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The 19 Best Free Virtual Field Trips of 2024

Stuck at home? Travel virtually all over the world instead (but seriously, check out the Son Doong Cave)

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When you can't get away, your kids still can by taking a virtual field trip to a museum, farm, zoo, or another fun location. We compiled our list of favorites to help you keep your kids engaged and entertained. Some of these are virtual tours (you can actively decide where to go on the tour) and others are video walkthroughs (just watch and learn), but all give you a great experience of the location.

Best Art-Centric Virtual Tour: The Met

A glimpse at some of the greatest works of art created.

Online exhibits on various topics.

There's only one view of the museum currently available.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is home to over 5,000 years of art from around the world. You can see some of it from the comfort of your home. Take a virtual stroll through part of the museum using Google Street View. There are also numerous online exhibits on topics like Coco Chanel, Vermeer, Catholic allegory in art, and more.

Best Tour of Space: NASA

The volume of space videos.

The approachable aspect of the videos.

So much more to see on the site.

It's not easily searchable unless you know what you're looking for.

This might be cheating a bit because it's really a collection of videos, but, oh boy, what a collection to tour! The Galleries open up an array of videos covering space topics from testing a parachute for Mars to moving water in space. Each video is a mini virtual tour that will awe kids and encourage interest in science and space.

Best Tour of the White House: Google Arts & Culture's The White House

Stunning 360-degree images.

See inside and outside the White House.

Offers views of 140 paintings.

Once inside a tour, it's hard to know what you're looking at.

No search functions.

Every President since John Adams has occupied the White House and now your children can visit it, too. Google Arts & Culture offers four museum views (three tours of The White House and one of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building) plus a look at more than 140 paintings that grace (or have graced) the walls of the country's most famous abode. The 360-degree images let kids explore to their heart's desire.

Best Cave Virtual Tour: Son Doong Cave

Son Doong is beautiful.

The virtual tour includes lots of information.

Zoom into areas for a more detailed look.

No supplemental online activities.

Son Doong is the world's largest natural cave. Located in Vietnam, it features a subterranean river and the largest cross-section of any cave worldwide. National Geographic's virtual tour lets you explore the cave with full 360-degree views and immersive sounds. You can even zoom in one area to check out the campers in their tents. Son Doong is beautiful and worth a virtual visit.

Best National Park Virtual Tour: Yellowstone

Offers multiple tours.

Lots of historical information.

Amazing images.

No video tours.

Lots of written information that can turn off some kids.

Yellowstone offers seven virtual tours appropriate for older elementary and middle school ages. There's a lot of written information along with the images, and the tours aren't in video. However, the information is fascinating, and the photos are stunning.

From learning about old Fort Yellowstone to discovering park anomalies like Mud Volcano, these tours are a great way for kids to discover unique facts about America.

Best Natural History Tour: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

So many exhibits to see!

Easy, clickable maps.

Quick and easy to navigate.

It's not always easy to read the signs in the exhibits.

This iconic museum is dedicated to understanding the natural world and humanity's place in it. There's so much to see it can't possibly be listed here. However, the museum offers an online tour of most of its exhibits. Split this tour up into multiple lessons, so kids don't get overwhelmed.

Skip the ground floor and go straight to the first or second floors.

Best Aquarium Virtual Tour: National Aquarium

Easy to find exhibits.

Fun to explore using the 360-degree options.

Some scenes spin quickly, which can frustrate young learners.

Baltimore's National Aquarium features more than 20,000 aquatic animals. Kids can click and drag images to navigate their way around and use arrows, the map, or a scene list to explore various exhibits. Explore eight areas, such as the Amazon River, a tropical rain forest, and jellyfish.

Best Tours of the World: AirPano

Bright, well-produced videos and images.

Offers tours of numerous countries.

Includes video and still frame-images.

What's not to like?

AirPano has a variety of tours in China, Portugal, Switzerland, and more countries. Children can visit the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge in China, an underwater cave in Indonesia, ski resorts in France, and more destinations around the globe.

What makes this site so good is that it offers narrations of several tours, provides closeups through interactive actions, and includes short chunks of written information that's easy for kids of most ages to read. The tours are also fairly short, which makes these tours great for younger kids, but older kids will still enjoy the trip.

Best Virtual Tour for Car Lovers: Lane Motor Museum

Totally unique tour.

An inside look that allows for deep diving into collections.

There's no way to tell what a specific vehicle is unless you know cars.

Scroll to the bottom of the link to watch a fun virtual tour of one of the most unique car museums in the world. Lane Motor Museum is home to an oddball collection of vehicles dating from the 1920s up to modern times.

Your child will love seeing amphibious vehicles, microcars, prototypes, and more. The tour is easy to click through and offers six angles to entertain viewers.

Best Tours of Nature: Nature Works Everywhere

Tours are narrated and easy to follow.

Provides student handouts, vocabulary, and discussion questions.

We wish there was a larger library of tours!

Explore nature around the world with Nature Works Everywhere's virtual tours. Visit the coral reefs of Palau, the deserts and grasslands of Africa, a rainforest (from a canoe's viewpoint), a renewable energy plant, and more.

The tours are narrated and give great, quick facts to help kids learn in simple, straightforward ways. All tours are appropriate for grades 3 through 12 but are marked with notes about the grades most likely to enjoy the tour.

Best Historical Tour: Ellis Island

A clear explanation of Ellis Island, how it worked, and why it was needed.

Includes children asking questions of tour guides.

The images in much of the tour are small in order to focus on the tour guides.

Ellis Island is a key piece of American history. This virtual tour offers lots of anecdotes and features actual guides from Ellis Island telling stories. Plus, it includes lots of pictures and views of the island.

It's more appropriate for fourth grade and up, mainly due to the litany of facts and complexity of the information provided.

Best Slime-Based Virtual Tour: Slime in Space

Nickelodeon

It's playful and educational.

Good production values.

Fun experiments.

It's a video, not an interactive virtual tour.

What happens to Nickelodeon's iconic slime when it's in space? That's the concept behind the Slime in Space virtual field trip. Featuring real astronauts and Nickelodeon celebrities, the 15-minute video shows kids how slime and water react in a microgravity environment 250 miles above the Earth. Along the way, it answers burning questions like, "Is slime a solid or a liquid?" and "Can you slime a person in space?" (The answer is: yes, very slowly.)

Best Virtual Zoo Tour: San Diego Zoo

Live cams of the animals.

A variety of educational videos.

Fun games and activities.

Fixed camera angles mean you're not always guaranteed to see the animals.

The San Diego Zoo is home to more than 3,500 animals of more than 650 species and subspecies. It's widely considered one of the best zoos in the world. But, if you can't make it to California, it has a robust virtual experience online.

You can peek in on the animals through live cams. There's also a variety of videos that teach kids about vultures or show them how to draw a tiger, for example. There are also zoo-related games and activities kids can do at home.

Best General Farm Tour: FarmFood 360

360-degree views of the farm.

Offers a free app for Android and iOS.

It can be hard to see things on a mobile device.

FarmFood 360 gives an inside look at the activities of a Canadian farm. Kids see 360-degree views of the farm as they learn about milk and cheese production, sheep farming, egg processing, and more.

There's an app available for Android and iOS devices, and it's compatible with some virtual reality headsets.

Best Virtual Planetarium: Stellarium

Realistic night sky simulation.

Mobile apps are available.

Includes a telescope control module for experienced astronomers.

Can be difficult to navigate.

The mobile apps aren't free, but the money supports the project.

Stellarium Web is an online planetarium created by two brothers. Offering an accurate and realistic view of the night sky, it lets you pan around and spot stars, satellites, and other celestial bodies.

It offers mobile apps for Android and iOS that aren't free. The money goes toward paying server and development costs for the two-person project.

Best Living-History Virtual Tour: Colonial Williamsburg

Next best thing to being there.

The virtual scavenger hunt.

The virtual tours are highly interactive.

Virtual tour models can load slowly.

Condensation or inclement weather can obstruct the webcam views.

Colonial Williamsburg is a living-history museum in Virginia that offers a glimpse at what life was like in the 18th century. Its virtual tour is highly interactive and includes videos, informational signs, and 3D models you can rotate.

With its various webcams, you can see the armory, courthouse, merchants square, and more. Colonial Williamsburg's website also offers a virtual scavenger hunt your kids can participate in as they tour the area.

Best European Museum Virtual Tour: The Louvre

It's the Louvre.

The website offers a list of online family-friendly activities.

The virtual tours include a map and an information button.

The website offers limited language options.

Sure, we'd love to jet off to France and tour its fabulous museums personally. But if that's not an option, the Louvre has several virtual tours available on its website. The offerings include exhibitions on the body in movement, founding myths, Egyptian antiquities, and more.

The Louvre also has a handy list of family-friendly online resources everyone can enjoy, including a Mona Lisa VR experience.

Best Factory Virtual Tour: M&M Factory Tour

Zoonar RF / Getty Images

Who doesn't love chocolate?

360-degree views of the factory.

It's short.

The Food Network teamed up with candy maker Mars to give M&M fans a virtual tour of one of its factories. During the short YouTube video, viewers can pan around as a tour guide explains how unrefined chocolate is turned into the little candies we know and love.

Best General Virtual Tour Resource: Discovery Education

An eclectic variety of virtual field trips.

Watch live or on demand.

Trips come with a companion guide packed with activities.

A schedule of when field trips go live would be nice.

Discovery Education offers a variety of virtual field trips for kids learning from home. The offerings change often but currently include an NFL experience, a doodling experience meant to encourage creativity, and a virtual field trip through the internet of things. You can watch the field trips live or catch the videos later on-demand.

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Virtual Field Trips: Ideas & Examples With Links for 2024

You found our list of the best virtual field trips .

Virtual field trips are class outings that take place online, via platforms like Zoom, Google Street View or websites. While some of these activities consist of pre-recorded tours and videos, the best options tend to involve live video feed and student interaction with guides. Examples activities include digital walks along The Great Wall of China and a scrollable deep sea dive. These activities are also known as “online field trips” and “digital field trips”.

These adventures are an example of online classroom activities and often include virtual tours .

This articles includes:

• interactive virtual field trips
• virtual field trips for students
• the best virtual field trip ideas
• free virtual field trips for kids
• live virtual field trips

Here is the list!

List of virtual field trip ideas

From virtual cockpit tours to online historical sites to do-it-yourself options, here is a list of ideas for virtual field trips to captivate and educate students.

1. Online Zoo (Behind the Scenes)

A digital zoo tour is one of the best virtual field trips for kids. While virtual trips may not let students see otters float, elephants play, and lions strut up close, a digital tour allows for more intimate behind-the-scenes access.

Your class can get close with the animals and walk paths usually reserved for zookeepers. While you may not be able to fit 30 squirming first graders into a baby animal nursery or an operating room, the guide can easily broadcast from these venues. Also, since the visit takes place entirely online, you can visit a zoo that is otherwise far from you.

Here is a starter list:

• San Antonio Zoo
• San Diego Zoo
• Cincinnati Zoo (self-guided tours, livestream safari and feeding times)

Many other zoos stream live animal webcams that you and your class can watch. You can also contact your local zoo directly to inquire about facilitated virtual tours and school group discounts.

During the online visit, your students can ask questions using the hand raising or chat features in the video conferencing platform. Once your tour concludes, your students can enjoy thematic snacks such as zebra cakes, goldfish, and of course, animal crackers.

Check our more virtual zoo tours .

2. Virtual Safari

When you do a virtual safari, your students can observe lions, elephants and other animals in their natural habitat. Wild Earth offers twice daily live safaris. Since the broadcast occurs on African time, your best bet is to tune in for the sunset safari, which live streams from 9:00am to 12:30pm Eastern Standard Time. The safari broadcasts from several nature reserves and features animals such as lions, leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas. During the tour, viewers can ask park rangers questions. The unscripted nature of the broadcast lends an element of excitement, since animal sightings are always a surprise.

Learn more at Wild Earth .

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3. Under the Sea Visit

Unless you are secretly Miss Frizzle from The Magic Schoolbus, you cannot whisk your class to the bottom of the ocean in a submarine. However, you can lead your students on an online field trip of the ocean.

The Deep Sea by Neal Agarwal shows all sorts of marine life in the ocean. Viewers can scroll deeper into the ocean, discovering the animals that dwell at each depth. For a fun pre-tour exercise, distribute a handout with the names of various species and challenge students to guess at which depth the creature lives. Then, check answers as you plunge further down into the ocean.

Journey to The Deep Sea .

4. Aquarium Webcam Livestream

The Monterey Bay Aquarium hosts live cams for animals, including sea otters, penguins, jellyfish, and sharks. Aquarium employees narrate during feeding time, so for maximum engagement consider tuning in during mealtimes. The aquarium website also offers free online classes for ages ranging from kindergarten to high school, resources for teachers, and crafts and printables.

Dive into the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s live webcams .

5. Virtual Tour of the Great Wall of China

Your students can trek the Great Wall of China from the comfort of home. For $15, The China Guide offers a guided tour through high resolution images of the Great Wall of China via Zoom. Your students can also take part in question and answer sessions with an expert and have an interactive experience.

Stroll the Great Wall of China .

6. NASA Commercial Crew Program

Until recently, space wasn’t on the list of field trip destinations. NASA decided to teleport students directly to space camp by curating a virtual field trip that highlights its commercial crew program. Teachers can transmit a series of educational videos onto virtual reality sets to create an immersive experience. The tour guide leads virtual visitors through spaceship crew pits and launching pads while explaining the process of becoming an astronaut. The tour puts a heavy emphasis on STEM education and directs teachers to resources useful for supplementary science and math lessons.

