** Thank you to MCN for making this extensive “ultimate guide” to virtual resources available free of charge to non-members during this health crisis.**

The Ultimate Guide to Virtual Museum Resources, E-Learning, and Online Collections

People looking at a gallery of photos

Virtually take a trip to an art gallery or a museum!

In the blink of an eye, once-crowded museums sit empty. So during these times for social distancing and potential quarantine. This is the time for museum technology to step up and fill the void.  So until it is safe enough to complete an outdoor urban adventure such as an EscapeTrails there are plenty of great back ups for a scavenger hunt, sightseeing, escape room and other activities that can be done virtually!

So after all this is over this will still be a great resource for when we just fancy curling up at home but want to explore at the same time.  So if you do not fancy the weather in Boston, MA or Burlington, VT and an EscapeTrail (part scavenger hunt and part escape room) then check out some of these stay at home activities.  So even when you do not fancy going out there are still plenty of things to do in your own home.

This list is by no mean exhaustive but will give you a great start of what is available!It is by no means exhaustive.  If you have any suggestions share more with MCN and help them update their list @museumcn on Twitter!

Every resource is free to access and enjoy. 
Much of it, though not all, is also open content, in the sense that it’s freely reusable and re-mixable under Creative Commons licensing.Open content is clearly labeled on its respective website.

art-theatre-museum-mannequin

Tour a museum or art work virtually from home!

PORTALS

National Museum of the USAF - virtual tour screenshot

The National Museum of the USAF have a virtual tour available!

VIRTUAL TOURS / ONLINE EXHIBITS

Art and Culture Museums
History Museums
Natural Science Museums
National Parks

Online Exhibits

Museum of Modern Art

Moma have elearning resources

E-LEARNING

Screen Shot of https://www.warhol.org/lessons/

There are some great activities for kids too!

Created for Kids
Screen Shot of art work that can be browsed online

Browse art work from the best galleries in the world online!

ONLINE COLLECTIONS

Art and Cultural Collections
Science Collections
  • Naturalis: 40,000,000 natural science collections objects
History Collections
Screen Shot of UK National Archives Flickr

Search the archives online!

DIGITAL ARCHIVES & LIBRARIES

Huge thanks to the many who have written helpful blogs with their favorite museum tech resources. Your contributions are all included here: CuseumMia RidgeJenni Fuchs, and Alicja Peszkowska.

Well once we are able to explore Boston, MA and Burlington, VT again may be you have a few places you want to check out and things to do as you explore once more.  If you would like to explore some of these places then you may find some of them included on an EscapeTrail urban adventure combining the best parts of an escape game, scavenger hunt and sight seeing into one awesome experience.  Have fun, be social and explore the city in a whole new way!