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NASA at Home: Virtual Tours and Apps

NASA is exploring our solar system and beyond, uncovering worlds, stars, and cosmic mysteries near and far with our powerful fleet of space and ground-based missions. 

Explore our facilities. View our laboratories. Enter our operations control centers.

We invite you to tour NASA  virtually  from the comfort of your home or convenience of your mobile device.

RS-25 Rocket Engine Testing : NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi conducted a  series of RS-25 rocket engine hot fire tests for NASA’s Space Launch System,  which is being built for missions beyond low-Earth orbit that will carry crew and cargo to the Moon and destinations beyond.

Commercial Crew Program 360-Degree Virtual Reality Tour : NASA’s Commercial Crew Program works with commercial partners to  launch astronauts to the International Space Station from U.S. soil on American-built rockets and spacecraft . These immersive videos share the story of groundbreaking innovation borne of this government-industry partnership.

International Space Station Tour : The International Space Station is a unique  scientific platform where astronauts conduct experiments across multiple disciplines of research  – including Earth and space science, biology, human physiology, physical sciences, and technology demonstrations – that cannot be performed anywhere on Earth. In 2020, the station celebrated 20 years of a continuous human presence aboard the orbiting laboratory.

Operations Centers

Explore Goddard’s Clean Room : James Webb Space Telescope’s Communications Lead Laura Betz takes us  behind the scenes inside the world’s largest clean room  at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Explore  where the Hubble Space Telescope was built and where its successor – the James Webb Space Telescope – was assembled . See the special gowning process engineers go through on a daily basis to enter this super clean environment. This tour gives you a 360-degree look from the unique filter wall to the storage of Webb’s 18 gold-plated mirrors. Check out Goddard’s Space Environment Simulator, a massive thermal vacuum chamber in which scientists and engineers cryotested the heart of the telescope, ISIM, by lowering the temperature of the structure to 42 Kelvin (-384.1 Fahrenheit or -231.1 Celsius) and below to ensure that it can withstand the frigid temperatures Webb will face 1 million miles out in space.

Robotic Operations Center (ROC) : This 360-degree  view  of Goddard’s Robotic Operations Center (ROC) shows off its  unique hexapod robot, which helps engineers simulate the way a satellite moves in space.  Drag the photo to explore the rest of the state-of-the-art facility. The ROC acts as an incubator for satellite servicing technologies that will allow for the repair, refueling, and upgrading of spacecraft. In this lab, robotic capabilities are tested in spacelike conditions before they are put to action in orbit.

Solar System

Planets of Other Stars

NASA’s Exoplanet Excursions : A  guided journey through the amazing TRAPPIST-1 star system,  known to be the  home of seven Earth-size exoplanets orbiting a star  that is only a little larger than Jupiter. This also includes tours of the Spitzer Space Telescope and the ability to control the telescope yourself.

Exoplanet Travel Bureau : Explore 360-degree  visualizations of the surfaces of planets of other stars  (and download free posters!). This works on desktops and mobile devices, and it is optimized for such viewers as Google Cardboard.

NASA Centers (with virtual tours)

NASA’s Ames Research Center Virtual Tour : NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California, has led NASA in conducting world-class research and development in aeronautics, exploration technology, and science aligned with the center’s core capabilities.

NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center Virtual Tours : NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, is NASA’s primary center for high-risk, atmospheric flight research and test projects. For almost 75 years, research at Armstrong has led to major advancements and breakthroughs in the design and capabilities of many state-of-the-art civil and military aircraft.

NASA’s Glenn Research Center Virtual Tours : NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland designs and develops innovative technology to advance NASA’s missions in aeronautics and space exploration. 

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Virtual Tour : NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, is humanity’s leading center for exploring where humans cannot yet reach. Its spacecraft have flown to every planet and the Sun in a quest to understand our place in the universe, and to search for the possibility of life beyond Earth. 

NASA’s Johnson Space Center Virtual Tour : NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston is home to mission control and astronaut training. It also leads International Space Station operations and expeditions, development of the Orion spacecraft, NASA’s Gateway outpost program, and numerous other advanced human exploration projects.

NASA’s Langley Research Center Virtual Tours : NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, works to make revolutionary improvements to aviation, expand understanding of Earth’s atmosphere and develop technology for space exploration. It was also where NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson worked. 