Learn more about NASA’s at-home STEM activities .

7. Disney Parks Digital Tour

Most children dream of the day the teacher announces a field trip to Disney World. While students may not be able to ride teacups or roller coasters during a digital tour of Disney, they can still experience the excitement of the happiest place on earth by touring a high resolution Google Street view of the parks.

Students who have not yet visited Disney can see what the park is like, and those that have visited can point out sites and share stories. You can also include Disney history and lessons on the inspirations behind the attractions to make the tour more educational. Consider serving Disney themed snacks during breaks, and perhaps initiating a singalong during a music lesson. With the money you save on transportation and admission, you could even hire a beloved Disney character to pay the class a visit.

Learn more about Disney Parks Digital Tour .

8. Streaming Broadway Shows

Instead of escorting your students to a Broadway show, summon a Broadway stage to your classroom. Broadway HD has a library of hundreds of productions, including rare and obscure shows. While not in real time, most filmed productions on the site are of live shows. Your students can uncover hard to find productions and learn about American theatre history too. Broadway HD offers a one week free trial, as well as monthly and yearly subscription options.

Watch a Broadway show .

9. Virtual Reality Rainforest Tour

Even if you had the budget to fly your class to the Amazon, a real-life tour would be too risky for a field trip. A virtual tour lets students experience panoramic views of lush rain forests while learning about indigenous communities and conservation efforts. The tour is viewable as an immersive experience via virtual reality devices, or as a 360 degree video on regular devices. By participating in the Under the Canopy tour, students come to understand the importance of the rain forest and its connection to human life as a whole.

Embark on a virtual reality rain forest tour .

10. Computerized Cockpit Tours

Livestream cockpit tours make thrilling virtual field trips for high school students. While airline regulations call for restricted cockpit access, you may be able to find a private pilot willing to give your students a Skype tour of the craft. The pilot might even broadcast a quick flight.

If you cannot find a live guide, then the following organizations provide self-guided tours with pilot-perspective views of various aircraft:

• The Naval Aviation Museum
• Experimental Aircraft Association
• National Museum of the USAF
• Museum of Flight

Or, you could download and run a flight simulator that gives students the chance to navigate and land a virtual plane.

11. Living Rooms Around the World

A living room might seem like an odd choice for a virtual field trip, but a living room located across the globe is as fascinating as any other destination. You can plan a tour of foreign homes so that your students can learn how everyday life differs around the world.

If you know individuals in other countries willing to Zoom with your students, then you can reach out to these acquaintances and coordinate your experience directly. If not, then you can contact a foreign exchange program or local university for help. You can also watch the Life Where I’m From channel on YouTube, though live tours with question and answer sessions are more personal and immersive.

You and your students can also check out Dollar Street for a strong visual map of how people live around the world.

12. Virtual Tour of the Louvre

The Louvre is one of the most famous museums in the world, but many people will never visit in person. By taking your class on a virtual tour of the Louvre, you save airfare and time spent waiting in line.

The Louvre offers high resolution, 360 degree tours of various exhibitions on its website. Your class can explore Egyptian antiquities, classic Italian paintings, and the remains of an underground moat, all without leaving the classroom.

The Louvre site also directs visitors towards a downloadable “VR Mona Lisa” app that provides an up close peek at the famous painting, and other video and at-home experiences.

Visit the Louvre .

13. Online Tour of the British Museum

The British Museum’s online Museum of the World exhibit lets visitors view and sort artifacts based on time period, area of origin, and themes such as religion or trade. Each point on the timeline contains pictures, descriptions, an audio file, and links to related objects.

This format lends itself well to a virtual scavenger hunt . Solving an activity helps students focus and remain more engaged, which results in students learning more from the experience.

Explore the British Museum .

14. Digital Tour of the Van Gogh Museum

While the digital tour of the Van Gogh Museum fails to capture the paintings’ texture, it does offer contextual information on the artist’s most famous images such as Almond Blossom and Self-portrait With Grey Felt Hat . This tour also provides background information about Van Gogh’s life, with several narrative timelines.

Check out the Van Gogh Museum .

15. Google Meets Visit to the Guggenheim

The Guggenheim offers an interactive virtual museum experience. Booking a tour gives your class access to a guide for one hour, and your class will view three to five famous works and participate in an ongoing Q&A session. The museum educator facilitates activities that encourage students to engage with the art. All tours take place via Zoom or Google Meet.

Though the museum gears most tours towards grade school, they also hold separate online tours for university students and adults as well.

Book a Virtual Group Visit to the Guggenheim .

16. Computerized Career Days

Career day is a staple of the school experience. Typically, parents and community professionals visit classrooms to talk to students about various jobs. Online, these professionals can actually take students along on the job. Students can go to work with firefighters, underwater welders, cake decorators, farmers, or any other interesting vocations that do not mind taking the kids along.

Career days can be an ongoing series, with a five to 15-minute tour of a different workplace every session. This approach spreads the fun across a larger span of time by hosting a mini field trip every day, instead of condensing all the excitement into a single afternoon.

You can do online career tests too, or plan a virtual take your child to work day .

17. Remote City Tours

Tour guides in many cities offer a verbal history and visual slideshow via software like Zoom and WebEx. Remote city tours are one of the easiest-to-execute virtual field trip ideas. The guides already mapped the path and prepared the presentation; you only need to book the tour and show up with your class.

The crew here at TeamBuilding recently embarked on a virtual tour of Black Broadway in Washington DC and an online Harry Potter tour of Edinburgh, Scotland. Our team thoroughly enjoyed both tours and learned a lot.

18. Online Historical Sites

Many online field trips focus on learning about history. You and your class can visit significant sites all around the world and learn how these locations shaped modern history.

Here is a short list of historical sites with online experiences:

• The Sistine Chapel
• The Taj Mahal
• Ellis Island
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• Gettysburg Battlefield

There are many other historically significant locations you can visit online.

19. DIY Virtual Field Trips

Some schools give students options to vote on the yearly field trip. Since online field trips use minimal time and resources, every student can design a dream trip. Instead of organizing a virtual trip yourself, you can assign the planning to your students. Every participant can design an itinerary by using Google Tour Creator .

Students may choose to explore areas such as the tombs of pharaohs, or the birth cities of American jazz. Your students will become the tour guides and teach peers about the chosen topic.

Most of these virtual field trips are available to anyone, and are free to access, meaning your students can visit or revisit the sites anytime. To make your activity extra special, seek out guide-led, live, interactive experiences so that your students can hold conversations with an expert. You can also supplement the trip with assignments and fun games.

Next, check out our list of games to play on Zoom, this list of Google Meet games , and this one with online art classes .

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FAQ: Virtual field trips

Here are some of the most common questions and answers about virtual field trips.

What are virtual field trips?

Virtual field trips are learning excursions that happen online through video conferencing software, livestream video, or digital map and photograph platforms. For example, a virtual zoo tour or an online visit to the Great Wall of China.

What are good online field trip ideas?

The best online field trips often revolve around experiences that are off-limits or logistically impossible for in-person visits. To keep students interested, these activities should involve interactive elements such as question and answer sessions, games, and special requests.

How do you do a virtual field trip?

The first step in planning virtual field trips is to decide on your venue and activity. You can choose between self-guided tours or live-guided experiences. Typically, live video and interaction makes for a more compelling visit. Once you choose your trip, pick a day and time for your visit and inform the students. You can plan additional activities like research assignments and presentations to enhance your student’s learning. You can also make the day special by providing themed snacks.

Author: Angela Robinson

Marketing Coordinator at teambuilding.com. Team building content expert. Angela has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and worked as a community manager with Yelp to plan events for businesses.

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The 22 Ultimate Virtual Field Trips & Tours for Students

Written by Maria Kampen

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• Teacher Resources

What is a virtual tour and how does it work?

Technology powering virtual field trips for students, 22 best virtual field trips for students, how to incorporate virtual tours into learning activities.

Imagine taking your entire class to see one of the seven wonders of the world up close and personal — and then being back at school before the final bell rings. 

The rise of online learning activities during the pandemic accelerated the availability of virtual field trips , tours and experiences for students of all ages. Now there are many interactive virtual tours available to places that would be impossible to reach on a class trip — the pyramids in Egypt, the Louvre museum in Paris or even an African safari.

We put together a list of 22 unforgettable virtual field trips and experiences that will help your students see amazing sights, connect their learning to real-world experiences and expand their horizons.

Virtual tours allow students to explore noteworthy places around the world, from the comfort of their home or the classroom. 

Virtual tours give students the opportunity to stop, explore and guide learning at their own pace. While they’re exploring, they can get up close to nature or artifacts that might not otherwise be easily accessible. 

Virtual tours can be many different things, including:

• A live webcam of a zoo or animal habitat
• A 360 degree view of a location you can manipulate
• Pictures enriched with helpful information and diagrams

Even ten or fifteen years ago, video tours would have been rare or impossible. Advancements in technology and education have combined to help people learn and explore from anywhere!

• National Geographic creates TV series about nature, history and archaeology
• Food shows like Netflix’s Salt Fat Acid Heat take viewers on food journeys across the world
• Planet Earth , a television series, brings far-flung locations to your living room or classroom
• Discovery Education gives educators access to multimedia resources that supplement classroom learning
• Video conferencing technology like Zoom lets you connect with people and learning experiences around the world

We love being able to sit at home or in the classroom and learn about different foods, cultures and geography. Why not introduce that to your students?

1. Take a trip to the zoo

Whether it’s live webcams of adorable pandas or behind-the-scenes tours with zookeepers, zoos all over the world offer ways for animal antics to delight and entertain your students. 

Some of our favorites include:

• Edinburgh Zoo’s Panda Cam
• Georgia Aquarium’s Beluga Whale Livestream
• The Smithsonian National Zoo’s Naked Mole-rat Cam
• A live feed of African river wildlife in Laikipia County, Kenya
• The San Diego Zoo Live Ape Cam , or any of their other live animal feeds
• Home Safari videos from the Cincinnati Zoo, where zookeepers introduce you to the hundreds of animals that make the zoo their home.

2. Visit The Hidden Worlds of National Parks

From Yosemite to Mesa Verde, explore some of the USA’s most beloved and beautiful national parks with The Hidden World of National Parks .  

Supported by Google Arts & Culture , students can use the same technology that powers Street View to explore the national parks at their own pace. 

The program also includes guided tours from park rangers, where they share their expertise as you explore. Follow the on-screen prompts and let them guide your adventure!

3. Watch the Monterey Bay Aquarium Sea Otters

Play with the sea otters as they swim around Monterey Bay Aquarium in California! Tune in throughout the day to see them being fed, learn fun facts about otters and watch them play in the water. 

If you’d like to check out some other aquarium-related channels, Monterey Bay Aquarium also offers Open Sea or Kelp Forest live streams.

4. Swim through Palau coral reefs

Travel to the Pacific Ocean through a virtual adventure and see the Palau coral reefs . Hosted by Nature Lab and the Nature Conservancy, this tour teaches students about the importance of preserving some of the most fragile ecosystems in the world — no wetsuit required. 

Take learning to the next level with the Nature Lab’s Teacher’s Guide , which includes discussion questions and related resources to keep learners engaged. 

5. Visit the surface of Mars

It took the Perseverance rover about seven months to get to Mars. But thanks to this virtual tour , you and your students can go for a visit in just one afternoon. 

Created by Google and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, this virtual tour takes you through the history of Mars explorations and turns what might be a far-flung topic into something right at students’ fingertips. They’ll explore the surface of Mars, learn more about the rovers that have studied its surface and understand how Mars exploration fits into the history of space travel.

6. Power up with renewable energy

Powering the Planet from the Nature Conservancy is an interactive lesson that focuses on renewable energy sources. It explains to students how energy around them is necessary for life, and covers how energy can be sourced in a way that’s not harmful to the environment.

All the Nature Conservancy’s programs come with a Teacher Guide , which offers lesson plans and activities relating to the virtual tour. 

7. Walk the Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is over 13,000 miles long, so be sure to pack your walking shoes for this trip!

This virtual tour lets students explore key points in the Great Wall of China, plus see the history and amazing view up close.

8. Float around the International Space Station

Did you know that astronauts have continuously inhabited the International Space Station for 20 years? Now your class can join them!

With tours of the different parts of the space station, facts about the layout and assembly, and information about the different astronauts who’ve visited from around the world, students can get an out-of-this-world experience from the comfort of their home or classroom. 

Plus, there are plenty of images, videos, graphics and media resources to help you tie topics into your curriculum.

9. Scuba dive in the Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is a delicate ecosystem especially vulnerable to the effects of pollution and climate change. 

David Attenborough’s Great Barrier Reef is a tour created in partnership with the Natural History Museum in London that teaches everyone about the beauty and fragility of one of the world’s greatest natural wonders. 

The Great Barrier Reef is also available on Google Street View through Google Maps as one of the first underwater locations to be mapped. 

10. Learn about water and Colombia’s páramo ecosystem

Just outside of Bogotá, Columbia, is one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. In this virtual lesson, students will learn about how the water cycle plays a vital role in biodiversity, and get an up-close look at the animals that call the area home. 

Use the accompanying Teacher Guide to help students discuss the topic and stay engaged with the lesson. And check out the rest of the Nature Lab's YouTube channel for even more virtual experiences.

