify complex scientific concepts.

Case Study 3: Cultural Immersions in a New Mexico Elementary School

An elementary school in New Mexico introduced VR cultural immersions to teach students about different cultures around the world. Students virtually attended cultural festivals, explored landmarks, and interacted with communities. The initiative fostered empathy and global awareness among students, helping them appreciate cultural diversity and understand global perspectives.

Practical Tips for Educators and Administrators

Implementing VR field trips can be straightforward with the right approach. Here are some practical tips for educators and administrators to consider:

• Start with Pilot Programs: Test VR field trips with small groups before scaling up. This allows for adjustments based on initial feedback and results.
• Choose Quality Content: Select high-quality VR experiences that align with learning objectives. Ensuring that the content is educational and engaging is key to a successful VR trip.
• Integrate with Curriculum: Ensure VR field trips are connected to the curriculum and enhance learning outcomes. Incorporate follow-up activities to reinforce the virtual experiences.
• Seek Student Feedback: Gather input from students to improve future VR experiences. Understanding their perspectives can help tailor the program to better meet their needs.
• Leverage Community Resources: Partner with local organizations and experts for support and resources. Community involvement can enhance the educational value of VR field trips.

These tips can help educators and administrators create a successful and sustainable VR field trip program.

Future Trends in Virtual Reality Field Trips

The future of virtual reality field trips is evolving, with new trends enhancing their effectiveness and reach. Advancements in VR technology promise more immersive and interactive experiences. Innovations such as haptic feedback, enhanced graphics, and real-time interactions can make virtual field trips even more engaging.

Increased collaboration is another trend. Sharing VR content and experiences across schools and districts can provide a broader range of learning opportunities. Collaborative efforts can also lead to the development of richer and more diverse VR experiences.

Global learning opportunities are expanding. Virtual field trips can connect students to international experiences, fostering global awareness and understanding. Access to global perspectives enriches students’ educational experiences.

Personalized learning is gaining traction. Using data and analytics to tailor VR experiences to individual student needs and interests ensures that each student benefits from the program.

Sustainability and eco-friendly practices are becoming more important. Reducing the environmental impact of traditional field trips aligns with broader educational goals of promoting sustainability.

By staying updated with these trends, schools can continue to innovate and provide high-quality VR field trips for students.

Flipped field trips using virtual reality offer a revolutionary approach to enhancing classroom learning. By providing immersive, accessible, and engaging educational experiences, VR field trips can captivate students' interest and deepen their understanding of complex subjects. The success stories from Virginia, California, and New Mexico demonstrate the significant impact of VR on student engagement, comprehension, and empathy.

As educational technology continues to advance, integrating VR into the curriculum presents an exciting opportunity for schools. Overcoming challenges such as technical issues, accessibility, and budget constraints requires strategic planning and collaboration. By embracing future trends and leveraging innovative solutions, educators can ensure that VR field trips become a valuable and sustainable component of modern education, enriching the learning experiences of students across diverse educational settings.

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The 12 Best Free Virtual Travel Experiences Worth Checking Out

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Do you want to travel, but circumstances are preventing you from doing so? Thankfully, the internet enables you to visit multiple destinations around the world in real time. No plane tickets, visas, or long flights necessary!

If you have a laptop, a smartphone, or a VR device and a reliable Wi-Fi connection, you are all set to take these virtual tours for free.

1. African Safari

WildEarth relies on safari vehicles, guides on foot, drones, balloons, rovers and remote cams to capture some of Africa's most iconic animals in their own habitats. You can interact with an expert game ranger hosting the safari while you watch.

Related: Outdoor Virtual Tours to Get Back to Nature With Hikes, Dives, and Spelunking

2. The White House

At 55,000 square feet, the White House has 6 floors, 132 rooms (16 are family guest rooms), 35 bathrooms, 28 fireplaces, eight staircases, three elevators, 412 doors and 147 windows.

Thanks to Google Arts and Culture, you can enjoy a walk through the most famous residence in the US without having to worry about the Secret Service.

Related: Virtual Field Trips That Make History Come Alive

3. Discover India

You can visit the Taj Mahal and other iconic Indian sites via the official Indian government's immersive Audio Odigos app.

Once the app is downloaded Audio Odigos does not require Wi-Fi or an Internet connection. You can choose a destination and download all the chapters of the destination you are visiting in one go and enjoy your tour offline.