Featured Apps

NASA selfie app :  Put your photo in a virtual spacesuit  in front of some of NASA’s most captivating space images. Access the  NASA Selfie app for iOS  or the  NASA Selfie app for Google .

NASA app : This app offers  news and multimedia from around the agency ; other applications focus on individual NASA projects or research areas.

Aircraft and Aeronautics

Aeronautics augmented reality app : Learn about NASA’s  X-57 Maxwell, X-59 QueSST, and G-III Gulfstream aircraft  through an app that brings them onto your mobile phone.

“Next Stop: The Stratosphere” : Explore SOFIA, NASA’s flying observatory, a  Boeing 747SP aircraft modified to carry a 106-inch telescope.  Scientists aboard SOFIA study stars, black holes, and more while flying between 38,000 and 45,000 feet.

Spacecraft augmented reality app : Learn about and  interact with a variety of spacecraft  that explore our solar system, study Earth, and observe the universe.

Browse more  NASA apps  and apps created by  NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory .

We encourage you to visit these sites for additional activities and resources:

NASA’s Artemis Program ,  NASA’s STEM Engagement , and  NASA Kids’ Club

If you are interested in having a NASA speaker give a virtual presentation to your class or organization, visit the  Speakers Bureau website  and submit a request form.

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Exoplanet Travel Bureau

Even the closest exoplanets are too far away to visit. But... what if they weren't? We worked with NASA scientists, futurists and artists to imagine exoplanet tourism. Choose your adventure with guided tours, in English and Spanish. Read along or turn your sound up as you scroll through.

The Connecticut Science Center is currently CLOSED to the public due to public health concerns about COVID-19. For more information about COVID-19 and FAQs, please follow this link. Learn More

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Virtual Field Trip: NASA’s Kennedy Space Center

• Nick Villagra
• April 3, 2020

The Apollo moon landing.  The Hubble Space Telescope.  The Curiosity Rover. For over 60 years, NASA has been behind some of the most iconic feats of engineering in modern history, making it one of our nation’s most cherished institutions.  At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, exhibits tell the story of NASA’s successes and setbacks, and the scientific frontiers they’ve expanded. Circumstances may not be allowing visitors to experience these exhibits firsthand, but Studies Weekly has produced a “virtual field trip” of the Kennedy Space Center that takes you on a tour of its halls so that even from home you can enjoy the many wonders of the Space Age.

On this 11-minute tour , you can step into an astronaut’s quarters, marvel at the real-life space shuttle Atlantis, see the history and variety of actual rockets in a “rocket garden,” and uncover the answer to the greatest mystery of the Universe: how do people go to the bathroom in space?  

You can also check out this astronaut’s tour of the International Space Station if you want to learn more about what it’s like to live 250 miles above the Earth.  Browse through this nearly 30-minute video of Commander Sunita Williams diving through the labyrinthine metallic passages of the station, stopping at various locations to explain the zero-gravity routine of sleeping, exercising, and eating.  Don’t miss the gorgeous view of Earth out the window!

Finally, if you’re eager to begin doing space science yourself, head over to the citizen science platform Zooniverse: Galaxy Zoo to classify beautiful images of galaxies, which helps researchers in their work to discover what “galaxies can tell us about the past, present, and future of the Universe.”

But wait, there’s more! NASA has released a list of resources for books you can read with your family at home. There are books for both children readers and adult readers . Plus, join astronauts as they read books from space in Storytime From Space . 

The Connecticut Science Center is always looking to share new ways for you to explore the science of our world and beyond.  We hope you’ll join us next Friday for another virtual field trip! 

Stay connected! Be sure to subscribe to Down to a Science— The Official Blog of the Connecticut Science Center and follow us on social media.

Nick Villagra is a STEM Educator at the Connecticut Science Center, responsible for developing and delivering science experiences, including classroom lab programs, stage shows, and vacation camps. Nick holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Engineering from Swarthmore College. and has been a speaker at the New England Museum Association conference. Always looking to put a unique stamp on the Science Center’s offerings, Nick enjoys incorporating custom-designed 3D printed materials for students to interact with.

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Can’t Get to Cape Canaveral? Take Your Students on a Space Virtual Field Trip

Nothing brings a STEAM lesson to life quite like a field trip to a space museum. Students light up at the sight of space artifacts, real-life spacecraft, or a dazzling planetarium display.