11. Tour the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History

The Smithsonian Institute is the world’s largest museum — so there are plenty of things for students to explore. 

With a variety of virtual tours to choose from, the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History is full of ways to get students excited about learning. Students can watch narrated tours of different exhibits ranging from history and geography to the research stations in the museum. 

Whether students want to walk through the museum on their own or let someone else do the talking, there’s something for every lesson.

12. Get caught up in the American Revolution

History meets the present at the Museum of the American Revolution ! 

This virtual tour lets students see artifacts, meet museum staff and hear stories of real people who fought for American independence.

It also comes with a Classroom Ki t for 2nd to 8th grade that supplements learning and makes it even more meaningful. 

13. Trek up Mt. Everest

This 360 degree video from National Geographic lets students explore Mt. Everest along with a group of researchers. Together, they’ll discover what kind of effects climate change has on the mountain, and how we can work to preserve natural landscapes. 

Not up for climbing mountains? Take a virtual ride on Expedition Everest , the tallest rollercoaster in any Disney park! But beware — there’s a monster lurking in the dark.

14. Get the right angle with Explore Geometry

Powered by Nearpod, Explore Geometry ’s lesson plans connect classroom lessons with architecture in the natural world.

Students can explore the gardens of Versailles to learn about the geometry of a French garden before moving on to the next lesson and putting their skills to practical use.

15. Wander through the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City

One of the most well-known museums in the world, students can now explore The Met’s vast collections with the Met 360º Project .

Virtual tours help students get a sense of the space, art and collections inside of the museum. Whether they’re interested in the Met Cloisters or the Arms and Armor gallery, students can go at their own pace, accompanied by a soothing soundtrack. 

You can also book virtual tours with a museum guide to line up with your lesson plan. Tours are free for NYC public schools and all Title I schools, and $200 USD per class for other schools.

16. Explore history in the British Museum

Another world-class museum, students can explore the British Museum in London using Google Street View, read facts about the artifacts and connect what they see to their history lessons. 

Whether it’s the Rosetta Stone, the Elgin Marbles, Egyptian sculpture or any other historical treasure, there’s something every student will find interesting!

If you want to let someone else do the exploring, there’s also a 46-minute virtual walking tour , where you can skip to the sections that are most relevant to you and your class. 

17. Visit the White House

In Washington, D.C. the White House is the symbolic heart of America, and now students can walk the halls for themselves. 

Whether they want to take a lap around the Oval Office or wander the building, students can explore this virtual tour from the White House Historical Association . Plus, it comes with class tie-ins like vocabulary lessons and other activities to make the experience even more memorable! 

18. Arrive at Ellis Island

Ever wonder what it was like for new immigrants to see the Statue of Liberty and step foot on American soil for the first time?

Now students can experience it for themselves with this virtual tour , a collaboration between Scholastic and the National Park Service. They’ll learn the importance of immigration in the history of the United States and hear real-life stories about the people who came looking for a better life. 

After students watch the video, they can click through this interactive map with facts and stories about the people who came through Ellis Island. 

19. Explore China's forests

In this online tour, students can explore the natural habitats of pandas in the forests of China . They’ll discover how the panda’s home plays a role in understanding our world, learn about local conservation efforts and see the big-picture view of how these vast forests fit into our understanding of nature and climate change. 

Plus, this program also comes with a handy Teacher Guide for you to use in lesson planning!

20. Bundle up in the Arctic tundra

Take a virtual field trip all the way up north to the tundra! Discovery Education’s tundra programs for elementary, middle and high school students cover the natural habitat of polar bears, plus their activities and migration patterns.

This virtual tour comes with instructional activities and classroom tie-ins, so you can be sure students are getting a productive learning experience.

21. Go spelunking in the world's largest cave

Travel through Vietnam’s Son Doong, the world’s largest cave . First explored by researchers in 2009, this cave is up to 200 meters tall in some areas and even has its own jungle inside. 

It’s estimated that the total length of the cave system is over 200 kilometers, and with this National Geographic tour students can explore to their heart’s content. High definition pictures and helpful facts mean that not only is this an awe-inspiring trip for students, but it’s also educational! 

Because the cave is ecologically sensitive, only a certain number of tourists are allowed to visit each year. This virtual tour is a great way for kids and adults to experience the wonder up close!

22. Browse the Louvre

Take your students on a quick trip to Paris where you can explore the architecture and art of the Louvre without the crowds. 

Plus, the Louvre also offers Louvre Kids , as well as a Mona Lisa Beyond the Glass virtual app experience where users can learn how Leonardo da Vinci created his most well-known masterpiece.

From kindergarten to high school, virtual field trips are a great way to get students excited about learning. And if you’re homeschooling , they’re the perfect way to get real-world experience without leaving the house!

To get the most out of the experience, keep these tips in mind:

• Ask students what they’re interested in exploring 
• Look for virtual experiences that fit into your lesson plan for maximum impact
• Search for supplementary resources like teacher guides and discussion questions
• Try out the virtual tour first to make sure it’s worth it and to avoid any unpleasant technical glitches
• Use virtual field trips at the beginning of a unit to introduce students to new concepts, or at the end as a reward and wrap-up activity

Be sure to follow up with students and see what they liked the most. Then, harness that excitement for your next lesson or activity! 

Prodigy Math Game is an adaptive math platform where students can explore a world filled with adventure, excitement and rewards — all for practicing math! While they’re having a blast answering questions and completing epic quests, Prodigy’s free teacher tools help you align their learning to your classroom lessons. 

Sign up for your free teacher account today!

• Our Mission

A New Resource for Free Digital Field Trips

Museums for Digital Learning was developed in partnership with teachers and provides curated material on a variety of subjects.

A third-grade class on a field trip to Chicago’s Field Museum examines fossils to imagine life 300 million years ago. Their middle school friends compare body features of long-extinct dinosaurs with those of animals today to better understand relationships between them. And their high school siblings deepen their understanding of the solar system by getting up close and personal with meteorites.

While this kind of learning experience might be possible for Chicago schools near the Field Museum, these particular students didn’t board a bus for their field trip. They live in Northern California, where the nearest museum is hundreds of miles from their rural school. But thanks to Museums for Digital Learning , they simply hop online to visit museums across the country any time they want.

Museums for Digital Learning (MDL) is a free learning platform that provides K–12 educators with curated museum collection resources and activities aligned with national content standards. Developed by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), Newfields Lab of the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields, the Field Museum in Chicago , and History Colorado in Denver , MDL offers a way for museums of all disciplines to leverage digitized museum collections to support K–12 educators and students.

MDL Benefits

Bryan Lopez, a public school science teacher at Galileo Scholastic Academy in Chicago, has been involved in MDL since 2019. He and a group of teachers from across the country worked with the MDL team from the time it was a vision on sticky notes, through the development of the website, to piloting the site in their classrooms.

Lopez says MDL makes it easy for him to find lessons and activities that match his curricular needs with a simple search by topic, keyword, and grade level. And as a lifelong fan of museums, Lopez also enjoys browsing the variety of museums and resources on the MDL site to discover fresh ways to make science come alive for his students.

He found the Today’s Dinos resource kit to fit in seamlessly with his units on evolution, geological time, and fossils. The graphic organizers help his students process and articulate what they notice in the fossils, and the high-quality images of the one-of-a-kind fossils make what feels like ancient history more accessible to his middle school students.

But it isn’t just the science resources that Lopez and his students have enjoyed. In ongoing efforts to incorporate the arts into his science lessons, he also has used nearly all of the resources from the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum.

“The Outside My Window activity worked especially well during distance learning to introduce the concept of inquiry and the importance of making observations and taking detailed notes,” says Lopez. “Focusing my students’ attention on details within their own environment is a great way to inspire them to look deeper into their surroundings and take note of otherwise unnoticed details.”

Making Interdisciplinary Connections

The resources from the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum are an example of the variety and range of classroom applications that teachers will find on MDL. Within just the Getting to Know Georgia O’Keeffe resource kit, there are art activities related to seasonal landscapes, different perspectives, positive and negative space, the rule of thirds, and architecture. But as Lopez discovered, a science teacher can bring art into their lessons with these resources.

“I used the Outside My Window activity at the beginning of the year to prepare students for more sophisticated journaling and detailed field notes,” says Lopez. “The Seasonal Landscape activity has students drawing the same scene over the course of multiple seasons. This helped my students learn to make observations over an extended period of time.”

Students in Michelle Pearson’s Century Middle School social studies class in Thornton, Colorado, made numerous cross-disciplinary connections with MDL.

“With the Mesa Verde pottery collection, we learned about the early peoples of the United States and connected the artifacts to a discussion of form, function, and design in art,” says Pearson. “We had rich conversations about geography and how these objects functioned in the context of the movement of people. My students also considered the materials available to craft pottery in the American Southwest, engaging in robust analysis and critical thinking.”

Creating an Account

Getting started with MDL is as simple as going to Museums for Digital Learning  and clicking to browse the museums, collections, and resource kits. If you want to build your own collections, you need to create an account.

• Click the profile icon in the upper right corner to log in, and sign up with your email or through a Google account.
• Click on the Collections Hub, and you’ll see Your Collections on the right side. That’s where you can build your own collection of artifacts and activities to use with your students.
• Within each activity, click the “more” option for the standards addressed in that particular lesson.
• Your collections, like all of the MDL resource kits, activities, and collections, can be shared with students with a link or assigned directly through Google Classroom.

In addition to searching for resources by grade level and subject area, teachers may search by media type. The MDL site offers 3D models, audio files, documents, images, and videos. And while the 49 resource kits (with more than 700 objects and 400 activities) will fulfill a wide range of classroom needs, there are still many more to come as museums continue to join the site and add their own artifacts.

“Due to rising costs, transportation hurdles, and the pandemic, it has been increasingly difficult to show my students the value of our local museums, but Museums for Digital Learning brings these cultural institutions directly to my classroom,” says Lopez. “There is no substitute for visiting a museum and seeing a collection firsthand, but there is incredible value in having resources from museums all across the country at our fingertips.”

20 + Free Virtual Field Trips

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Virtual field trips are a great option for times we are stuck inside or live too far away to actually visit. Field trips can help connect students with a variety of subjects and a virtual trip can be almost as good as visiting in person.

There is always something to explore and learn.

They are also fun! I have never met a child who does not enjoy going on a field trip, real-life or virtual.

I like to take my kids out for field trips frequently, but sometimes it just isn’t possible. Unfortunately, things like location, budget, and illnesses keep us away. When we can’t actually go on the field trip, we try to visit online.

Virtual field trips can tie in with a variety of subjects. Look through the list and see what virtual field trip experience you can add to your social studies, history, science, or even language arts lesson plans.

These 20+ virtual field trips are all completely free, so we can explore as often as we want as long as we have an internet connection.

20+ Free Virtual Field Trips

Table of Contents

Historical sites, outdoor interests.

Colonial Williamsburg – Check out a few of the historic Colonial Williamsburg exhibits online. The site is also currently offering teacher resources, printable coloring pages, recipes, and colonial craft directions.

Mount Vernon – Visit the home of our first president without leaving your home. Take a virtual tour of the mansion, outbuildings, gardens, distillery, and library. You can even check out many of the museum objects. The website currently offers quite a few educational resources – virtual field trips, lesson plans, coloring pages, and online quizzes.

White House – Visiting the White House in person can be difficult to arrange, but touring online is easy! This tour offers a 360-degree view of all the public rooms on the ground and state floors. You can even click on artwork to get an up-close look.

A digital notebook full of vocabulary words and discussion questions is available to help you get the most out of your White House tour.

Ford’s Theatre – Tour the site of President Lincoln’s assassination. You can also virtually see the Peterson House (where Lincoln was examined, and ultimately passed away) and the museum artifacts.

Google Street View – My kids really enjoy checking out historic locations via Google Street View (Google Earth). This free website has allowed us to virtually visit the pyramids of Ancient Egypt, the Colosseum in Rome, and Washington, DC. Just go to Google Maps and type in the location you want to visit. Then click the little gold person and drag the figure onto the map.

Buckingham Palace – Tour the gorgeous Buckingham Palace while at home relaxing in your comfiest clothes. You can see the Grand Staircase, White Drawing Room, Throne Room, and Blue Drawing Room.

Smithsonian – The Smithsonian museums offer photos and information about their exhibits online.

• Museum of African American History and Culture
• Museum of African Art
• Museum of Air and Space
• American Art Museum
• Museum of American History
• Museum of the American Indian
• Museum of American Indian George Gustav Heye Center
• Anacostia Community Museum
• Archives of American Art
• Arts and Industries Building
• Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
• Freer Gallery of Art
• Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
• Museum of Natural History
• National Portrait Gallery
• National Postal Museum
• Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
• Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
• Smithsonian Gardens

British Museum – The British Museum offers virtual tours of more than 60 galleries. Some of the exhibits offer related family activities. The activities are not all practical for doing at home, but there are definitely some good ideas! It is a great resource. The galleries include:

• Enlightenment
• Collecting the World
• The Waddesdon Bequest
• Egyptian Sculpture (this is an excellent addition to an Ancient Egypt unit study )
• Assyrian Sculpture
• North America
• China and South Asia
• Medieval Europe
• The Islamic World
• Roman Britain
• Europe and the Middle East
• Mesopotamia
• Roman Empire

The Louvre Museum – This famous French museum offers a special section of its website just for kids.

Kids can check out a few gallery exhibits, listen to seasonal tales (these are in French, but there are subtitles provided), and listen to stories about some of the art (these are in English).