Download: Audio Odigos for Android | iOS (Free)

4. Sydney Opera House

The Sydney Opera House offers exclusive live streams of their performances, inclusive of original new digital programming direct from Sydney Opera House. It's free when you sign up.

5. Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis)

The Northern Lights most commonly appear between 5:00 pm and 2:00 am.

A good display may last for no longer than 15-30 minutes at a time, although if you're really lucky, they could last for a few hours. Norway's lights over Lapland project enables you to experience the Northern Lights via VR.

6. The Grand Canyon

The most popular hiking trail into the Grand Canyon is the Bright Angel Trail. Google's Street View Trek enables you to virtually hike it.

7. Paris Catacombs

Beneath the City of Paris is a 200 mile series of macabre tunnels containing the bones of 6 million people. As photographer Felix Nadar put it, the catacombs are one of those places "everyone wants to see and no one wants to see again". You can see the catacombs for yourself with this virtual tour.

Related: The Best Virtual Tours of the Human Body for Interactive Anatomy

8. Christ the Redeemer Statue

Located at the peak of the 700-metre (2,300 ft) Corcovado mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park, overlooking the city of Rio de Janeiro, the Christ the Redeemer statue is the largest art deco statue in the world. You can skip the 200-step climb to the top via this stunning virtual tour set to soothing jazz by Kenny G.

9. Roman Colosseum

Fans of the Gladiator movie will no doubt recall the legendary fight scenes in the colosseum.

In real life, the colosseum was used as an entertainment venue for 390 years. During that time more than 400,000 people and 1 million animals died inside the Colosseum. You can virtually visit the real colosseum on AirPano.

10. Brooks Falls, Alaska

EXPLORE is the largest live nature cam network on the planet.

If you are a fan of bears, the livestream of Brooks Falls in Alaska's Katmai National Park is the best place in the world to watch brown bears feasting on salmon as they swim upstream to spawn. EXPLORE offers a multicam experience of various virtual tours both on land and under the sea.

11. New York Times Square

Would you like to visit Times Square in New York right this very moment? EarthCam takes you on an aerial and street-level tour of the square, complete with audio.

12. Marine Life Virtual Dive

America's National Marine Sanctuary System is a network of underwater parks encompassing more than 600,000 square miles of marine and Great Lakes waters, and now you can visit these amazing places in the blink of an eye through virtual reality.

If you're on a desktop, click and drag to experience in 360 degrees, or pair your phone with your virtual reality headset. For the best viewing experience, watch the video in high-definition: click the gear symbol in the lower right corner, then select any of the HD options that pop up when you click "Quality."

Related: Google Earth Tour Guide: Virtual Tours You'll Want to Check Out

Hot Tip: Amazon Explore

Amazon Explore enables you to virtually tour the world's cities and experience local culture with the help, or rather the company, of local guides or hosts.

Amazon Explore experiences are not free. However, if you’re an Amazon Prime member, your first experience of up to $50 is free with the promo code FREEFUN for a limited time.

How to get a free Amazon Explore experience:

• Visit Amazon Explore .
• Select and schedule an experience that is $50 or less. Use the code FREEFUN at checkout. This will reduce your cost to zero.
• Meet Your Host: When it’s time for your livestreamed session, show up at your computer and meet up with your host.
• Explore: The session is private and just for you, so ask questions, take pictures, and focus on what interests you the most.

Virtual Travel Is Here to Stay

For travelers who have various physical impairments—mobile, visual, auditory—virtual tours are a great way to visit destinations that were once off limits. Needless to say, those with financial limitations are equally empowered to visit places they otherwise could not afford.

If you are worried about global warming, traveling via internet is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and avoid flight shaming while seeing the world.

And of course there are the time savings. You may not have the time to see the world in your lifetime. With virtual travel, you can visit a new continent every day.

• Virtual Tours
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35 FREE VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS TO EXPLORE WITH YOUR KIDS

With schools closing throughout the world due to the coronavirus pandemic, parents are now spending 24/7 with their kids at home! Self-quarantining yourselves indoors away from it all does not mean that learning must stop for you or your kids.

Home schooling the kids will only go so far. They’ll be coming down with cabin fever in a little bit! Let’s grab a device which will allow you to navigate to the world wide web, take a seat anywhere within your home and go for a fun journey a few times a week!