If you can’t make the trip to a space museum, there are ways to bring the space museum to you! Some of the world’s finest exhibits and interactive STEAM activities are now available through virtual tours and field trips. This list includes virtual field trips with live real-time interaction as well as self-guided experiences and video tours. There are options for every grade level and budget.

Happy exploring!

8 Space Virtual Field Trips for Students

1. space foundation discovery center virtual field trips.

Space Foundation Discovery Center offers interactive virtual field trips for students of all ages. Students can tour the solar system with Science On a Sphere ® and learn about rocketry, engineering, robotics, weather or Mars exploration. Sessions are led by a Space Education Specialist and include a hands-on STEAM activity.

The museum also offers a virtual version of its popular Mars Robotic Laboratory . Students can program and operate LEGO EV3® robots to complete mission objectives on a simulated Martian terrain!

Scholarships are available. See field trip program options and schedule here .

2. NASA Goddard Space Flight Visitor Center Virtual Field Trips

The NASA Goddard Space Flight Visitor Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, offers free virtual field trip programs for student groups. Each interactive program includes a 45-minute live virtual session with an informal educator, plus a list of online resources. Available topics include living and working on the International Space Station, how to build a satellite, and an overview of NASA Goddard’s science missions.

See available programs and schedule a time here .

3. International Space Station Virtual Tour

Take the tour now.

4. American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) “Hall of Planet Earth” Virtual Field Trip

Designed for grades 6-8, this virtual field trip to the AMNH Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth allows students to uncover the role of plate tectonics in the formation of Earth’s oceans, continents and mountains. Students use Google Arts and Culture to virtually tour the Hall and see exhibits up-close, then complete a provided activity to gain deeper scientific understanding. The virtual field trip can be customized to fit one class period, or extended over two or more class periods with additional activities from the downloadable Teacher’s Guide.

Get the resources and start the tour here .

5. Boeing & Discovery Education “Innovating the Future” Virtual Field Trip

Students get a behind-the-scenes tour of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in this inspirational virtual field trip from Boeing and Discovery Education. They’ll virtually meet Boeing team members who are writing the next chapter of space history with the launch of the Starliner/CST-100 spacecraft and the deployment of the Space Launch System (SLS). Students will also be expo sed to career possibilities in STEAM and aerospace. An included Companion Educator Guide provides a standards-aligned activity designed to explore key concepts in aerospace and engineering.

Get the resources and start the field trip here .

6. Access Mars

Take a virtual field trip to The Red Planet! This extraordinary 360-degree experience presented by Google allows students to navigate the surface of Mars as recorded by NASA’s Curiosity rover. Along the way, they’ll visit different mission sites and learn about the Curiosity mission.

Blast off to Mars now.

7. The Museum of Flight Virtual Programming

With over 175 aircraft and spacecraft, thousands of artifacts and dozens of exhibits, The Museum of Flight in Seattle is one of the largest air and space museums in the world. They also offer a galaxy of virtual programming for students K–12. Choose from virtual space missions, virtual interactive museum tours, digital planetarium programs, and more. Most of The Museum of Flight’s virtual programming is led by their professional educators, with some teacher-guided options. Financial assistance may be available for qualifying groups.

Explore virtual remote programs here .

8. Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum

This world-famous museum offers several interactive virtual experiences for school groups. Options include virtual museum tours with a youth docent, virtual storytimes, virtual planetarium shows, virtual science demonstrations, their popular virtual scavenger hunts and more. They also offer self-guided and teacher-guided options. Their Anytime Expeditions deliver on-demand classroom content for teachers, including content guides and hands-on activities.

See available virtual programming here .

Looking for more classroom resources?

Check out our Programs for Teachers for STEAM lesson plans, grant lists and professional development opportunities. Our Students page includes programs, STEAM activities and more for you to explore!

A Virtual Field Trip with NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory

As NASA’s premier X-ray telescope, Chandra gives us a powerful tool to investigate hot regions of the Universe, from black holes, to exploding stars, colliding galaxies and more. Because X-rays are absorbed by Earth’s atmosphere, Chandra must orbit in space to do its job.

Chandra means "moon" or "luminous" in Sanskrit.

On July 23, 1999, under the command of Col. Eileen Collins, the shuttle lifted off the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Its mission: to carry NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory into space.