National Gallery of Art – When we lived in Northern Virginia I assumed that the National Gallery of Art was part of the Smithsonian museum system, but it isn’t. This art gallery offers unique art exhibits.

The Learn tab offers quite a few educational activities. Here you will find lesson plans and background information on artists. There is even an interactive area where kids can make their own art!

Metropolitan Museum of Art – The Met, located in New York, offers a few interesting learning opportunities through its Art at Home program.

Google Arts and Culture – Tour a TON of amazing sites with this free virtual field trip resource. One of my favorite tours is the Great Wall of China. This online field trip gives you a panoramic tour of this historic landmark.

J. Paul Getty Museum – This online exhibit includes a variety of types of art:

• Antiquities
• Manuscripts
• Photographs

This art museum also offers teacher guides full of lesson plans, online games, and videos for students.

Zoo live cams are a fun way to observe animals from a few zoos in the same day, even if they are not even in the same state.

Woodland Park Zoo

• Grizzly Bear

San Diego Zoo

• Polar Bears
• Burrowing Owl

Omaha Zoo – The Omaha Zoo is offering videos and activities that you can do at home with your family.

• Chinchillas
• Rockhopper and Gentoo chicks

Smithsonian National Zoo

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Detroit Zoo

Zoo Atlanta

Oakland Zoo

Milwaukee County Zoo

Kansas City Zoo

Houston Zoo

• Giraffe Feeding Platform
• Giant River Otters
• Gorilla Habitat
• Elephant Yard
• Leafcutter Ant
• Chimp Window

Monterey Bay Aquarium

• Coral Reefs
• Kelp Forest
• Monterey Bay

Aquarium of the Pacific

• Sea Jellies
• Tropical Reef
• Honda Blue Cavern
• Anthias and Wrasse

Clearwater Marine Aquarium

National Aquarium

The National Aquarium offers free live cameras of a few exhibits during their business hours. Previously recorded videos when they are closed.

• Blacktip Reef
• Jellies Invasion
• Pacific Coral Reef

Related: 17 Free Virtual Aquarium Tour Ideas

National Parks Service – National Parks always make great field trips, but sometimes it isn’t possible to go visit. Thankfully, the National Parks Service offers quite a few resources to take advantage of from the comfort of our homes.

The resources include:

• Park webcams – there are so many available, including Ellis Island, Mammoth Hot Springs, and the Grand Canyon
• Virtual events
• Video tours of various parks
• Kids portal with activities to do at home
• Educators portal with lesson plans
• Distance learning field trips and lesson plans (suggested grade levels are noted but there are programs for elementary through high school)
• The Nature Conservancy – The Nature Lab at the Nature Conservancy offers several virtual field trips, complete with a teacher guide. Check out these options:
• Citizen Science, Frogs, and Cicadas
• Changing Climate, Changing Cities
• The Secret Life of Corals
• Borneo: The Symphony of the Rainforest
• View From a Canoe
• Wild Biomes: America’s Rainforests and Deserts
• The Coral Reefs of Palau
• China’s Great Forests
• Powering the Planet: Renewable Energy
• Journey of Water: Colombia’s Paramo
• Peru: A Coastal Ecosystem
• Ridge to Reef: A Virtual Field Trip to Hong Kong

In a perfect world, we could all go on all of the field trips we wanted. In the real world, we can all benefit from the technology we have available. Online field trips are a great alternative.

Solar System – Isn’t the internet amazing? We can take interactive virtual tours of other planets without leaving planet Earth! Take tours of the planets, the sun, the moon, asteroids, comets, and even constellations.

International Space Station – Most of us will never get to see the International Space Station in person, but we can take a video tour.

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Welcome! My name is Jennifer. I am a teacher at heart. Before my children were born I was a public school teacher. Now, I am a homeschooling mom of two.

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No permission slips required! These virtual events let educators take students to amazing places and give them remarkable experiences, without ever leaving the classroom.

Featured and upcoming virtual field trips.

Join us for our Virtual Field Trips or watch them on-demand after their premieres. Each no-cost Virtual Field Trip comes with a companion guide packed with standards-aligned, hands-on learning activities! Select one of the options below to register.

Upcoming Live Virtual Field Trips

On-Demand Virtual Field Trips

“innovators for impact” virtual field trip with olympian katie ledecky and panasonic, bridge to the future: a virtual field trip into extended reality, arctic adventures: polar bears at play virtual field trip, the science & behavior of safe driving: it takes all of us virtual field trip, an ounce of prevention virtual field trip, the courage to act: forming a chain of resistance, changemakers in action.

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Virtual Field Trips

Explore the World with Virtual Field Trips

Designed for ages 9-15 but customizable for all ages, virtual field trips allow students to travel the world and explore natural environments without leaving the classroom. Each virtual field trip contains a video, teacher guide and student activities.

Working Trees: Reforestation and Responsible Forestry

Forests represent a powerful opportunity to pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, helping to cool our planet while also providing clean air, clean water, and habitat for wildlife.

Less Harm on the Farm: Regenerative Agriculture

Food is more than something we eat to survive; it's a part of how we thrive. Learn how regenerative agriculture can help us feed a growing population while restoring nature.

Climb-It Change

Explore how climate change is impacting alpine ecosystems and go on a climbing adventure with scientists who take you to some of the most stunning mountain ranges in the United States. This film is a Rocket Soul Studios production.

Protecting Our Oceans and Ourselves

More people rely on our ocean for food, energy, transport, recreation and other natural resources than any other time in history.

Climate Heroes: The Power of Trees

Trees are our climate superheroes! From Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States to St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the Caribbean, trees are playing critical roles in cleaning our air and improving our resilience in the face of climate change.

You’re the Scientist! Citizen Science, Frogs and Cicadas

The conservation community relies heavily on volunteers not only to restore natural areas but to help gauge the success of restoration efforts.

Changing Climate, Changing Cities

Get a front-row, ground-level seat to the challenges cities face as they confront this force of nature, and discover the solutions experts are promoting to mitigate it.

The Secret Life of Corals

Learn how fragile reefs are being damaged by human activity and climate change, and how scientists are developing ways to restore corals.

Borneo: The Symphony of the Rainforest

On this journey, we’ll learn how experts are using cutting-edge science to find out how healthy the rainforest is—and to discover where it needs some help!

View from a Canoe

Can you imagine a place with 100 million acres of forest and 30,000 miles of coastline? It exists. The Emerald Edge is home to the largest intact coastal temperate rainforest.

Wild Biomes: America’s Rainforests & Deserts

Two wildly different ecosystems, both dependent on the same precious resource: Water. On this virtual field trip, we’ll travel to Seattle and Arizona.

The Coral Reefs of Palau

Join our expert scientist, marine biologist Stephanie Wear, on a virtual field trip to the coral reefs of Palau where you'll explore amazing underwater cities.

China’s Great Forests

Join our expert scientist Yue Wang, a conservation planning officer for The Nature Conservancy, on a virtual field trip across the world to two stunning provinces in China.

Powering the Planet: Renewable Energy

Join scientist Alex Wegmann as we embark on a Virtual Field Trip to explore a compelling question: How can we get the energy we need without harming nature?

Journey of Water: Colombia’s Páramo

In this virtual field trip, we will explore the magical páramo ecosystem and the stunning mountain landscapes found just beyond the capital city of Bogotá.

Peru: A Coastal Ecosystem

Join fisheries scientist Matias Caillaux to explore the Humboldt Current Ecosystem off the coast of Peru while learning about the area’s amazing diversity and productivity.

Ridge to Reef: A Virtual Field Trip to Hong Kong

The “Ridge to Reef” (R2R) concept is a holistic approach that takes into consideration all the environments within a watershed — from the top of the mountains down to the ocean — and shows that what happens on land affects what happens in the water.

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42 Virtual Field Trips for Kids to Get Them Learning About the World

Kids can go from Ellis Island to Mars without leaving the couch.

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With rates of COVID-19 on the rise again, parents are preparing for the possibility of another round of stay-at-home orders. Or, even if the official word to stay indoors isn't coming down from local governments, careful families might be planning for a winter at home, just to be safe.

These virtual field trips for kids will have them gazing at world-class art, learning about history, discovering science, and even checking out what it's like in outer space. No matter their interests, be it history, art or science, you'll be able to take a "trip" to match.

Of course, these are still screen experiences. If you want to make the most out of a virtual field trip, try to get your kids to continue to engage with the material even after they've turned off their devices with a fun learning activity . Depending on their age, they could either draw what they most remember or what their favorite part of the "trip" was, or write out a couple of facts that they've learned. If you plan on doing many of these, you can even create a binder to act as a log for your virtual explorer.

Tour collections and learn about the history of art and artifacts with these online museum experiences.

• American Museum of Natural History : Brian Selznick, author of Wonderstruck , leads a virtual tour of the museum, meeting field experts along the way.
• British Museum : This cool, interactive site lets kids browse the museum collection by time period, not by room, so kids can focus in on the era they're most interested in.
• Colonial Williamsburg : Eight different webcams let viewers peek in on what's happening at places like Merchants' Square or Raleigh Tavern.
• Frida Kahlo Museum : You might not be able to get to Mexico City, Mexico, but you can still explore the work of artist Frida Kahlo and imagine her life in the "Casa Azul" (Blue House).
• Historic Hudson Valley : This site offers many history-themed online experiences for kids, from " Traders and Raiders ," which looks at the history of pirates in the greater New York Area, to " People Not Property ," which teaches kids about slavery. There are also lots of ideas for at-home historical activities, like cooking with cornmeal or " tinsmithing " at home with aluminum foil.
• Metropolitan Museum of Art : The #MetKids site is geared for little ones, and lets them explore a cute, illustrated map to find treasures in the museum's collection.
• Musée du Louvre : The world-famous museum offers virtual tours by subject, from the body in art to Egyptian antiquities.
• Museum of Science : The #MOSatHome page offers virtual looks at the Boston museum's exhibits and hosts daily livestreams and webinars.
• National Baseball Hall of Fame : Browse through the collection of photographs, memorabilia and more to learn more about America's national pastime. The museum also offers virtual programming on its YouTube page .
• National Constitution Center : Explore exhibitions about constitutional conflicts through the years, including "Hamilton: The Constitutional Clashes That Shaped a Nation." For a fee groups can also participate in live, virtual guided tours for up to 300 people.
• National Gallery of Art : The National Gallery has 50 video tours specifically geared towards kids, focusing on a work and the people, places, and scenes surrounding its creation.
• National Museum of Computing : Located in Bletchley Park in the U.K., home of the famous WWII codebreakers like Alan Turing, this museum offers a virtual tour that takes visitors through the history of computers.
• Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History : You can bookmark this one to visit over and over, since it offers virtual version of every exhibition in the museum.
• The Vatican Museum : You can get 360 looks at nine rooms in the Vatican — including the magnificent Sistine Chapel.

See how food grows, is harvested, and gets to your table with these farm tours.

• American Egg Board : The Egg Board has virtual tours of different egg farms, and many of them let you choose different videos for elementary and middle school students.
• Bonnie Plants : Home Depot takes kids on a multi-part virtual field trip to this grower, hoping to inspire kids to get into gardening themselves.
• Bright Farms : A farm grower in Irvington, NY shows kids how food goes from the field (in this case, an indoor grower) to the grocery store. There's even a quiz at the end!
• Farm Food 360 : Kids can see 11 different sorts of farm and food plants, including dairy cow farms, egg processing facilities and an apple orchard.

You might not be able to go on your sightseeing vacation at the moment, but these virtual landmark tours are the next best thing.

• Buckingham Palace : Go room-by-room and see all of the amazing historical objects in the palace.
• Ellis Island : See the island the way the 12 million immigrants did between 1892 and 1954 through a virtual tour with lots of first-hand stories.
• Washington, DC : Pick and choose from more than 24 landmarks in our nation's capital, including the White House, the Capitol, the Supreme Court — even that National Zoo! The tours are given by Richard Kurin, Ph.D., Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar and Ambassador-at-Large, and feature videos, quizzes, reader polls and interactive maps.
• Mount Rushmore : The virtual tour of Mount Rushmore was created through 3D scans of the mountain.
• Mount Vernon : Take a look inside George Washington's home the same way you would click through Street View on a Google Map.
• Plimoth Plantation : Take a tour of the site of the first Thanksgiving, and learn the history behind the event.
• The White House : President Obama narrates a tour of "The People's House," and you can scroll around and click on points of interest.

Zoos and Aquariums

These zoos and aquariums have live cams where kid can check in with the animals.

• Atlanta Zoo
• Cincinnati Zoo
• Georgia Aquarium
• Houston Zoo
• Reid Park Zoo
• Shedd Aquarium
• San Diego Zoo
• Monterey Bay Aquarium
• National Aquarium

Even More Fun

From a candy factory to the surface of Mars, these tours take kids to places that aren't available to them even in normal times.

• Discovery Education : The site hosts virtual field trips for kids, from engineering plants that make the cars of the future to a lab that researches nuclear energy.
• Johnson Space Center : Boeing leads the tour through the Houston, Texas facility, covering the history — and future — of aerospace innovation.
• M&Ms Factory Tour : The Food Network hosts a virtual tour of the M&Ms factory and shows how the delicious candy gets made.
• Outer Space Tours: Kids can see the real surface of Mars , courtesy of the Curiosity rover. NASA also does virtual tours of the Moon , along with the International Space Station .
• Recycling Simplified : Take kids on a tour of a modern-day recycling center or landfill, and teach them about environmental sustainability.
• Sơn Đoòng : National Geographic offers a 360-degree tour of the world's largest cave, situated in Quảng Bình Province, Vietnam. You can even hear the water as it runs over the rocks.