Below is a list of 35 different places you can explore online with your kids.

There should be something of interest for everyone within the family in the below list.

FREE VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS FOR KIDS

Aquariums – virtual field trips.

Georgia Aquarium: De-stress while taking a relaxing look under the sea at this aquarium with  live cams  of whale sharks, beluga whales, California sea lions, bottlenose dolphins, African penguins, jellyfish, manta rays and more. This aquarium is the largest one in the United States and the Western Hemisphere.

Monterey Bay Aquarium: This virtual tour at the aquarium allows students to go on a deep-sea adventure through exhibit webcams that allow students to watch sea creatures in real time, including a shark! Once your kiddies have finished studying all the animals up close, the aquarium also provides this  classroom resource page  with activities, fact sheets, and games to play with your kids.

National Aquarium: Explore winding, sea life-filled floors when you take this  virtual tour  of the Baltimore-based aquarium. It is the largest tourism attraction in the State of Maryland and will enchant you.

ZOOS – VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS

Atlanta Zoo : The panda cam at  Zoo Atlanta  is a must see for any kid or adult in the family!

Houston Zoo : Tune in to this zoo’s webcams and enjoy a live look at animals that call it their home! See the herd of Asian elephants wander through their enormous habitat. Watch as giraffes nibble lettuce fed to them by guests at the feeding platform. See the rhinos roll in their mud puddle or the flamingos float next to a waterfall. See the chimpanzees interact with guests at their window or snooze in a hammock.

San Diego Zoo : Visit the baboons at  this zoo  with their live camera feeds! Alas, the pandas they had were returned to China. However, they have archived footage of their antics on this site as well. Once your kids have finished viewing the antics of the animals, the  zoo’s kid page  has lots of activities, videos and information about the its animals to share with them as well.

INTERNATIONAL LANDMARKS – VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS

Australia – Great Barrier Reef: Swim through  Australia’s Great Barrier Reef  with the help of several David Attenborough-narrated videos and an educational, interactive map.

Bahamas – Coral Reef:  Go for a swim and  explore a coral reef  in the Bahamas, if this of interest to you.

Buckingham Palace: Stroll through the home of the Royal Family with this  tour of Buckingham Palace . An iconic building and official residence of The Queen, Buckingham Palace has been the focus of many moments of national celebration, from Jubilees and weddings to VE Day and the annual Trooping the Colour which marks The Queen’s official birthday. It is also a busy working building welcoming tens of thousands of people through its gates each year for Investitures, Garden Parties, Audiences and other events.

Ellis Island Interactive Tour : This interactive tour includes first-hand immigrant stories, historical photos and films, and fascinating facts highlighting the central role this station played in the story of American immigration.

Empire State Building: Enjoy the spectacular view from the top deck of the  Empire State Building without having to pay the admission fee.

Galapagos Islands: Go on an  expedition to the Galapagos Islands  on the ship Endeavor II with National Geographic.These islands are a part of Ecuador and located about 1000 km outside of South America. Darwin made the Galapagos famous when he stepped foot onto its shores and developed his theory of natural selection, changing the way we understand evolution. Some of the things you’ll see: Marine iguanas that blend in with the rocks, sea lion pups that are just as playful as dogs, mockingbirds that steal whatever they can get, etc.

George Washington’s Mount Vernon : Visit the historic home of America’s first president, George Washington, just a short drive from Washington, DC in northern Virginia. In 1960 Mount Vernon was designated a National Historic Landmark and it is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is owned and maintained in trust by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association and is open every day of the year, including holidays.

Grand Canyon: Get a great view of the Grand Canyon  from above and see just how big it really is! This canyon is one of the deepest ones in the world. It has been in the making for 10 million years!

Great Wall of China: Taking this virtual tour makes you feel like you are standing on the  Great Wall  from your computer screen. As China’s most famous attraction, the “Great Wall” is an essential stop on any trip to China. Commonly considered a wonder of the world, it boasts a history of over 2,000 years and stretches more than 3,000 miles across several provinces of northern China, making it one of the most impressive ancient structures on the planet.

Leaning Tower of Pisa : This wonder is 185 feet of historical lessons while defying gravity. Tour this Tower  with a 360-degree panoramic view of the it and many other historically-rich Italian buildings. It is known worldwide for its nearly four-degree lean, the result of an unstable foundation.