Chandra has been helping scientists ever since to better understand these turbulent regions of space, answering fundamental questions about the origin, evolution, and destiny of our Universe. The Chandra's Operations Control Center (OCC) in Burlington, MA,* oversees the Chandra spacecraft and ensures its health and safety.

Chandra staff design observing plans for efficient scheduling of the observatory. The time spent moving Chandra from looking at one target to another is minimized, while avoiding radiation from the Sun and making sure that Chandra stays healthy.

The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, MA, hosts the Chandra X-ray Center which operates the satellite, processes the data, and distributes it to scientists around the world for analysis.

Chandra travels about a third of the way to the Moon at its farthest distance from Earth in order to get as much observing time of the X-ray Universe as possible.

Chandra was named after the late Indian-American Nobel laureate, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (pronounced: su/bra/mon'/yon chandra/say/kar). Known to the world as Chandra (which means "moon" or "luminous" in Sanskrit), he was widely regarded as one of the foremost astrophysicists of the twentieth century.

1. The X-ray telescope, whose mirrors focus X-rays from celestial objects

2. The science instruments which record the X-rays so that X-ray images can be produced and analyzed

3. The spacecraft, which provides the environment necessary for the telescope and the instruments to work.

Chandra carries four very sensitive mirrors nested inside each other. The energetic X-rays strike the insides of the hollow shells and are focussed onto electronic detectors at the end of the of the telescope. The mirrors on Chandra are the largest, most precisely shaped and aligned, and smoothest mirrors ever constructed.

22 years (so far) in operation

25 trillion bytes of data collected

3,00 trips around Earth

3.8 million lines of code written to operate, collect and analyze data

2.4 billion kilometers traveled

14 meters in length - about the size of school bus

63.5 hours to take one trip around Earth

Try it yourself!

Let’s head out from the Milky Way!

NASA TechRise Virtual Field Trip

Sep 24, 2021, 3:45 PM – Sep 25, 2021, 12:00 AM

Join us for this FREE virtual event featuring speakers NASA Astronaut Reid Wiseman and Dr. Raven the Science Maven.

About this event

Join us for the NASA TechRise Virtual Field Trip ! This FREE event is designed to inspire sixth to 12th grade students about space exploration and to enter the NASA TechRise Student Challenge. Students can join for any portion of the four-hour virtual event. Be sure to check out the speaker schedule below and plan your virtual visit.

The event will include a live main stage featuring NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, Dr. Raven the Science Maven, and two panels with NASA experts. Students can also visit the virtual expo hall to view demonstrations of sample NASA TechRise experiment ideas, learn about suborbital rockets and high-altitude balloons, and visit virtual booths with flight provider representatives from Blue Origin, Raven Aerostar, and UP Aerospace. 

Thinking about student privacy? We like the way you think! Registration is required. Students will NOT go on camera or share audio and there will NOT be a public chat. However, the field trip will be interactive! Students will be able to submit questions directly to speakers/hosts, so come prepared with questions. Your students' questions may be answered live on the virtual stage! All attendees must RSVP to attend. Already have a Future Engineers account? Click login to RSVP. New to Future Engineers? Click login to RSVP above and then “Create a New Account” to register and RSVP. You can find additional registration instructions here . 

Wondering if you can attend if you're not 6th - 12th grade? While this field trip is meant for students eligible for the NASA TechRise Student challenge, anyone with a Future Engineers account may RSVP and join. 

We recommend that students individually RSVP to experience the event as a self-guided educational event, but educators are also welcome to display the virtual field trip to their entire class.

To learn more about the NASA TechRise Student Challenge visit  https://www.futureengineers.org/nasatechrise .

G. Reid Wiseman

Captain, U.S. Navy, NASA Astronaut

Raven Baxter, Ph.D.

Dr Raven the Science Maven

Molecular Biologist, Educator, Entrepreneur

Christopher Baker

Program Executive, Flight Opportunities and Small Spacecraft Technology Programs

Lucas Moxey

NASA Flight Opportunities

TechRise Project Lead & Campaign Manager

Danielle McCulloch

Program Manager

Shobhana Gupta, MD, Ph.D.

Open Innovation and Community Applications Manager, NASA Earth

Ryon Stewart

NASA Johnson Space Center

Deputy Program Manager, NASA Tournament Lab

Booth Speakers

Blue origin, raven aerostar, up aerospace, savanna jonker.

