Kids don’t have to have all the fun! Whether you’re getting stir crazy and want to explore somewhere new, miss your local hangouts, or just need ways to stay active on your own, check out these free interactive online resources.
Educational
Ready to write that great American novel? Travel to Space? Freshen up those research skills and learn something new? JSTOR has made much of their content free to the public, you can explore the history of our world with the Smithsonian Natural History Museum. Or maybe take a class with some of the world’s top professors, without the Ivy League price tag through Harvard Online. Finally, take that trip to Mars you’ve been putting off for years.
Arts, Music, and Culture
If you’re missing the beauty of Monet or sounds of the symphony during this time of social isolation-don’t fret! Many of the worlds best museums and cultural institutions have you covered.
Google Arts and Culture has a wide variety of art and museums to investigate. If you’re looking for something specific, try the Louvre, Sistine Chapel, or the Guggenheim.
For all you music fans out there, Billboard Music has an ongoing list of artist’s streaming live concerts and where to find them. NPR Tiny Desk Concerts are also a great way to see your favorite artists in a scaled down format, with new concerts being released regularly. For those with more classical tastes, you can also get your opera fix nightly through the Met’s Nightly Opera Stream.
Exercise
Since springtime in Pittsburgh doesn’t always mean sunshine and blue skies, there’s a variety of online workouts you can do from home! Planet Fitness has created a videos for everyone to do at home. Locally, the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh and Ascend Pittsburgh have provided content made for at home workouts.
Local
For those of us missing our local resources, plenty of organizations have stepped up to give us online access.
The Frick and Westmoreland Museum of American Art have virtual tours available. If you need an animal fix, the Hays Eagles Cam is live (with eaglets!) and the Pittsburgh Zoo has live cameras of their Cheetahs and Penguins! Pittsburgh Public Theater has also created Pittsburgh Public Theater PlayTime, so you can still enjoy the stage from home. Lastly, if you’re just feeling nostalgic about all things Pittsburgh, make sure to check our Rick Sebak’s Nebby series streaming on WQED!
From Mars to Pittsburgh to Paris, you can still explore the universe with these great virtual experiences in the comfort and safety of your own home.