Mount Rushmore: As we can’t head out that door on a road trip anytime soon, take the kids on a 360-degree panoramic tour of Mount Rushmore . This famous U.S. landmark is one every student should learn about and see for themselves from a historical perspective and a geographical one as well. Mount Rushmore is located in the Black Hills of Keystone, South Dakota. The sculpture features the 60-foot heads of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.

Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello : This virtual tour of the estate of our third president who was a philosopher, scientist, historian, and author of the Declaration of Independence will give you an idea of the place and the person who used to own it. In 1987, Monticello was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Fun fact: The current nickel, a United States coin, features a depiction of it on its reverse side.

Tower Bridge : This famous London bridge won’t be taken down anytime soon. In 2016, it was closed to all road traffic from October 1 st to December 30 th to allow for structural maintenance work to take place on the timber decking, lifting mechanism and waterproofing the brick arches on the bridge’s approaches. During this time, the bridge was still open to water-borne traffic. You can  explore it virtually here by boat!

Vietnam – Largest Cave: Take a 360-degree adventure through the world’s largest cave with National Geographic,  Hang Son Doong , in Vietnam. At one point, you’ll be encountering a jungle!

White House: Google Arts & Culture offers a Virtual White House tour . It is available on the website as well as its app for both iOS and Android devices.

The main feature of this tour is the interactive museum views of the White House, its grounds, and the Eisenhower Executive Building, which houses many staff offices next door. This tour allows you to freely roam thru the rooms in the White House as if you were there in-person.

The high-quality images allow you to zoom in or out as you wish when you are exploring the building. You can check out the paintings on the wall and wander thru the halls while taking in the elaborate furnishings, high ceilings, and stately decor.

CAPITOLS & COUNTRIES – VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS

Barcelona: It is the capital of Spain and is situated on the northeastern coast. It has a rich cultural heritage and is today an important cultural center and a major tourist destination known for its exceptional food, architecture, scenery, and energetic atmosphere. Why is this? Within this virtual tour , let’s find out, shall we!

Canada : Join us as we travel across this diverse country from the Maritime provinces on the Eastern coast, visiting Quebec and Ontario, then making our way across the Western provinces and the Pacific coast of British Columbia, winding up in the Arctic North in this virtual tour .

Canada – Farm Tour: This  virtual farm tour  found here will let kids visit minks and learn how milk and cheese are processed. Fur farming provides important employment for rural communities across Canada, employing hundreds of families and thousands of people, directly and indirectly.

Canada – Tundra: Observe  polar bears in the tundra  of Canada on this Discovery Education virtual field trip. Since 2010, Discovery Education has teamed up with Polar Bears International to host a series of shared learning experiences to engage students and inspire their interest in studying the science of polar bears and their Arctic habitat.

London : It is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom. We explore it in this virtual tour . It can be an exciting adventure and a valuable experience to anyone who hasn’t been there as of yet. Together, let’s enhance our knowledge of its historical treasures (Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, etc.) while taking an escape into a different time where Kings and Queens once ruled over vast empires.

Paris – City of Light: Paris is the capital and most populous city of France. It has long been considered one of the world’s most historically important cities and is also packed with a multitude of iconic images of which some are rather romantic. In this virtual tour , we explore the unforgettable buildings that took centuries to build, such as Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, and the Arc de Triomphe. Students of all levels will gain insights into the many reasons why Paris’ significance is so timeless.

Rome – The Eternal City: It has continuously been one of the most important cities in the Western World. First as the capital of the Roman Empire and now as the center of the Catholic Church. It embodies some of the greatest attributes of the Renaissance era. Come along with us on this virtual tour as we explore the many highlights of the most popular tourist destination in Italy in 2019.

Tokyo: This virtual tour allows you to become immersed within Tokyo, the capital of Japan. The blend of the old and the new will leave you enthralled with the beauty of it all. Tradition permeates it and yet it is known currently as a major cultural hub and an international trendsetter in the arts, entertainment, gastronomy, and media. The Michelin Guide has awarded Tokyo by far the most Michelin stars of any city in the world. The city has hosted multiple international events including the Summer Olympics in 1964, the G7 Summit (1979, 1986, and 1993), and will host the 2020 Summer Olympics unless it is postponed or cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Washington, DC: Students of all levels will appreciate the treasures, history, and beauty that the United States’ capital has to offer. In this virtual tour we will explore the architecture and artifacts which make DC fascinating. From the Washington Monument to the White House and the Smithsonian Museum, there is something for everyone.