Future Engineers

Challenge Support Specialist

Tanya Silva

Director of K12 Engagement

Mark DeLoura

Level Up Games, Founder

TechRise Flight Simulator Consultant

Marisa Cleghorn

Director, Research & Program Development

Christina Constabile

Community Manager

Deanne Bell

Founder & CEO

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ONLINE Field Trip: Space Flight (Virtual Field Trip)

Ride along with the American Museum of Natural History’s Director of Astrovisualization Carter Emmart and astrophysicist Jackie Faherty on a mission from Earth to the International Space Station (ISS), to the Moon, and beyond. Like mapping out a cross-country car trip, sending humans into space takes a lot of planning. Weather, distance, detours, traffic, and sightseeing all come into play. Experience the thrill of space flight, see the sites, and discover what goes into planning a successful mission to space.

Field Trip: Space Flight is one presentation from the Museum's SpaceFest to mark the scheduled launch of NASA's Commercial Crew to the ISS on May 27. For other presentations, visit the AMNH's SpaceFest homepage.

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9 Free Space Virtual Field Trips You Need to Take

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please read my disclosure policy .

Have you ever wanted to take your kids on a field trip through the far reaches of the universe? Show them what it’s like to stand on the moon?

Then you need to take a space virtual field trip with your kids!

Space Virtual Field Trips

There’s nothing like space virtual field trips for showing the universe to your children. You’ll explore Mars, check out the moon, tour the International Space Station, and more!

You and your kids will love taking these space virtual field trips through space in the comfort of your own home.

1. Interactive Mars Tour

See the images the Curiosity Rover sent back from Mars! The field trip begins by introducing NASA’s Curiosity Rover mission. Then you have the option of moving along Mar’s terrain, learning more about the mission, or traveling to different mission sites.

Head off on an interactive Mars field trip.

2. The Known Universe

Tour the known universe with an amazing video from the American Museum of Natural History. You and your children will start by hovering over the Himalayas before rising above the Earth and into space. This virtual field trip will take you to the farthest reaches of known space before returning you safely home again.

Don’t miss this stunning Tour the known universe .

3.The Nine Planets Solar System Tour

Head off on a virtual interactive tour of the solar system with The Nine Planets Solar System Tour. You’ll be able to view the solar system along with the constellations behind it. And you’ll also study each of the planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus. In addition, you’ll explore the composition of the dwarf planets or the sun, and take a closer look at various moons.

The Nine Planets Solar System Tour is a beautiful space virtual field trip.

4. International Space Station Tour

Expedition 33 Commander Suni Williams will take you on a tour of the International Space Station. You’ll learn about the different modules such as Harmony, Destiny, and Columbus. You and your kids will see the observation deck as well as the command post.

The International Space Station Tour is a fascinating glimpse of life in outer space.

5. Explore 3D Virtual Sites in Space

This site allows you to download and view 13 different sites in space, sites such as the Moon, Saturn, Pluto, Ceres, and the Milky Way Galaxy. Your kids will be fascinated by these glimpses into other worlds.

Head over and explore these virtual sites in space .

6. U.S. Space and Rocket Center

Tour the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville Alabama. See how large the rockets were. Take a look at a mockup of the lunar lander. And glance inside the mobile quarantine facility.

The US Space and Rocket Center Tour is an incredible glimpse into the history of US Space exploration.

7. Boeing Virtual Field Trip

Head over the Boeing for a trip to the historic Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. You and your kids will see inside the Starliner/CST-100, check out the Starliner simulator, meet some Boeing employees, and much more!

Take the Boeing Virtual Field Trip!

8. Tour of the Moon in 4K

Head to the moon for a tour in 4K! You’ll check out the Orientale Basin, the Shackleton Crater, the Apollo 17 Mission landing site, and more. Plus there are videos about how the moon evolved and seeing the Earthrise on the moon.

Tour of the Moon in 4K is an unforgettable space virtual field trip!

9. Virtual Planetarium: Sun, Moon, Stars

In the virtual planetarium show, “Sun, Moon, and Stars”, you’ll check out the sun’s daily path, classify start, note common constellations, and more.

Watch the Virtual Planetarium: Sun, Moon, Stars today.

Your and your children will love these space virtual field trips that explore the universe.

You’ll see the sun, the moon, and the stars. Meet people designing our future in space. And learn what life is like on the International Space Station.

>> Check out more virtual field trips you can take from home!

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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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