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Free virtual field trips.

by Freedom Homeschooling | Mar 21, 2023 | Field Trips

Virtual field trips allow children to visit places around the world without ever leaving their homes. Through virtual field trips, they can visit other states, countries across the globe, and even other planets. This allows children to experience places they wouldn’t get to see otherwise. Virtual field trips are also great for when you can’t get out due to illness or can’t afford to travel.  Here are several free resources your family can use to take virtual field trips.

Zoo & Aquarium Free Virtual Field Trips

Dublin Zoo – Watch the giraffes, zebras, rhinos, elephants, and penguins of this Ireland zoo via live webcams.

Franklin Park Zoo – Explore this Boston zoo using an interactive map and videos.

Houston Zoo – Observe animals in several of the zoo’s exhibits via live webcam.

Marineland Dolphin Adventure – Learn about dolphins, sea turtles, and more during a video-based tour of this marine mammal park in Florida.

Monterey Bay Aquarium – Watch sea creatures in this California aquarium with the live animal cam.

National Aquarium – Take a virtual tour of this aquarium located in Baltimore, Maryland.

San Diego Zoo – View live videos, learn about animals, play games, and more on this interactive website.

Zoo Tours – This YouTube channel visits zoos around the US.

Observe Wildlife With Free Virtual Field Trips

Africam – Watch animals in the African bush using live webcams.

All About Birds – Observe birds all over the US and world via live webcams.

Explore – View animals around the world with these live webcams.

Nature & National Parks Free Virtual Field Trips

Great Lakes Now – Learn about the Great Lakes of North America with this series of video-based virtual field trips.

Mount Everest – Explore this peak in the Himalayan mountain range through 360-degree photos and informative articles.

The Nature Conservancy – Learn about ecosystems around the world with video-based tours.

The Nature Conservancy of Oklahoma – Explore nature in Oklahoma through videos and photographs.

Son Doong Cave – Explore the world’s largest cave with 360-degree images.

The Virtual Rainforest – Learn about the rainforest with this interactive tour that includes informative videos and articles.

Yosemite National Park – Tour this national park located in California through interactive panoramic photographs.

Visit Farms With Free Virtual  Field Trips

Farm Tours – Learn about agriculture through these virtual tours of farms in Canada.

HenCam – Observe chickens on a small backyard farm in Massachusetts.

Purina Farms – Learn about the animals at Purina Farms with this virtual field trip.

History Museums Free Virtual Field Trips

Anne Frank House – Take a 360-degree tour of Anne Frank’s home in Amsterdam.

The British Museum – Browse the online galleries of this museum, which is located in London.

Colonial Williamsburg – Take a 3D tour of the world’s largest living history museum.

Corrie ten Boom Home – View the home in 360 degrees as the digital guide tells Corrie’s story.

Museo Galileo – Virtually tour this museum dedicated to Galileo in Florence, Italy.

National Women’s History Museum – Learn about trailblazing women while exploring the museum’s virtual exhibits.

Old Sturbridge Village – Learn about life in 1830s New England with this 3D tour.

September 11th Memorial and Museum – Explore the museum with this interactive video-based virtual tour.

Smithsonian Museum of Natural History – Virtually explore many current and past exhibits of this museum located in Washington D.C.

War & Military History Museums Free Virtual Field Trips

Battleship New Jersey – Take a video-based tour of the US’s most decorated battleship.

Beyond the Battle Field – Watch a behind-the-scenes video-based field trip of the Museum of the American Revolution.

National Museum of the US Air Force – Take a virtual tour of this museum located in Dayton, Ohio.

The National World War II Museum – Learn about World War II with this series of video-based field trips.

Historical Sites, Landmarks, & Monuments Free Virtual Field Trips

Ellis Island – Visit Ellis Island with this video created by Scholastic.

Historic Philadelphia – Take a picture-based tour of historic sites in Philadelphia, PA. Stops include the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Betsy Ross Hall, and more.

Mount Rushmore – Explore this national memorial located in South Dakota through 360-degree images.

Mount Vernon – Take an interactive and informative tour of George Washington’s home in Virginia.

The Statue of Liberty – Learn about the Statue of Liberty through the videos and photographs in this virtual tour.

The White House – Go on a  360-degree tour of the President’s home.

Art Museum Free Virtual Field Trips

The Dalí Museum – Take a 360-degree virtual tour of this St. Petersburg, Florida, museum and view online galleries of Salvador Dalí’s artwork.

Google Arts and Culture – View the art collections of over 500 museums and galleries. Some of the museums also offer full virtual tours.

The Louvre Museum – Explore exhibits at this famous art museum in Paris, France.

MetKids – Explore the Metropolitan Museum of Arts, located in New York City, using an interactive map and videos.

Learn About Space With Free Virtual Field Trips

Boeing Aerospace Tour – Join Boeing on a virtual field trip to the Johnson Space Center.

Callisto: Space Innovation Tour – Explore the Orion Spacecraft with a video-based field trip.

International Space Station – Take a video tour of the space station.

Johnson Space Center – Tour Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, with this series of videos from Boeing and Discovery Education.

Mars – Explore the surface of Mars in a 360-degree view while learning about the planet and space exploration.

NASA Glenn Research Center – Take a look around the facilities with these interactive virtual tours.

Factory & Business Free Virtual Field Trips

Amazon Fulfillment Center – Learn how Amazon fills customers’ orders with this online field trip.

Mount Olive Tour – Find out how pickles are made with this video tour.

Taylor Guitars Factory – Watch guitars being made with this video-based factory tour.

Community Helpers & Services Free Virtual Field Trips

Clover Post Office – Visit the Clover Post Office in North Carolina to learn how mail is delivered.

Martin County Sheriff’s Department – Join a group of preschoolers for a video-based virtual field trip to the sheriff’s office in Martin County, Florida.

Memphis Fire Department – Watch a video tour of the fire department.

Republic Services – See what happens to our trash with virtual field trips to landfills and recycling centers.

Explore the World With Free Virtual Field Trips

AirPano – Visit locations all over the world virtually with 360-degree videos and photographs.

Borneo – Travel to Borneo, the third largest island in the world, and learn about the rainforest with this video.

Holy Land Tour – Virtually visit Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and more.

The Journey of Water – This video explores Columbia’s paramo ecosystem and follows water’s path to the kitchen sink.

The Most Dangerous Ways to School – Watch children all over the world travel to school with this 13-episode documentary series.

Rick Steves’ Europe – Visit and learn about Europe with this YouTube channel.

Vatican Museums – Virtually tour numerous museums, chapels, and galleries.

World of Wonder Travel – Take virtual trips around the US and the world. The website includes a free printable passport and stamps to track field trips.

360 Cities – This website provides interactive 360-degree videos and images of locations around the world.

Miscellaneous Free Virtual Field Trips

National Geographic Education – This YouTube playlist includes virtual field trips to various locations.

Discovery Education – Discover Education offers a wide variety of virtual field trips.

Google Earth – “Fly” anywhere in the world in seconds, explore hundreds of cities in 3D, take guided tours, and create your own maps and stories.

Google Maps Street View – Type in any address, select street view, and explore the area. Not only can you take a virtual trip down the streets, but you can also “step” into many museums, landmarks, and other attractions. Here are some I’ve found.

• The White House – Washington, D.C.
• The Colosseum – Rome, Italy
• Great Wall of China – Huairou District, China
• Stonehenge – Wiltshire, United Kingdom
• Palace of Versailles – Versailles, France
• This is just a small sample of the places you can tour with Google Maps. Search for other locations that interest your family and see if Google will let you take a peek inside.

Free Printable Field Trip Journal & Log

Our 20 Ways to Save on Field Trips post includes a free printable field trip journal and log. This printable works well for both in-person and virtual field trips.

Other Resources You May Enjoy

• YouTube Channels That Get Kids Moving
• Homeschooling With Movies, TV, and Videos
• Free Curriculum for All Subjects and Every Grade – Simply choose a subject from the menu on the main page to get started.

Note: This post was originally published on March 16, 2020 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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15 Habitats Virtual Field Trips for Kids

Since you can’t take your students to visit all the different habitats around the world, why not bring the habitats to them? Take one (or all!) of these habitats virtual field trips so that your students can explore a variety of  biomes, ecosystems, and habitats firsthand. No permission slips required!

How to take a science virtual field trip

Taking a virtual field trip is an exciting and engaging way for students to learn even more about a topic. It’s especially cool that there are so many amazing places we normally wouldn’t be able to see that we can visit through a virtual field trip!

With just a bit of preparation, you can take your class on a trip they won’t forget. Just choose a virtual field trip that fits your science curriculum and preview it yourself to get familiar. Many of the habitat virtual field trips in this list already have free teacher guides to use with the virtual trip.

I hope these habitat virtual field trips help you take your class on a fun adventure!

Habitats Virtual Field Trips

Temperate rainforest.

In this habitat virtual field trip, your students will learn more about the Emerald Edge. It’s the largest intact coastal temperate rainforest. This virtual field trip keeps things fun and interactive by including a little “Nature Spy” game where students have to spot certain animals during their trip. There’s also a helpful Teacher Guide to help you plan for your virtual field trip!

China’s Great Forests

Explore the majestic forests and beautiful landscapes of China with this habitat virtual field trip! It gives students a look into the importance of forests in the carbon cycle, and you’ll also get a look at the amazing animals that make these habitats their homes.

Symphony of the Rainforest

This habitat virtual field trip will take you to the rainforests of Borneo, the third largest island in the world. Your class will learn more about how scientists are using the sounds of the rainforest to determine how healthy it is and how many species are living there. This trip is great to reinforce the complexity of the amazing rainforest ecosystem.

Journey of Water in Colombia

This habitat virtual field trip allows students to visit beautiful Colombia and explore its fascinating water ecosystems. It takes a closer look at a lot of important plants and wildlife in the area. Students will get to learn more about how water, people, and nature are all connected and important to one another.

Coastal Peru Ecosystems

Take a virtual trip to Coastal Peru to learn about its diversity with this field trip from The National Conservancy. Peru is home to one of the most productive ocean ecosystems, so this habitat virtual field trip will complement science lessons about ocean ecosystems really well!

Yosemite National Park

Head to one of America’s great national parks with a virtual field trip to Yosemite. You can virtually explore all of the habitats in Yosemite National Park through the virtual tours online. It’s a great addition to science lessons about forest and mountainous habitats!

Yellowstone National Park

Another awesome national park to explore virtually is Yellowstone. There are a ton of virtual tour options on the National Park Service website. You can see the incredible geysers or check out the hot springs. Students will definitely be interested in the amazing nature that Yellowstone has to offer!!

Carlsbad Caverns

Check out the fascinating Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico through this Google Arts & Culture habitat virtual field trip. It’s truly an amazing sight to see! You’ll get a little tour and explanation of this National Park from a National Park Ranger. There’s some super interesting and helpful information about bats and other creatures that make the Caverns their home!

Galapagos Islands ($)

The Galapagos Islands in Ecuador is one of the most amazing and unique places in the world. It’s nearly impossible to take a real field trip there, but VirtualFieldTrips.org has a virtual field trip that will help students explore and learn more about this interesting habitat. There is a cost to purchase this virtual field trip, unless your school already has a membership!

America’s Rainforests & Deserts

Students will get to see two different American biomes in this virtual field trip. The trip starts with a closer look at the rain-soaked Olympic Peninsula, as well as some of the challenges that come with all that water. Then, you’ll travel to Arizona’s dry desert landscape to explore the ways that people and other living things have to adapt to a limited water supply. This habitat virtual field trip really emphasizes the importance of water in the world.

Secret Life of Corals

Coral reefs are such interesting habitats! With this habitat virtual field trip, you’ll be able to show your students this world under the sea. You’ll dive into the waters of the Caribbean as you explore the coral reefs of the Dominican Republic. This virtual field trip provides a lot of great information about what’s happening to coral reefs and how we can help keep this important habitat thriving.

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Monterey Bay Aquarium offers a ton of great live cams of their exhibits online. If you’re looking for a fun way to explore marine life while staying in the comfort of your classroom, it’s a great virtual field trip option to check out!

Underwater Cities

Your class will visit the amazing underwater cities created by the coral reefs of Palau in this habitat virtual field trip. Students will get a better, up-close look at the interconnectedness of this important ecosystem.

Man-Made Habitat: Bird Kingdom Aviary ($)

You can “take” your class to visit an awesome man-made habitat with a virtual trip to Bird Kingdom Aviary in Niagara Falls, Canada. It will feel like you’ve stepped foot into a magical rainforest paradise!

There is a ton to see at this aviary, from exotic, colorful birds to owls, bats, and other nocturnal creatures. Bird Kingdom Aviary even offers a live virtual field trip at an added cost.

This Discovery Education habitat virtual field trip to the Arctic focuses on polar bears and how they survive the harsh conditions there. It’s a good option if your students are learning about Arctic animal adaptations. Your class will definitely enjoy all the polar bear footage!

I hope these virtual science field trips help you plan an amazing learning experience for your class!

Be sure to Pin this post so you can refer back to it while you’re planning!

Looking for more ideas to teach habitats & ecosystems? Check out these posts:

Teacher Approved Habitats Videos for Kids

Hands-On Habitats Activities for Second Grade Scientists

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I’m Linda Kamp, a 20 year primary grade teacher with a passion for creating educational materials that excite students and make learning fun! I'm so glad you're here!