Sports Stadiums: Have sports fans at home? Let’s take a look around  Yankees Stadium , then go see  where the Dallas Cowboys play .

Yankee Stadium: It is the home field for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). The $1.5 billion price tag makes the new Yankee Stadium one of the most expensive stadiums ever built.

AT&T Stadium: This stadium, formerly Cowboys Stadium, is a retractable roof stadium in Arlington, Texas within the United States. It serves as the home of the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL).

MISCELLANEOUS – VIRTUAL TOURS

African Safari : Enjoy a trip through an African Safari park to see an incredible variety of wildlife. Take a first-row seat at the waterholes where the action is. You’ll see elephants, giraffes, warthogs, rhinos, zebras, lions, and so much more in this virtual tour .

Amazon Rain Forest: Learn more about the  Amazon Rain Forest  with an educational tour that shows all the sites and sounds, including the animals who consider it their home stomping grounds.

Mars: You don’t need a spaceship to  visit Mars virtually , thanks to this awe-inspiring website where you can walk alongside a rover on the surface of the planet.

Years from now, when we reminisce about this time in our lives, we will remember how we kept our families from going stir crazy. Taking virtual tours is not only a fun learning activity but will keep you and your kids enthralled with what the world has to offer! All this, without having to leave the safety of your home during this tumultuous time in our lives. If you are interested museums, you can go here . A list of national parks can be found here as well.

47 Reply to “35 FREE VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS TO EXPLORE WITH YOUR KIDS”

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wow these are some great places to visit, my little one would love it

we haven’t been out for 50 days! Virtual field trips are only on a laptop for us.

This is so cool! All these virtual fieldtrips are giving us major wanderlust.

These virtual tours are amazing for the children. It is still educational and fun. Great information

This virtual tour seems much interesting and helpful for kids…… Thanks for sharing this is what everyone should be aware of…..

Thank you for dropping by. Yes, people are going stir-crazy at home. I made it my mission to find interesting things to do during this time and trying to get the word out about it.

These are such cool ideas. I’m glad that the institutions took the initiative to do this. It’s been great during this time.

Thank you for dropping by. Yes, it is awesome that there are so many resources out there available to people who are under lockdown during this time.

Looks like so much fun! I don’t have kids yet but I want to explore it myself

Thanks for dropping by. These virtual tours aren’t just for kids. They are for the whole family. Yes, I know, the title implies that it is just for kids. But is it an oxymoron.

These are amazing. I’ll be going on a few virtual tours myself, never mind with the kids!

Thank you for sharing.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy whichever virtual tour you decide to go on.

I had no idea about virtual trips until I read this. Thank you for the information, this is just we need right now for our kids.

Thank you for dropping by. Yes, many different resources are now available virtually due to this lockdown we are currently under.

cooool! my nieces and all the kids will surely be delighted having this virtual tour. this will surely spice up their curiosities. <3

Thank you for dropping by. I hope everyone, not just the kids, enjoy the virtual tours within your family.

This is a great list! I love that there are so many different opportunities to ‘visit’ incredible sites and locations around the world. While we can’t get out and travel right now, this really is the next best thing. Thank you for putting this all together in one place for us!

Thank you for dropping by. I hope you will be available to take advantage of some of these virtual tours as well. If you are interested in doing so, that is.

My kids and I have been enjoying virtual field trips. I didn’t realize there was one for Mt. Vernon! We have been there and plan to go back again soon.

Thank you for stopping by. Yes, there is one for there. Before you go there in-person again, you might enjoy seeing it virtually first.

This list is AMAZING! I can’t wait to take a virtual tour to mentally escape my home for a few moments in the upcoming weeks. There are so many great options, I kind of want to check them all out!

Thanks for dropping by. Yes, do take advantage of what is out there to take away the boredom of this lockdown.

I didn’t know you could see all these places virtually. I don’t have kids but I am definitely going to check a few of them out. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for dropping by. Even though this post is geared towards kids, the virtual tours listed are actually for everyone who might be interested in taking them. I hope you enjoy those which you wind up taking.

I’ve tried virtual tours and it’s totally amazing!

xoxo Lovely

Thank you for dropping by. Yes, they are really amazing. I never went on them before either until I delved in and did my research in order to write this article.

