Technology Tidbit - Museum Treasure Troves

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(Part of our Stay-At-Home series focused on practical ways you can use a resource to foster creativity, connections, and collaboration.)

Maybe during our stay-to-home time is the best time to travel to other states or even other countries, just to visit Museums that we may never get the chance to see in person!  Museums both have had, and have been adding, lots of resources for parents, students and teachers the last several years.  Some of these include:

Virtual Tours

Apparently there are now 2,500 museums that offer virtual tours from home.  It would take a long time to visit all of them! You can find many of them through Google Arts & Culture.  Take, for example, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.  You can view many of the paintings viewable there - without the crowd - and even learn a bit about them from information added on the page.  Or go to Rome and see the Sistine Chapel. Here are some ways to you might engage students through a virtual tour:

  • Have students explore a museum in a city they would like to visit. Some possible questions to help them start: What is at the museum? When did it open?  Where is the museum located?
  • Make observations about a current exhibit together and generate questions about what else you'd like to know about it - maybe even email your questions to the museum!  
  • Ask them to learn more and share about an art form you have an interest in.
  • Have them find samples from different art periods  - this could even be something created and built as a group!

#Connections on Twitter

# (Hashtag) Searches

Museums are connecting with each other and others in creative ways right now.  For instance, yesterday (March 24) museums were sending each other (and sharing) artwork of flowers with each other using the Twitter #MuseumBouquet.  The beauty of Twitter is you can view these hashtag searches without an account. How can parents or teachers use these to engage our kids?  Here are a few ideas:

  • Have your kids scroll through and find a piece of art that intrigues them, then find out more about the artwork (depth of this will vary depending on the child's age)
  • Have your kids scroll through and find a piece of art that intrigues them, then find out more about the Museum - where it is located, what is found there, other interesting facts about it

Follow a Museum on Twitter

Many museums are posting pictures of the day, virtual tours of the day, activities, or have other resources available for students.  Maybe use a # Search to find a museum of interest to follow

Use a Museum Website

Many museums are posting activities, or have resources available for students.  Some examples:


Stay at Home - Play at Home - Learn at Home

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