Educational Explorations: Top Virtual Field Trips to Take Today!

Educational Explorations: Top Virtual Field Trips to Take Today!
Digitally designed to keep your love of learning online, below, you will find a few virtual field trips you can take to local Connecticut towns from the calming comforts of home. Happy exploring!

Local Love: Connecticut locations with academic allure

• East Granby, CT
  Old-New Gate Prison, and Copper Mine gives you easy 3D access to the first chartered copper mine in North America filled with interesting facts and none of the claustrophobic feeling.

• Guilford, CT
  Are you curious about what Connecticut’s oldest house looks like? Step inside Henry Whitfield State Museum for antique furniture and a fantastic fireplace you won’t want to miss!

• Hartford, CT
  The Mark Twain House – Walkthrough Twain’s beloved home and with 3D technology, see just why he believed the house “had a heart and a soul.”

• New Haven, CT
  Eli Center of Contemporary Art made its latest exhibits virtual for prospective visitors. The exhibits below are currently available for viewing.
  
  To (be)scare – Three artists use a monster motif to reflect their personal experiences and the prejudices against them.
  Ashley Pelletier Dissembling the Self – Deconstructed self-portraits inspired by themes of humanity and discontent, primed with original, thought-provoking oil paint and perspective.
  Brooks Dierdorff Ballistics & Blindsight – Brooks Dierdorff highlights the cultural complexities and objectification of hunting. In his exhibit, Dierdorff uses photography, sculpture, video, and installation to stimulate contradictory conversations on man vs. nature.
  Tony Saunders elucidating – A bold blend of acrylic paint, patterns found in street art, and abstract perspective.

• Norwich, CT
  The Slater Memorial Museum – Stop by this museum to sightsee renaissance sculptures, historical artifacts, and explore the architecture of 1884 through Albert Slater’s former collection of contemporary art.

• Orange, CT
  Take a 3D Tour of the PEZ Visitor Center to explore the colorful and wonderful world of candy.

• Stamford, CT
  Stamford Museum and Nature Center – Survey art and agricultural sciences! Take a virtual tour from Stamford Museum’s farmhouse and fine art galleries. Check out the Great Hall at the Bendel Mansion and its spectacular Solarium.

Nifty National Excursions: profound places bound to educate and excite
Don’t close the door on curiosity during social distancing. From your couch to around the country, engage in the enticing, at-home experiences below, no boarding pass necessary. Need a change of scenery? You’ve got to see these!

• Alexandria, Virginia
  National Women’s History Museum – Educate yourself on the plight of American women from previous to present. This museum’s online exhibits cover topics ranging from female adventurers and abolitionists, women in STEM and sports, the history of women as political hopefuls and pilots, and the sisterhood of female soldiers and summer camps.

• Baltimore, Maryland
  National Aquarium – Find out what it’s like from tropical waters to the tundra in this famous floor by floor aquarium tour.

• Channel Islands, California
  National Marine Sanctuary – Looking to deep sea dive with sea lions? Want 360-degree virtual views of underwater adventures? This sanctuary’s website makes quite the splash.

• Cleveland, Ohio
  NASA Glenn Research Center – With interactive videos and informational buttons, take a 3D tour through NASA’s wind tunnels, research laboratories, and zero gravity facilities.

• Ellis Island, New York
  Ellis Island – View the ancestry behind many of American beginnings, from staff quarters and recreation stages to giant mattress sanitizers and psychopathic wards.

• Mount Vernon, Virginia
  George Washington’s Estate – Enjoy the lavish views of the elite, including parlors and passageways, color-themed rooms and copulas, smoke and salt houses, and the greenery of the gardens of America’s first president.

• Washington, D.C.
  The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History – Study the massive mammals of North and South America, Africa, and Australia. Hone in on human origins and expressions, and the diversity found in the depths of the ocean. From evolution and extinction to dinosaur bones and bugs, this museum has something for everyone.
  The White House – With construction that started in 1792, you’re bound to find something that catches your eye in this historic presidential, residential building on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Your adventure awaits in America’s precious National Parks!

• Alaska, USA – Kenai Fjords – Kayak through icebergs and watch the effect global warming has on glaciers.
• California, USA – Yosemite – Hike alongside roaring waterfalls, dangle over dams, and venture by Yosemite Valley.
• Florida, USA – Dry Tortugas – Swim through coral reefs and dive through shipwrecks.
• Hawaii, USA – Hawai’i Volcanoes – Look into lava tubes and fly over active volcanoes.
• New Mexico, USA – Carlsbad Caverns – Climb into the million-year-old caverns of New Mexico.
• Utah, USA – Bryce Canyon – Take a peek at what the night sky looks like without light pollution and ride horseback through rock pillars and canyons.

Immerse yourself on an international journey.
From the kitchen cabinets to the bedroom closets, if the monotony of movements are starting to get to you, motion your mouse over the links below, click the trip of your choice, and take an outing without having to leave the safety and serenity of home.

• Amsterdam, Netherlands
  Anne Frank House – See the home and hiding place of one of the most recorded and renowned Jewish victims of the Holocaust.

• Andes Mountains, Peru
  Machu Picchu – Explore this “old mountain” stone city built by some of the best masons in 1450 A.D.

• London, UK
  Buckingham Palace – See the grand staircase, the throne room, and the white drawing room and finally find out why all the Brits go bonkers over Buckingham Palace.

• Paris, France
  The Louvre – Linger around the world’s most visited and most significant art museum without the crowd.

• Rome, Italy
  The Colosseum – From exotic animals to executions of prisoners and gladiator games, the Colosseum was a primary source of entertainment for the people of Rome in 70 AD. Stand inside the iconic amphitheater and see how it stood the test of time.

• Wiltshire, England
  Stonehenge – Stonehenge was once thought to be an ancient healing center, and an alien landing ground, this mysterious mound of rocks continues to marvel; circle this place for a bit.

But wait…there’s more to explore!

• Check out more famous museums from 80 different countries here.
• You can find the most extensive collection of virtual, panoramic pictures and videos here.
• You can even fly up to Mars on this website.
• Google Earth has been out of this world with its tours lately, too.
  Check out their Comic Geek Destination tour.
  See what other houses look like around the world.
  Window shop and walk around global flea markets.
  Or go into underwater colonies and swim next to coral reefs.
  Their Stop and Smell the Flowers tour takes you to the world’s best botanical gardens.