I guess if virtual is the way of the world right now, these are great places to explore. Love the zoo one.

Thanks for dropping by. There is something for everyone on this list. Hope you enjoy if you decide on taking one or more of them.

Such a great way to keep the kids entertained during uncertain times. Thank you for sharing.

Thanks for dropping by. Yes, it is a great way to keep everyone entertained, not just kids, during this lockdown most of the world is under.

This is a great list to check out different places from home. It is also a great way to make a list of places we want to travel when this is over!

Thank you for dropping by. Yes, you are very correct. Are you planning on visiting any of the places listed within this article in the future?

I had no idea there were so many virtual field trips! My nephew is coming over next week and I think we may have to do a few of these, thanks!

Thank you for dropping by. Yes, there are many more not listed within this article? Just too many out there and new ones become available every week.

Those are wonderful and educational tours! I love the aquariums! There are so many species to learn about.

Thank you for dropping by. Yes, there are so many virtual tours out there. I hope you take the time to enjoy some of them yourself.

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Around the World in Analogue: Life in the Green City, Zelenograd

Back in 1958, Zelenograd was a new town formed and planned by the Soviet Union, specialized to become the central hub of electronics, microelectronics and the computer industry, and it has become as such to this very day for Russia. Dubbed as the "Green City" in reference to the city's color and the symbolic animal, the squirrel, Zelenograd offers much more as it provides wide, open spaces where modernity and nature meet. Through the photographs of Lomographer Igor Silaev a.k.a. mahoney66 , we see a gorgeous glimpse of his life in the okrug in harmonious colors.

I think 2020 was very hard for everyone. There are various restrictions in the country. Due to some restrictions, I even had to change jobs. But it was only good because I had more free time. Thanks to this, I returned to photography!

I live in Zelenograd (Autonomous district of Moscow). Unlike the center of Moscow, it is more calm and measured, and there are a lot of trees in our city (Zelenograd literally translates as green city ). Thanks to this, you can feel a certain connection with nature here, as if you are in the village. But at the same time, some areas look like a metropolis. There is also a very unusual architecture in the style of post-Soviet modernism, it is very inspiring. That's probably why I love this city.

First of all, I love my view from the window, because there are unreal sunsets. There are also many parks and alleys in the city, and in my opinion, they are much more picturesque than parks in the center of Moscow and not so mainstream. I would recommend Victory Park (not to be confused with the Park of the same name in Moscow) and the arboretum. From the Central parks, I would recommend VDNH, there is something to see and shoot.

Next to my house there is a Tanuki restaurant, where they prepare delicious Asian food. And from the bars I would recommend Hops & Coffee, it is located next to the train station. There are many varieties of author's beer and damn fine coffee!... and hot! If we talk about the center, then be sure to visit the cafe PEOPLE as PEOPLE -- this is a pleasant place where you can eat delicious and inexpensive food.

I Advise you to come to Moscow in the middle of summer, at this time there are the most comfortable weather conditions and you can walk all day long. Visit as many attractions and parks as possible, take a ride in the Moscow metro and take as much film with you as possible because here it is much more expensive! If you still need a film, then I recommend Perspektivalab . They have a good selection of films and the price is reasonable.

I like to think about the first time I went to Sokolniki Park with my girlfriend. That day, I was terribly stung by my new sneakers, but even that didn't spoil this beautiful day. We walked all day and took a lot of pictures. If you are in Moscow, be sure to go to Sokolniki Park!

Want to take us Around the World in Analogue ? Drop a line to [email protected] with the subject Around the World in Analogue and share your unforgettable travels with the rest of the community! Read the guidelines here . In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are hoping everyone's taking the necessary measures to remain safe and healthy.

written by cielsan on 2021-01-15 #places #around-the-world #zelenograd #around-the-world-in-analogue

votyakov , ejitsu , norayr , jonjonkam , eslitography , charliedontsurf , francislee , mahoney66 , brine , stolosapo , ericnie , alexi56 , an4 , n_u_m_b_f_a_c_e , kasta72 , gakurou , ricoinbrooklyn , polkaroo , nosugrefm , lomodesbro , ziudinu , rik041 & flamingoid .

Beautiful photos! Thank you for sharing.

nice photos, interesting report of that town,

very very good!! I like it !!

Thank you! Well said and beautiful photos. Only Zelenograd is not an «autonomous», but an administrative district.

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