The Best Virtual Field Trips for Kids (& Adults too!)

Virtual field trips provide a gateway to exploration and discovery right from the comfort of our own homes. With just a few clicks, we can transport ourselves and our children to far-off places, immersing them in rich learning experiences right from home. Whether it’s exploring the depths of the ocean, wandering through ancient ruins, or venturing into outer space, the possibilities are endless.

Virtual field trips also hold immense promise for autistic children, providing a safe and accessible avenue for discovery within the comfort of their own homes. For children who may struggle with the sensory overload of traditional outings, the controlled environment of a virtual experience can offer a sense of security and stability. 

By eliminating the unpredictable elements of crowds, noise, and unfamiliar surroundings, virtual field trips empower autistic children to engage with the world on their own terms, free from the anxiety often associated with traditional travel.

Check out these virtual museum tours for kids—they’re almost as cool as the real deal! With 360-degree views and no crowds, you’ll have a blast exploring!

• Metropolitan Museum of Art: The #MetKids program offers children the chance to explore the museum through an illustrated map that includes hidden treasures throughout the museum’s collection of art.
• Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History: Every exhibition in the museum is offered in a 360-degree virtual format.
• Musée du Louvre: These online tours, organized by subject, allow you to get a closer look at some of the most famous art pieces and the amazing architecture in this world-famous museum.
• Frida Kahlo Museum: With its 360-degree views, you can explore every corner of Frida Kahlo’s home and her artwork throughout the brightly colored “Casa Azul” (Blue House).
• National Constitution Center: This virtual museum experience allows you to explore present and past exhibitions on topics like Alexander Hamilton and the constitutional conflicts of the Civil War.
• Boston Children’s Museum: Your children can take a virtual walking tour of the fun exhibits.
• Google Arts & Culture: This collection of virtual art galleries, artful activities, and fun with augmented reality is as much a field trip as an art class. Children and adults alike will have fun using their imagination to give famous works of art and landmarks their creative spin and take a tour of some of the world’s most well-known pieces of art.

Many zoos across the United States are now streaming live feeds from their animal enclosures, allowing people worldwide to peek into the daily lives of these incredible creatures. Watching how animals interact with each other, humans, and their environment offers valuable insights and learning opportunities!

• San Diego Zoo: Through their live cams you can see what various animals at the zoo are up to at any time of day. This zoo offers an ape cam, elephant cam, hippo cam, koala cam, tiger cam, and a variety of other animal live cams.
• Bronx Zoo: Through live footage, you can watch animals such as lemurs, sea lions and sharks! For a more exclusive experience, members can book a private virtual encounter with an animal! 
• Houston Zoo: Through their selection of live cams, you can watch various animals, from elephants roaming their habitat to leafcutter ants busily working. Live feed from 7 am- 7 pm CST. 
• Oakland Zoo: The Oakland Zoo is home to over 850 native and exotic animals. They have set up live streams of their most popular animals, including grizzly bears, condors and mountain lion cubs! 

Zoos aren’t the only ones sharing live streams of their animals; lots of aquariums are also getting in on the action, setting up live cams in their coolest underwater displays to give you a whole new perspective on marine life.

• The National Aquarium: Take a “self-guided” virtual tour of the National Aquarium as you explore a variety of aquatic animals and habitats.
• Monterey Bay Aquarium: This aquarium offers various live cams. Watch the daily goings-on of various animals through its coral reef cam, aviary cam, sea otter cam, shark cam, and more!
•  Georgia Aquarium’s Ocean Voyager: Here, you can access a live cam at the Georgia Aquarium’s Ocean Voyager gallery, which is home to sharks, manta rays, and thousands of other fish. You can also check other webcams to see their beluga whales, piranhas, sea lions, penguins, and more.
•  SeaWorld: The SeaWorld@Home program is full of aquatic fun for the whole family, including animal coloring books and crafts, first-person videos of their most popular rides, and live cams for a variety of animal habitats

Explore the wonders of our universe through virtual field trips to nearby planets, the moon, and more!

• AccessMars: Kids and adults alike will be wowed as they explore the surface of Mars with this 360-degree experience recorded by NASA’s Curiosity rover.
• Tour of the Moon: NASA also created a virtual tour of the moon, which visits several sites that were chosen to show off different lunar terrain features. This virtual tour was filmed in 2011 by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and has been re-created in 4K resolution for a truly amazing visual experience.
• Johnson Space Center: Boeing and Discover Education teamed up to offer this exclusive virtual field trip that takes you behind the scenes at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
• Stellarium Web: Learn about stars near and far with this mobile app that allows you to explore thousands of stars, find planets, and watch natural wonders like a solar eclipse. Using your location, it can even show the constellations in the night sky above you.

Take a virtual walk through iconic buildings and get up close and personal with past presidents.

• Mount Rushmore: Get up close and personal with the four American presidents carved into Mount Rushmore with this virtual tour. It offers 360-degree views from various viewpoints around the landmark, including one that puts you directly underneath Teddy Roosevelt’s chin.
• Mount Vernon: With just a few clicks, you can explore the home of the first president of the United States. George Washington lived in the home his father built for 45 years, both before and briefly after his presidency.
• The Great Wall of China: Take a virtual tour of one of the world’s wonders and explore the more than 3,000 miles through northern China that make up the Great Wall of China.
• HistoryView Virtual Tours: This HistoryView VR collection of virtual field trips brings historical sites and museums from around the world right to your home. This program does not require a VR headset; it will also work on a tablet or Chromebook.

Check out this list of interactive virtual field trips to some of nature’s most amazing sights.

• Hang Son Doong: Visit the world’s largest cave in Vietnam through this 360-degree virtual tour offered by National Geographic. This tour becomes even more immersive as it includes the sounds you would hear if you were there.
• Yellowstone National Park: On this virtual field trip, you’ll tour the main attractions in America’s oldest national park. You’ll also explore sites like the Mammoth Hot Springs and the Mud Volcano virtually. The Old Faithful live cam is always a fun part of the park.
• The Great Lakes: Choose from three different virtual field trips to learn more about the lakes’ coastal wetlands, the algae that grow in them, and the oldest and largest residents of the Great Lakes region, the lake sturgeon.
• Google Earth: Take a guided tour with some of the world’s leading storytellers, scientists, and nonprofits. Explore stories and maps about sustainability, environment, and cultural preservation.

*This list and its descriptions were taken from the CouponFollow blog post “Virtual COVID-19 Friendly Field Trips Around the World” by Oliver Pretl-Drummond.