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Virtual Field Trips to Explore Careers of the Future

Career tours are free, interactive virtual field trips that inspire students to pursue careers of the future by exploring amazon’s technologies. tour whenever, wherever on kahoot ..

Preview the tours using the trailers below or click “learn more” to visit tour specific sites.

I was just amazed of all the computer science is used to get a package from order to ship...I know a lot of people say that computers are putting people out of jobs, but this tour shows young people that is not true. It helped them to understand the jobs might look different, because humans have to be behind all the technology.

“I struggle to find STEM resources that are actually interesting to kids, that they might connect with and set a goal. I want to motivate them to graduate and have a career because we have a low graduation rate, and I think this tour could be part of a program that leads to that.”

The video was very helpful, informational, and entertaining and I loved learning about how the packages are shipped.

I loved this experience! The videos were descriptive but not too heavy on technical terms, so my students were able to understand without issues. The addition of Kahoot trivia was genius! It kept my students so engaged, and we all learned a ton about Amazon! I also love the added teaching tool- the note catchers!

It was really entertaining actually - I didn’t realize how high tech everything was. My favorite part was the workers actually telling us about themselves it really shows how they are people just like us that we can one day become.

The students absolutely loved this tour! [They] really liked pretending to ride along on the conveyor belts. After, students kept discussing the tour and how much they enjoyed the experience. As a teacher, I appreciate how easy it was to prepare for the lesson.

My kids said things such as “This is so fun!,” “Can we do this more?,” and “I am learning so much! I did not know that!” They had such a great time working together, laughing, communicating, talking with one another and the teachers...The presenters were amazing! It was very engaging and well made!

It was wonderful that you included both students and STEM professionals to make the experience both relatable and inspiring...[There] was so much new vocabulary that was introduced but explained in a way that the students could grasp it. The Alexa technology really got their attention because they use it in many of their homes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What will my class see on the tours, how long are the tours, are the tours live, what grade levels can attend, how much does this cost, what student data is collected, can individual students sign up by themselves, independent of a class, who can i contact for help, i'm an educator and have a suggestion for a future tour. how can i submit my request, i'm a company or government entity and would like to help demystify technology and careers of the future. how can i submit my request.

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Take Your Class on Free Virtual Field Trips From Amazon!

Explore careers and technology of the future with 5 interactive tours.

Explore amazing (and free!) virtual field trips from Amazon ! Students will learn about careers of the future from real professionals while diving into modern technology such as data centers, the cloud, space communication, music, and more.

There’s no bus ride required to take your students on awesome field trips—we bring the tours to you! These interactive virtual field trips give your students insight into the careers of the future by hearing from real-life professionals about innovative technology. Your class will love the enthusiastic hosts, engaging videos, and kid-friendly topics!

Hosted on Kahoot!, these free Amazon virtual field trips pause between videos for students to answer trivia questions along the way and spark friendly competition. Plus, each tour comes with a Teacher Toolkit that includes a facilitation guide with student worksheets, certificates, and extension-learning opportunities. Tours are aligned with NGSS, CSTA, and ISTE standards, so they can tie right into your curriculum!

Plus, be entered to win a $250 Amazon gift card and be the first to know when brand new virtual field trips are released! Just fill out our form.

Learn more about the virtual field trips you can start exploring now:

1. Discover how music comes to life.

How do songs get from a recording studio to your favorite music app? There’s science behind it all including software, sound engineering, streaming, machine learning, and so much more. Dive into the Amazon Music: Careers Behind the Beats Tour to discover how computer science and amazing professionals come together to make music possible.

• Key learnings: how songs are recorded, music streaming and licensing, engineers and professionals who make music come to life
• Grade levels: Grades 4 and up
• Length: 30 minutes
• Take the tour: Amazon Music: Careers Behind the Beat s

2. What is “the cloud” anyway?

How did we get from renting movies on VCR video or DVD to instantaneous streaming across multiple devices? Where is “the cloud”? In the AWS Data Center Tour 1: Uncovering Cloud Computing , learn the basics of computers and streaming using the cloud. Plus, tour an AWS data center to find out how they store movies, music, pictures, and so much more.

• Key learnings: computer basics, data centers, the cloud, fiber optics, professions in data
• Grade levels: Grades 4-8
• Take the tour: AWS Data Center Tour 1: Uncovering Cloud Computing

3. Learn where all of our data is stored and kept secure.

Discover the infrastructure that keeps your information protected while diving into data careers of the future during the AWS Data Center Tour 2: Keeping Data Safe and Sustainable . Phone out of storage space? The cloud is a secure place to upload your photos for safekeeping. Learn how data centers use cooling methods, backup systems, sensors, and more to keep your cloud data secure.

• Key learnings: cyber and physical security measures, sustainability efforts to protect the environment, careers in this field
• Take the tour: AWS Data Center Tour 2: Keeping Data Safe and Sustainable

Take a peek into the data center tours:

4. How does Amazon deliver packages at lightning speed?

Take this behind-the-scenes Robotics Fulfillment Center Tour to see how computer science, engineering, and real people work together to make the magic of Amazon deliveries happen. During this interactive virtual field trip, students meet Amazon engineers who explain concepts like algorithms and machine learning.

• Key learnings: computer science, robotics, and machine learning as well as hardware and software
• Grade levels: Grades K-5 version + Grade 6 and up version
• Length: 45 minutes for grades K-5, 1 hour for grades 6 and up
• Take the tour: Robotics Fulfillment Center Tour

Check out a preview of the robotics tour:

5. Discover innovative experiments taking place in space!

Take a peek at the experimental technology that flew aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft during the Callisto: Space Innovation Tour . Learn about the Artemis I mission and discover how special space technology experiments could change future space travel forever! Experiments on board include testing how a modern-day tablet can run flight software, making high-quality video communication possible in space, and more.

• Key learnings: how a space craft gets to the moon, deep space communication, AI voice technology, space engineering career paths
• Length: 50 minutes
• Take the tour: Callisto: Space Innovation Tour

Get a preview of the space tour:

Don’t forget to enter for your chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card!

These amazon virtual field trips help students discover careers of the future while teaching them about modern-day technology. check out all of the free tours here and sign your class up today.

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35 FREE VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS TO EXPLORE WITH YOUR KIDS

With schools closing throughout the world due to the coronavirus pandemic, parents are now spending 24/7 with their kids at home! Self-quarantining yourselves indoors away from it all does not mean that learning must stop for you or your kids.

Home schooling the kids will only go so far. They’ll be coming down with cabin fever in a little bit! Let’s grab a device which will allow you to navigate to the world wide web, take a seat anywhere within your home and go for a fun journey a few times a week!

Below is a list of 35 different places you can explore online with your kids.

There should be something of interest for everyone within the family in the below list.

FREE VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS FOR KIDS

Aquariums – virtual field trips.

Georgia Aquarium: De-stress while taking a relaxing look under the sea at this aquarium with  live cams  of whale sharks, beluga whales, California sea lions, bottlenose dolphins, African penguins, jellyfish, manta rays and more. This aquarium is the largest one in the United States and the Western Hemisphere.

Monterey Bay Aquarium: This virtual tour at the aquarium allows students to go on a deep-sea adventure through exhibit webcams that allow students to watch sea creatures in real time, including a shark! Once your kiddies have finished studying all the animals up close, the aquarium also provides this  classroom resource page  with activities, fact sheets, and games to play with your kids.

National Aquarium: Explore winding, sea life-filled floors when you take this  virtual tour  of the Baltimore-based aquarium. It is the largest tourism attraction in the State of Maryland and will enchant you.

ZOOS – VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS

Atlanta Zoo : The panda cam at  Zoo Atlanta  is a must see for any kid or adult in the family!

Houston Zoo : Tune in to this zoo’s webcams and enjoy a live look at animals that call it their home! See the herd of Asian elephants wander through their enormous habitat. Watch as giraffes nibble lettuce fed to them by guests at the feeding platform. See the rhinos roll in their mud puddle or the flamingos float next to a waterfall. See the chimpanzees interact with guests at their window or snooze in a hammock.

San Diego Zoo : Visit the baboons at  this zoo  with their live camera feeds! Alas, the pandas they had were returned to China. However, they have archived footage of their antics on this site as well. Once your kids have finished viewing the antics of the animals, the  zoo’s kid page  has lots of activities, videos and information about the its animals to share with them as well.

INTERNATIONAL LANDMARKS – VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS

Australia – Great Barrier Reef: Swim through  Australia’s Great Barrier Reef  with the help of several David Attenborough-narrated videos and an educational, interactive map.

Bahamas – Coral Reef:  Go for a swim and  explore a coral reef  in the Bahamas, if this of interest to you.

Buckingham Palace: Stroll through the home of the Royal Family with this  tour of Buckingham Palace . An iconic building and official residence of The Queen, Buckingham Palace has been the focus of many moments of national celebration, from Jubilees and weddings to VE Day and the annual Trooping the Colour which marks The Queen’s official birthday. It is also a busy working building welcoming tens of thousands of people through its gates each year for Investitures, Garden Parties, Audiences and other events.

Ellis Island Interactive Tour : This interactive tour includes first-hand immigrant stories, historical photos and films, and fascinating facts highlighting the central role this station played in the story of American immigration.

Empire State Building: Enjoy the spectacular view from the top deck of the  Empire State Building without having to pay the admission fee.

Galapagos Islands: Go on an  expedition to the Galapagos Islands  on the ship Endeavor II with National Geographic.These islands are a part of Ecuador and located about 1000 km outside of South America. Darwin made the Galapagos famous when he stepped foot onto its shores and developed his theory of natural selection, changing the way we understand evolution. Some of the things you’ll see: Marine iguanas that blend in with the rocks, sea lion pups that are just as playful as dogs, mockingbirds that steal whatever they can get, etc.

George Washington’s Mount Vernon : Visit the historic home of America’s first president, George Washington, just a short drive from Washington, DC in northern Virginia. In 1960 Mount Vernon was designated a National Historic Landmark and it is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is owned and maintained in trust by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association and is open every day of the year, including holidays.

Grand Canyon: Get a great view of the Grand Canyon  from above and see just how big it really is! This canyon is one of the deepest ones in the world. It has been in the making for 10 million years!

Great Wall of China: Taking this virtual tour makes you feel like you are standing on the  Great Wall  from your computer screen. As China’s most famous attraction, the “Great Wall” is an essential stop on any trip to China. Commonly considered a wonder of the world, it boasts a history of over 2,000 years and stretches more than 3,000 miles across several provinces of northern China, making it one of the most impressive ancient structures on the planet.

Leaning Tower of Pisa : This wonder is 185 feet of historical lessons while defying gravity. Tour this Tower  with a 360-degree panoramic view of the it and many other historically-rich Italian buildings. It is known worldwide for its nearly four-degree lean, the result of an unstable foundation.

Mount Rushmore: As we can’t head out that door on a road trip anytime soon, take the kids on a 360-degree panoramic tour of Mount Rushmore . This famous U.S. landmark is one every student should learn about and see for themselves from a historical perspective and a geographical one as well. Mount Rushmore is located in the Black Hills of Keystone, South Dakota. The sculpture features the 60-foot heads of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.

Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello : This virtual tour of the estate of our third president who was a philosopher, scientist, historian, and author of the Declaration of Independence will give you an idea of the place and the person who used to own it. In 1987, Monticello was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Fun fact: The current nickel, a United States coin, features a depiction of it on its reverse side.

Tower Bridge : This famous London bridge won’t be taken down anytime soon. In 2016, it was closed to all road traffic from October 1 st to December 30 th to allow for structural maintenance work to take place on the timber decking, lifting mechanism and waterproofing the brick arches on the bridge’s approaches. During this time, the bridge was still open to water-borne traffic. You can  explore it virtually here by boat!

Vietnam – Largest Cave: Take a 360-degree adventure through the world’s largest cave with National Geographic,  Hang Son Doong , in Vietnam. At one point, you’ll be encountering a jungle!

White House: Google Arts & Culture offers a Virtual White House tour . It is available on the website as well as its app for both iOS and Android devices.

The main feature of this tour is the interactive museum views of the White House, its grounds, and the Eisenhower Executive Building, which houses many staff offices next door. This tour allows you to freely roam thru the rooms in the White House as if you were there in-person.

The high-quality images allow you to zoom in or out as you wish when you are exploring the building. You can check out the paintings on the wall and wander thru the halls while taking in the elaborate furnishings, high ceilings, and stately decor.

CAPITOLS & COUNTRIES – VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS

Barcelona: It is the capital of Spain and is situated on the northeastern coast. It has a rich cultural heritage and is today an important cultural center and a major tourist destination known for its exceptional food, architecture, scenery, and energetic atmosphere. Why is this? Within this virtual tour , let’s find out, shall we!

Canada : Join us as we travel across this diverse country from the Maritime provinces on the Eastern coast, visiting Quebec and Ontario, then making our way across the Western provinces and the Pacific coast of British Columbia, winding up in the Arctic North in this virtual tour .

Canada – Farm Tour: This  virtual farm tour  found here will let kids visit minks and learn how milk and cheese are processed. Fur farming provides important employment for rural communities across Canada, employing hundreds of families and thousands of people, directly and indirectly.

Canada – Tundra: Observe  polar bears in the tundra  of Canada on this Discovery Education virtual field trip. Since 2010, Discovery Education has teamed up with Polar Bears International to host a series of shared learning experiences to engage students and inspire their interest in studying the science of polar bears and their Arctic habitat.

