At the moment it’s impossible to appreciate culture in the same way that you used to. Museums are closed, along with schools. It’s difficult to find new ways to keep your family learning. But, don’t worry, many cultural institutions and artists are also providing an online source of entertainment for all of us to enjoy. Educate your family in art, or history online, or why not have a go at some interactive projects together as well? Learning shouldn’t have to be boring. Here are a few examples of ways you can keep on learning in quarantine.
MUSEUMS
To get started, you absolutely have to download Google Arts and Culture. This fantastic little app has collections of hundreds of museums and art galleries worldwide, all with street views and virtual tours. You will literally be able to visit all these museums without leaving your living room. There are plenty of fascinating exhibitions to choose from.
The American Museum of Natural History has plenty of cool interactive activities to offer, as well as exhibits. It’s great fun for all the family and there are many different types of games and educational features. The museum also boasts its own Youtube channel, as does the New York History Society, full of audio recordings from famous historians and other scholars.
International museums are doing the same, so why not go on a virtual holiday. The Louvre, Paris, has great options for online tours, for all its extensive range of exhibits. Due to this enormous museum being closed until further notice, there are now plenty of guided tours set up online, so you can view whichever part of the museum you are most interested in. The Russian State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg is one of the largest museums in the world. If you’ve got the time, and let’s face it who hasn’t, there’s even a five-hour video tour of the whole place available online.
INTERACTIVE PROJECTS
The artist Louise Lawler in collaboration with MoMa is offering a fun interactive program where she recreates tracings for you of famous pieces of artwork, and you can color them in. This will keep you busy for hours, both adults and children alike. You can frame your creations once you’ve finished the project, or share them online with your family and friends.
If you’re stuck at home with your children too, Tate Kids has loads of fun interactive options online. You can make pop art like Andy Warhol, learn about street art, or even make a painting out of chocolate. It’s called Tate Kids but there’s really some awesome activities for adults as well. Be prepared to make a mess!
If you want to keep the house clean, check out these 4 websites where kids can create digital art, again, there really is no age restriction. You might need to schedule in all your new screen time so how about using a free calendar template in an attempt to organize the madness, but always remember to have fun!
