TRAVEL

LET'S EXPLORE

42 Places to Go From Your Home

by KOURTNEY JASON

While we hunker down at home, many of us will look for new and engaging ways to pass the time. Watching TV, reading, playing games, and trying new recipes may begin to feel boring and repetitive. Lucky for us, many museums, zoos, and aquariums near and far have gone “virtual,” so that you can visit them from the comfort of your own couch. Fire up the wifi, grab your electronic devices, and go explore...virtually!

MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM

Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun. Portrait of Marie-Antoinette, 1783.

PALACE OF VERSAILLES

One of the most visited cultural sites in the world today, the Palace of Versailles constitutes one of the finest achievements of French art of the 17th century, and houses an impressive art collection. C’est magnifique!

en.chateauversailles.fr

Monterey Bar Aquarium’s live cameras will take you up-close to watch the sea otters, birdwatch in the aviary, see tropical fish in the coral reef, look for otters, birds and sailboats in the Monterey Bay, search for tuna, turtles, sharks and sardines in the open sea, and much more. With ten live cameras to choose from, you can experience the wonder of the ocean no matter where you are. montereybayaquarium.org

A leopard shark swimming in the Kelp Forest exhibit. © Monterey Bay Aquarium

AEROSPACE MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA

Family-friendly hands-on activities and tutorials as well as easy-to-replicate demonstrations are available on the museum’s Facebook page. @aerospacemuseumca

MUSEUM OF AFRICAN DIASPORA

The museum’s team has curated informative workshops, engaging events, YouTube videos, and a new official podcast on Spotify. Featured content across their channels includes “Authors in Conversation with Oyinkan Braithwaite,” “Tongo Eisen-Martin, Community Museum of Medical History Originally launched 10 years ago, the museum’s Voices: Poets Speak,” “Black is Beautiful: The Photography website hosts a virtual tour highlighting many of Kwame Brathwaite Panel intriguing medical artifacts and interesting tidbits, Discussion,” and “Engage along with numerous articles on aspects of medical Symposium 2020: Picturing history. ssvms.org/museum.aspx Blackness.” moadsf.org/blog/

moads-online-initiatives WALT DISNEY FAMILY MUSEUM

Explore and engage in unique ways as you learn about Walt Disney’s story. The museum’s blog provides articles exploring different facets of Walt’s life and Disneyland, and their website features live programming, drawing and craft demonstrations, along with a virtual tour. Follow the museum’s social media for daily trivia.

waltdisney.org

The Folsom Historical Society is sharing videos across their social media to highlight items in its collection that you don’t normally see at the museum. In addition, the team is looking to gather stories of your experience through the pandemic—share your story on their website.

The stories will be compiled to create a new digital collection focusing on how individual lives have been changed by COVID-19. folsomhistoricalsociety.org

FOLSOM CITY ZOO SANCTUARY

Get a glimpse of what’s going on behind the scenes at the sanctuary by checking out the cute animal pictures and videos posted almost every day on their social media.

@folsomcityzoosanctuary

EL DORADO COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM

The museum’s new exhibit, “Women of Influence: Women Making History in El Dorado County,” will offer a virtual tour that will be online through June 2021. This exhibit focuses on the women in the county’s history who were involved in many aspects of daily life in the area, including politics, business, culture and education. museum.

edcgov.us ROSEVILLE UTILITY

EXPLORATION CENTER

Families will discover comic books, coloring pages, craft ideas, science lessons and more ways to learn, thanks to online educational resources available at roseville.

ca.us/explore

CROCKER ART MUSEUM

With a goal to continue offering the community inspiring and uplifting art experiences, Crocker Art Museum is sharing visual art and gallery tours and activities for all ages on its blog, on Google Arts and Culture and on social media, including YouTube (search “Crocker Art Museum”).

crockerart.org

California Museum

To provide educational materials for K-12th grade students aligned with Common Core and California State Content standards, California Museum launched a new Distance Learning program. A State Symbols coloring book and a series of five California Indians Oral History worksheets are available online.

californiamuseum.org

CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

Whether you’re searching for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) activities for the kids or want to keep tabs on your favorite Academy creatures, California Academy of Sciences has curated an array of science-centric games, videos, and DIY projects to help you stay learning and engaged any time of the day. calacademy.org

Edward Hopper. Nighthawks, 1942. Friends of American Art Collection. Image courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago.

THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO

A world-renowned art museum housing one of the largest permanent collections in the United States, you can view selected works from collections of modern art, oil paintings, canvas, impressionism and more. artic.edu

Gustave Caillebotte. Paris Street; Rainy Day, 1877. Charles H. and Mary F. S. Worcester Collection. Image courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Patrick McDonnell's Bill Watterson Tribute image © Mutts 2019

CARTOON ART MUSEUM

Taking its current exhibit digital, the Cartoon Art Museum has developed a virtual tour for “A Boy and His Tiger: A Tribute to Bill Watterson,” featuring original art in homage to Bill Watterson and his iconic comic strip creation Calvin and Hobbes. cartoonart.org

CALIFORNIA STATE RAILROAD MUSEUM

At 11 a.m. every Monday on the museum’s Facebook page, local influencers will read children’s railroad-related books as part of a virtual version of the museum’s “All Aboard for Story Time” program. All previously recorded book readings are also available on both the California State Railroad Museum and Foundation Facebook pages.

@californiastaterailroadmuseum

@ californiastaterailroadmuseumfoundation

CHILDREN’S CREATIVITY MUSEUM

The staff has been sharing daily design and art challenges across the museum’s social media channels. By using supplies you have around your house—including toilet paper rolls!—your family can feel inspired and have fun at the same time.

Parents can teach their kids that they don’t need fancy tools and supplies to be artistic and creative. creativity.org / @creativitykids @childrenscreativitymuseum

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

Online offerings including audio guides featuring perspectives from curators, conservators, and other experts; behindthe-scenes looks at The Met’s conservation studios, which follows conservators as they restore art through crucial and often-unseen work. Also includes a virtual tour of The Met’s art and architecture with The Met 360° Project, where you can explore iconic spaces, such as the Great Hall, The Met Cloisters, The Temple of Dendur, The Met Breuer, The Charles Engelhard Court, and Arms and Armor Galleries. metmuseum.org

Ariel view of The High Line; photo by Timothy Schenck.

THE J. PAUL GETTY MUSEUM

The J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center features works of art dating from the eighth through the twenty-first century. Three online exhibits include “18th Century Pastel Portraits,” “Heaven, Hell and Dying Well,” and “Eat, Drink and Be Merry.” getty.edu

THE HIGH LINE PARK

Thanks to Google Arts & Culture, you can head to the Big Apple and tour this 1.45-mile-long elevated linear park, greenway and rail trail, which was created on a former New York Central Railroad spur on the west side of Manhattan in New York City. Additionally, the New York City Parks Department offers virtual tours of some of its flagship green spaces, including Central Park and the Staten Island Greenbelt.

thehighline.org

VAN GOGH MUSEUM

This museum is home to the largest collection of Vincent van Gogh’s work, with over 200 paintings, 500 drawings, and 750 personal letters—many of which are available for viewing online. vangoghmuseum.nl/en

Vincent van Gogh. Self-Portrait with Grey Felt Hat, 1887. Image courtesy of the Van Gogh Museum.

SACRAMENTO HISTORY MUSEUM Go on a journey through some of Sacramento’s amazing history through the museum’s “Anytime Tours,” which feature 50-minute digital walking tours (with 10 stops at each location!) through the Historic City Cemetery and The Old Sacramento Waterfront. In addition, the Museum has launched “Home Made History,” a series of at-home activities including games, videos, coloring pages and more.

sachistorymuseum.org

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), 2019; photo by Adam Jacobs Photography.

SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF MODERN ART

Offering content 24 hours a day, seven days a week, SFMOMA’s staff has curated videos and articles they hope will give everyone food for thought, a reason to smile or a moment of connection. sfmoma.org/

museumfromhome

EXPLORE PLACES 24 THROUGH 42 AT STYLEMG.COM