London : It is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom. We explore it in this virtual tour . It can be an exciting adventure and a valuable experience to anyone who hasn’t been there as of yet. Together, let’s enhance our knowledge of its historical treasures (Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, etc.) while taking an escape into a different time where Kings and Queens once ruled over vast empires.

Paris – City of Light: Paris is the capital and most populous city of France. It has long been considered one of the world’s most historically important cities and is also packed with a multitude of iconic images of which some are rather romantic. In this virtual tour , we explore the unforgettable buildings that took centuries to build, such as Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, and the Arc de Triomphe. Students of all levels will gain insights into the many reasons why Paris’ significance is so timeless.

Rome – The Eternal City: It has continuously been one of the most important cities in the Western World. First as the capital of the Roman Empire and now as the center of the Catholic Church. It embodies some of the greatest attributes of the Renaissance era. Come along with us on this virtual tour as we explore the many highlights of the most popular tourist destination in Italy in 2019.

Tokyo: This virtual tour allows you to become immersed within Tokyo, the capital of Japan. The blend of the old and the new will leave you enthralled with the beauty of it all. Tradition permeates it and yet it is known currently as a major cultural hub and an international trendsetter in the arts, entertainment, gastronomy, and media. The Michelin Guide has awarded Tokyo by far the most Michelin stars of any city in the world. The city has hosted multiple international events including the Summer Olympics in 1964, the G7 Summit (1979, 1986, and 1993), and will host the 2020 Summer Olympics unless it is postponed or cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Washington, DC: Students of all levels will appreciate the treasures, history, and beauty that the United States’ capital has to offer. In this virtual tour we will explore the architecture and artifacts which make DC fascinating. From the Washington Monument to the White House and the Smithsonian Museum, there is something for everyone.

Sports Stadiums: Have sports fans at home? Let’s take a look around  Yankees Stadium , then go see  where the Dallas Cowboys play .

Yankee Stadium: It is the home field for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). The $1.5 billion price tag makes the new Yankee Stadium one of the most expensive stadiums ever built.

AT&T Stadium: This stadium, formerly Cowboys Stadium, is a retractable roof stadium in Arlington, Texas within the United States. It serves as the home of the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL).

MISCELLANEOUS – VIRTUAL TOURS

African Safari : Enjoy a trip through an African Safari park to see an incredible variety of wildlife. Take a first-row seat at the waterholes where the action is. You’ll see elephants, giraffes, warthogs, rhinos, zebras, lions, and so much more in this virtual tour .

Amazon Rain Forest: Learn more about the  Amazon Rain Forest  with an educational tour that shows all the sites and sounds, including the animals who consider it their home stomping grounds.

Mars: You don’t need a spaceship to  visit Mars virtually , thanks to this awe-inspiring website where you can walk alongside a rover on the surface of the planet.

Years from now, when we reminisce about this time in our lives, we will remember how we kept our families from going stir crazy. Taking virtual tours is not only a fun learning activity but will keep you and your kids enthralled with what the world has to offer! All this, without having to leave the safety of your home during this tumultuous time in our lives. If you are interested museums, you can go here . A list of national parks can be found here as well.

47 Reply to “35 FREE VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS TO EXPLORE WITH YOUR KIDS”

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• Pingback: Free Field Trips - Top 10 Free Field Trips - TeacherVision

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wow these are some great places to visit, my little one would love it

we haven’t been out for 50 days! Virtual field trips are only on a laptop for us.

This is so cool! All these virtual fieldtrips are giving us major wanderlust.

These virtual tours are amazing for the children. It is still educational and fun. Great information

This virtual tour seems much interesting and helpful for kids…… Thanks for sharing this is what everyone should be aware of…..

Thank you for dropping by. Yes, people are going stir-crazy at home. I made it my mission to find interesting things to do during this time and trying to get the word out about it.

These are such cool ideas. I’m glad that the institutions took the initiative to do this. It’s been great during this time.

Thank you for dropping by. Yes, it is awesome that there are so many resources out there available to people who are under lockdown during this time.

Looks like so much fun! I don’t have kids yet but I want to explore it myself

Thanks for dropping by. These virtual tours aren’t just for kids. They are for the whole family. Yes, I know, the title implies that it is just for kids. But is it an oxymoron.

These are amazing. I’ll be going on a few virtual tours myself, never mind with the kids!

Thank you for sharing.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy whichever virtual tour you decide to go on.

I had no idea about virtual trips until I read this. Thank you for the information, this is just we need right now for our kids.

Thank you for dropping by. Yes, many different resources are now available virtually due to this lockdown we are currently under.

cooool! my nieces and all the kids will surely be delighted having this virtual tour. this will surely spice up their curiosities. <3

Thank you for dropping by. I hope everyone, not just the kids, enjoy the virtual tours within your family.

This is a great list! I love that there are so many different opportunities to ‘visit’ incredible sites and locations around the world. While we can’t get out and travel right now, this really is the next best thing. Thank you for putting this all together in one place for us!

Thank you for dropping by. I hope you will be available to take advantage of some of these virtual tours as well. If you are interested in doing so, that is.

My kids and I have been enjoying virtual field trips. I didn’t realize there was one for Mt. Vernon! We have been there and plan to go back again soon.

Thank you for stopping by. Yes, there is one for there. Before you go there in-person again, you might enjoy seeing it virtually first.

This list is AMAZING! I can’t wait to take a virtual tour to mentally escape my home for a few moments in the upcoming weeks. There are so many great options, I kind of want to check them all out!

Thanks for dropping by. Yes, do take advantage of what is out there to take away the boredom of this lockdown.

I didn’t know you could see all these places virtually. I don’t have kids but I am definitely going to check a few of them out. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for dropping by. Even though this post is geared towards kids, the virtual tours listed are actually for everyone who might be interested in taking them. I hope you enjoy those which you wind up taking.

I’ve tried virtual tours and it’s totally amazing!

xoxo Lovely

Thank you for dropping by. Yes, they are really amazing. I never went on them before either until I delved in and did my research in order to write this article.

I guess if virtual is the way of the world right now, these are great places to explore. Love the zoo one.

Thanks for dropping by. There is something for everyone on this list. Hope you enjoy if you decide on taking one or more of them.

Such a great way to keep the kids entertained during uncertain times. Thank you for sharing.

Thanks for dropping by. Yes, it is a great way to keep everyone entertained, not just kids, during this lockdown most of the world is under.

This is a great list to check out different places from home. It is also a great way to make a list of places we want to travel when this is over!

Thank you for dropping by. Yes, you are very correct. Are you planning on visiting any of the places listed within this article in the future?

I had no idea there were so many virtual field trips! My nephew is coming over next week and I think we may have to do a few of these, thanks!

Thank you for dropping by. Yes, there are many more not listed within this article? Just too many out there and new ones become available every week.

Those are wonderful and educational tours! I love the aquariums! There are so many species to learn about.

Thank you for dropping by. Yes, there are so many virtual tours out there. I hope you take the time to enjoy some of them yourself.

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Virtual Field Trips: Zoos, Aquariums, Farms and Safaris

Take a virtual field trip to see all sorts of animals without leaving home. You can visit zoos, aquariums, farms, and even go on a virtual safari all in the same day!

We’ve rounded up an amazing list of zoos, aquariums, farms and nature preserves that have webcams, live streams, and youtube videos you can watch to learn more about animals. We’ve also included links to online lesson plans and activities for those families wanting to create a richer learning experience from their virtual field trips.

What is a Virtual Field Trip?

Field trips are awesome learning experiences because they get you out of the classroom and take you into an immersive environment. On a virtual field trip , you open a window to explore outside your home or classroom. You can simply observe, or you can add to the experience with some educational information or activities to go along with it.

The list we’ve compiled below is pretty extensive, so be sure to bookmark this page so you can come back to it.

Zoo Virtual Field Trips

Modern zoos are an amazing blend of entertainment and education, coupled with research and conservation. When you visit a zoo, you not only get to see and learn about animals you are unlikely to encounter, but you are also supporting efforts to protect wildlife and the planet.

Wildlife Curriculum

Try one of these resources to add to your virtual field trip experience.

• Virtual Field Trip Guide
• Free Zoo Field Trip Questions
• World Wildlife Federation’s “ Wild Classroom ” – They have 5 “days” of activites set up. There are also 9 educational toolkits currently available.
• National Wildlife Federation Lesson Plans and Webinars – broken up by topic and specifies appropriate grade level.
• Free Digital Versions of Ranger Rick Magazines – Through June 2020.
• Animal Books you can read or have read to you online
• Teacher Guides and Saving a Species Video Series + teacher toolkit from SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.

San Diego Zoo (USA)

One of the most famous zoos in the world offers live webcams of baboons, penguins, apes, tigers, koalas, burrowing owls, elephants, polar bears, giraffes, and condors.

There is also archived webcam footage of pandas.

Houston Zoo (USA)

The Houston Zoo has webcams that let you look in on the giraffe feeding platform, the gorilla habitat, the elephant yard, the rhino yard, the chimp window, and even leafcutter ants!

The folks at the Houston Zoo have also been bringing the Zoo to You on their facebook page every weekday at 11am Central Time.

Kansas City Zoo (USA)

The Kansas City Zoo has live webcams showing two types of penguins, giraffes, and polar bears. The penguin cams are listed as separate cameras, but both show the same view. At the time of this post, the polar bear cam was not working.

Zoo Atlanta (USA)

We were fortunate to get to visit Zoo Atlanta a few years ago and we loved seeing the pandas! It’s so nice to know we can drop in and see Ya Lun and Xi Lun from home.

In addition to the webcam, Zoo Atlanta has three at-home learning guides for pre-k to 4th grade, as well as some animal games and crafts .

Philadelphia Zoo (USA)

Visiting the Philadelphia Zoo is unique because the animals are literally all around you as they have paths they can use to go over the walkways. When you can’t visit in person, you can view the penguin point webcam.

In addition, the Philadelphia Zoo has started doing Facebook Live sessions called “Philly Zoo at 2” at 2pm EDT daily.

Milwaukee County Zoo (USA)

On Zoo View TV, you can drop in on the Milwaukee County Zoo’s residents such as Polar Bear, Jaguar, Lions, Hyenas, Tigers, and Penguins… and even fish.

Elmwood Park Zoo (USA)

The Elmwood Park Zoo in Pennsylvania has a giraffe live camera from 10am-5pm EDT. They have also been going live on their facebook page with Zoo School from 11am-11:30am on weekdays.

Reid Park Zoo (USA)

The Reid Park Zoo in Arizona lists zoo cams for grizzly bears, lemurs, lions, elephants, and giraffes. Their zoo site also has a few zoo activity packets that were designed to be completed after a visit to the zoo, but could be done from home, as well.

Detroit Zoo (USA)

The Detroit Zoo in Michigan has live cams and videos they call “Virtual Vitamin Z” to help you get your daily supplement of zoo fun at home. Their live cams show you penguins, snow monkeys, falcons, and otters.

They also have past videos available on their site here.

National Zoo (USA)

The National Zoo has live webcams for you to virtually visit their giant pandas, lions, elephants, and naked mole-rats! And you can get updates on what’s going on at the zoo on the National Zoo Facebook page .

The site also has resources such as educational activities you can do at home and downloadable zoo activities .

Chattanooga Zoo (USA)

The Chattanooga Zoo in Tennessee has four live webcams on their zoo’s site. You can drop by and check out meerkats, snow leopards, tamarin, and the spotted genet.

Greenville Zoo (USA)

The Greenville Zoo has two cams set up to watch their giraffes. One gives you a look inside the barn. The other is a view of the paddock.

Alaska Zoo (USA)

As you might expect, the Alaska Zoo has a polar bear, and you can virtually visit it through its webcam. In addition, the zoo has started doing free live sessions via the Zoom app. Spots are limited and the schedule and links are being posted on the Alaska Zoo Facebook page .

Edinburgh Zoo (Scotland)

Did you know that the Edinburgh Zoo was the first zoo in the world to house and breed penguins? In addition to penguin cams, they also have live streams of pandas, tigers, and koalas.

In addition, the Wildlife Conservation Charity has some interactive learning from home courses for all ages.

Dublin Zoo (Ireland)

The zoo is also home to a scimitar-horned oryx, which is a species of antelope you can no longer find in the wild.

Ireland’s Dublin Zoo offers webcams of penguins and elephants, as well as their African Savanna where you might see giraffes, ostriches, zebras, or rhinos.

Marwell Zoo (UK)

The Marwell Zoo has a live video stream of their flamingos. They also have a photo streams (photos update every 30 seconds or so) of penguins, giraffes and lemurs.

Paignton Zoo (UK)

The Paignton Zoo has webcams set up looking at meerkats and sulawesi crested macaque. Their Flamingo webcam is currently unavailable. They also have a series of YouTube Videos about animals and working with them .

Starting Monday, March 23rd, the Paignton Zoo will be adding downloadable resources to their “ Wild at Home ” program for parents and teachers.

Zoos Victoria (Australia)

Zoos Victoria is an association of three zoos in Australia: Healesville Sanctuary, Melbourne Zoo, and Werribee Open Range Zoo. Their site features webcams where you can see snow leopards (indoor and outdoor), penguins, giraffes, lions, and zebras.

More Zoos for Virtual Field Trips

• Live Tiger Cam
• Virtual Adventures on Facebook @brecsbrzoo
• Live Webcams : Aquatic Bird Cam, Sea lion Pups (not working)
• Videos on Social Media @BronxZoo
• Remote Learning Resources
• Virtual tour (Series of Short Videos)
• Online Learning Resources
• Live Giraffe Cam (9:30am – 4:45pm MT)
• “Abnormally Normal” Video Series (Facebook)
• Home Safaris daily at 3pm ET on Facebook
• Daily Virtual Classrooms on Facebook at 11am ET @ClevelandMetroparksZoo.
• Live Webcams – Discovery Reef, Bonobos
• YouTube Videos
• Live Webcams – Meerkats, Penguins
• Animal Update Videos (Facebook)
• “Zoo to You” Facebook Lives weekdays at 3pm ET @DenverZoo
• More Videos on Denver Zoo Youtube channel
• Live Webcams : Giraffes, Sea Lions, Meerkats, Siamangs, and Orangutans
• Animal Videos on Facebook @ElPasoZoo
• “Keeper Chats” on Facebook Live @FortWorthZoo
• “ School of Croc ” lives at 10am ET on Facebook
• Live Webcams : Macaque, Macaw, Penguin, Tiger, Walrus
• Videos on the Indianapolis Zoo Facebook page
• Live Webcams : Penguin, Lion, Giraffe, Flamingo, Goat
• Behind the Scenes on Your Screen – learn about Zoo Jobs
• “Zoo to You” Facebook Lives Weekdays 11am ET
• Updates on Facebook @MNZoo
• Learning Corner – Activities and downloadable curriculum for grades 1-12.
• Live Cams with Chat
• Bear Lesson Plans
• “ Do the Zoo at Home “
• Facebook updates and videos @OmahaZoo
• Live Penguin Cam (9am – 5pm daily)
• #BringtheStlZootoYou Videos on Facebook
• Live Webcams : Snow Leopards, Elephants, Amur Leopards (must have Flash Player enabled)
• #ZooOpenOnline with Facebook Lives and YouTube Videos .
• “Zoo School” Facebook Lives (Mondays 11am ET) + random story times and craft videos.
• Archived Live Videos + themed activities for kids that go with each video.
• “ Virtual Voyage ” daily at 2pm on Facebook
• Videos bringing the Zoo to you on YouTube
• Downloadable Activities
• Augmented Reality Zoo Tour (via Zappar App)
• Live Webcams: Bears, Bats, and Tigers
• Updates on the Woodland Park Facebook page
• Live Grizzly Bear Cam
• Updates on Facebook @ZooMontana
• Learning Resources : Activities and Printables
• Facebook Live Q&As – Weekdays 11am ET @ZooAmerica

If you know a zoo with great virtual field trip content like live cams, videos, or activities that isn’t on this list, let us know to add it!

Aquarium Virtual Field Trips

Aquariums focus mainly on ocean life, though many have animals that live out of the water, but live in or near the water.

One Big Ocean Online Curriculum

“One Big Ocean” is an online curriculum from Ocean.org. They have three different programs customized for the level of school. These can be used by themselves, or paired with a real or virtual visit to any aquarium.

• One Big Ocean Elementary
• One Big Ocean Middle
• One Big Ocean Secondary

Online Ocean School

You can also learn about the various creatures and habitats of the Gulf of St. Lawrence at “ Ocean School “, with three weeks of lessons online and more being added.

National Aquarium (USA)

The National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland has cameras placed in three exhibits: Blacktip Reef featuring blacktip sharks, rays, and colorful fish; “Jellies Invasion” which you can guess features jellyfish; and “Pacific Coral Reef”. You can also take a virtual tour of the National A quarium with 360 degree images.

Georgia Aquarium (USA)

The Georgia Aquarium is ranked as the best aquarium for families in the United States. We’ve been there, and it is AMAZING! And they have some great, high quality live feeds from their exhibits, too!

You can watch the Ocean Voyager cam where you can see sharks, rays, fish, sea turtles and even huge whale sharks! There’s also the Indo-Pacific Barrier Reef, Southern Sea Otters, Jelly Cam, California Sea Lions, African Penguins, Piranhas, and Beluga Whales.

And while they haven’t been going live, they have been posting videos to the Georgia Aquarium Facebook page .

Shedd Aquarium (USA)

You might have seen the video going around of the Shedd Aquarium’s penguins taking their very own personal tour of the aquarium’s exhibits. If you haven’t, you should check it out.

In addition to the one live stream we found on their site so far, the Shedd Aquarium also has a great series of videos just for kids called “Sea Curious”. They also have some really cool 360 degree videos of sharks!

The Aquarium of the Pacific (USA)

The Aquarium of the Pacific is located in Long Beach, California. They have several webcams that allow you to visit virtually. You can see penguins both above and below the water, a shark lagoon, sea jellies, a tropical reef, blue cavern, and colorful anthias and wrasse exhibit.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium (USA)

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium located on the Gulf Coast in Clearwater, Florida is home to Winter and Hope, the rescued dolphins whose stories were the basis for the movies “Dolphin Tale” and “Dolphin Tale 2”.

You can virtually visit Winter and Hope, along with Nicholas and PJ. The aquarium also has views of its otters, pelicans, and sea turtles.

The Clearwater Aquarium even has downloadable lessons in language, math, and science to go along with a real or even virtual visit to the aquarium. There is also an online Kid Zone with games, activities, and experiments.

California Academy of Sciences (USA)

As the name suggests, the California Academy of Sciences is not just an aquarium. The San Francisco facility is also a natural history museum with a rainforest exhibit and planetarium.

There are a few webcams that allow you to visit right from home. You can look in on penguins, stingrays, a coral reef, and even take control of a camera at the top of a lighthouse on the nearby Farallon Islands.

The site also has lesson plans and materials for kids from preschool through high school.

Tennessee Aquarium (USA)

Live webcams of the secret reef, penguin, and sea otter exhibits. And on their facebook page, they are live streaming Aquarium at Home sessions.

Vancouver Aquarium (Canada)

Canada’s Vancouver Aquarium is home to more than 50,000 animals and features 30 exhibits to explore. When you can’t visit in person, you can still drop in on the sea otters, jellyfish, and penguins via the webcams on their homepage.

Atlantic White Shark Conservancy

Facebook Lives weekdays at 10am @AtlanticWhiteShark . Resources on the website.

Farm Virtual Field Trips

While farms are different than zoos, they can be just as educational and rewarding in connecting us to nature, whether we visit in person or virtually.

Hen Cam (USA)

The Hen Cam comes from a backyard outside Boston, Massachussetts. The feed switches automatically between 3 cameras showing the hens outside and inside. You might also see goats and a bunny named Phoebe.

Peter’s Farm (Holland)

You can see a live stream of the cows, and maybe even some baby calves, at Peter’s Farm in Holland. The stream is only during operating hours, but there is also some YouTube footage for when it isn’t live.

Folly Farm (UK)

Folly Farm has a cute webcam that gives you a peek at its farm animals like sheep, goats and donkeys. The website also lists penguin, giraffe, and lion webcams from the zoo, but they were not working when we visited.

Farm Sanctuary (USA)

This sheep barn camera is at the Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen , New York. They also have a recorded virtual tour of the farm showing you some of their other animals.

Goats Live (??)

Not sure where it is coming from, but this camera is pointed at some goats and streams 24 hours a day.

Farm Food 360 (Canada)

Farm Food 360 has virtual tours of all different kinds of farms. There are milk & cheese, dairy cow, sheep, pig, mink, grain, egg, and oat farms, feed mills, and an apple orchard.

Chatsworth Farm (Canada)

Chatsworth Farm is an over 2,000 acre family-run farm in Canada where they grow grain and legume crops, alfalfa, and raise beef cattle, sheep, turkeys, ducks, and chickens for eggs and meat. They have a few video tours on their webpage and they’ve also been live streaming recently on the Chatsworth Farm Facebook page .

Horse Shoe Farm (USA)

This camera pans back and forth showing the outdoor pens of the Horse Shoe farm in Hendersonville, North Carolina. The horses are not always outside, though.

Virtual Farm Field Trips on YouTube

We found a whole bunch of Farm tours and Q&As on YouTube. Here are links to those. Some are individual, but others are whole playlists with multiple videos.

• American Dairy Association Indiana (4 videos)
• Ohio Pig Farms (50+ videos, several very recent)
• Grow Next Gen (discusses various topics)
• Ohio Beef Council (18 videos)
• New York Beef Council (4 videos)
• American Dairy Association Northeast (12 videos)
• Pennsylvania Beef (no playlist, but at least 3 tours among their many videos)
• Milk Means More (4 tours to a Michigan Dairy farm)

Safari Virtual Field Trips

SafariLive (Africa)

Live Streamed safaris from the African wilderness. You never know what you are going to see, and your tours are guided by knowledgeable guides who sometimes answer questions from viewers.

SUNRISE SAFARI (Monday to Sunday)

• Central African Time (CAT): 06:00am – 09:00am
• East African Time (EAT): 07:00am – 10:00am
• Eastern Standard Time (EDT): 00:00pm – 03:00am

SUNSET SAFARI (Monday to Sunday)

• Central African Time (CAT): 15:30pm – 18:30pm
• East African Time (EAT): 16:30pm – 19:30pm
• Eastern Daylight Savings Time (EDT): 09:30am – 12:30pm

Cumbria Wildlife Trust (UK)

Over on the Cumbria Wildlife Trust webpage, you can drop in on webcams of a few different animals from across the United Kingdom. There is a camera pointed at the bird feeders at Plumgarths Wildlife Garden, Grey Seals at the South Walney Nature Preserve (archive footage when cam is not working), a Badger cam from Rydel, Ambleside, and an Osprey cam from Foulshaw Moss Nature Preserve (says cam will be available late March 2020).

Explore.org Webcams (Worldwide)

Explore.org has countless live streams from all over the world that you can choose from, including several locations already mentioned in this post. But our favorites are the ones you can view outside of a zoo, aquarium, or farm setting.

Some of these also have great audio, so you can make it full screen, turn up the volume, and have a window to the world. Great for background or meditation.

• Tembe Elephant Park (Africa)
• Honeybees going in and out of a hive
• Flying Foxes (bats)
• Hear Orcas (and occasionally see them) underwater
• Sea Lions hauled out onto rocks
• Polar Bear Cubs

Wolf Conservation Center

The Wolf Conservation Center in New York is dedicated to protecting and preserving wolves in North America. They have several live feeds of various species of wolves. And if you want to learn a little about wolves , you can do that, too.

Bald Eagle Cam (USA)

Despite being the national symbol of the United States, we don’t get to see Bald Eagles all that much. But with the camera set up at Duke Farms in New Jersey, we can look right into a Bald Eagle’s nest! They even have a scavenger hunt you can print out for the kids to watch the nest and see if they spot any of those things.

FREE Virtual Field Trips To Zoos -No Permission Slips Needed

Now you can take free virtual field trips to zoos right from the comfort of your own home. Think you can’t go anywhere over Spring Break, well think again. Thanks to technology, it’s now possible for you and your family to visit.

all kinds of places from the comfort of your living room. When I was teaching Kindergarten, one of my student’s favorite things to do was to tune in to the live cams from everywhere from the Monterey Bay Aquarium to the  National Zoo in Washinton D.C., and beyond.  It was a great way to open the door to learning about life around us in a fun and unique way without ever leaving the classroom. With so many families turning to online learning activities, we’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite free virtual field trips to zoos and aquariums for you, so enjoy your “visit”! The best part, for these field trips, there are no permission slips needed Here are some of our favorite virtual field trips to zoos:

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened its doors to guests thus introducing to the world a place where the magic of nature with rare animals and world-class entertainment came together but this year Disney’s Animal Kingdom marked its anniversary on Earth Day, April 22, with more wild adventures than ever before and reconfirmed their commitment to the Disney Conservation Fund and preserving wildlife and protecting the planet for future generations by inspiring action. From creatures wild and whimsical to Broadway-caliber shows, from unparalleled experiences toward-winning conservation efforts, from exotic lands to cuisine that celebrates a global park, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park is a world of adventures from day to night, with exotic animals, prehistoric giants, and beloved Disney characters

Kilimanjaro Safari : full ride experience of Kilimanjaro Safari. It’s a guided tour with fun facts about many of the animals found at Animal Kingdom

San Diego Zoo

PANDA MEMORIES

In honoring the terms of their conservation loan agreement with the People’s Republic of China, 27-year-old Bai Yun and her son, 6-year-old Xiao Liwu, have been repatriated to their ancestral homeland.

But luckily you can still enjoy the archived footage of Bai Yun and Xiao Liwu at the San Diego Zoo recorded from January through April 2019.

Smithsonian’s National Zoo

While you are watching pandas chomp on bamboo, play in trees and tumble in the grass, specially trained volunteers with Friends of the National Zoo are hard at work using these cameras to collect behavioral data on the giant pandas. Be sure to toggle back and forth between Panda Cam 1 and Panda Cam 2 using the tabs at the top of the video player to get the full Panda Cam experience.

Houston Zoo

LIVE ON CAMERA AT THE HOUSTON ZOO

Giraffe Cam

Gorilla Habitat Cam

Elephant Yard Cam

Rhino Yard Cam

Chimp Window Cam

Chimpanzee Cam

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Gayle is an educator, storyteller and lifelong learner with a passion for spontaneous travel. Here you’ll find practical tips and creative hacks with the hope of helping you to create your own extraordinary life experiences - without breaking the bank.

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