As NJ continues to practice safe social distancing, many museums, zoos, and other cultural experiences are sadly no longer open. However, you can still take in many of these sights right from your computer, phone, or tablet. Due to the COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) pandemic, many places now offer virtual tours you can explore from home.
Of course, we know the best way to experience artwork is at a museum; and nothing beats seeing animals in person at the zoo, rather than watching them online. But watching something in the comfort of your home is better than nothing at all (and safer, too). With this in mind, here are our picks for The Best Virtual Tours. This list features places in NJ as well as famous spots around the world.
Quick Click Guide: Click below for virtual tours in New Jersey and around the world.
| Virtual Tours from New Jersey | Virtual Tours from around the World |
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Virtual Tours from New Jersey
Cape May Zoo in Cape May
Real World Address: 707 U.S. 9, Cape May Court House
Details: The Cape May Zoo now offers a daily, live virtual tour Monday through Friday starting at 11:30 am. Each day, the zoo will feature a short clip of a different animal and teach you about it. For instance, the previous days’ animals include primates, a North American river otter, and a silver fox. Each clip then ends with a challenge you can do at home.
Start the Virtual Tour: Click here.
Hoboken Historical Museum
Real World Address: 1301 Hudson St, Hoboken
Details: It may not surprise you to know that this museum teaches the history of Hoboken. Now, thanks to Google Maps, you can take a virtual tour of the museum using a 360-degree view of their “Mapping the Territory” exhibit. They also have wide-angle, high-res photos of many of their past and present exhibits. For example, some recent exhibits focus on Hoboken’s relationship with the Hudson River and its role as a sweets producer. Meanwhile, other exhibits include the city’s shipping history and a tribute to the movie On the Waterfront about Hoboken; as well as the city’s contributions to the world of music and its struggle and revival through the 1970s.
Start the Virtual Tour: Click here.
Morris Museum
Real World Address: 6 Normandy Heights Rd, Morristown
Details: The Morris Museum is the only Smithsonian affiliate in the state. The virtual tour includes exhibits like the Murtogh D. Guinness Collection, which displays 150 antique mechanical musical instruments and moving figures from the late 16th though early 20th centuries.
Start the Virtual Tour: Click here.
The Museum of Cape May County
Real World Address: 504 U.S. 9, Cape May Court House
Details: The Cape May County Museum spans three historic buildings. Exhibits focus on county life from Native American times through the 21st century; in particular, you’ll see how life changed by studying a Colonial period home, 1830 Federal period addition, carriage shed, and barn from 1780.
Start the Virtual Tour: Click here.
Van Ripper Hopper House
Real World Address: 533 Berdan Ave, Wayne
Details: This museum is on the state and national Registers of Historic Places thanks to its unique construction and design. Along the virtual tour, you’ll explore the lower rooms which house 18th and early 19th century furnishings. You can also check out the community gardens, herb garden, and archaeology lab.
Start the Virtual Tour: Click here.
Virtual Tours from Around the World
Anne Frank House
Real World Address: Westermarkt 20, 1016 GV Amsterdam
Details: The Anne Frank House offers educational programs and tours of where the famous diary writer and her family hid during World War II. During the tour, you can watch videos about her life and explore the Secret Annex where she was living; you’ll also see the house where she resided before going into hiding.
Start the Virtual Tour: Click here.
Guggenheim Museum
Real World Address: 1071 5th Ave, New York
Details: This internationally renowned art museum is an architectural icon of the 20th century. In fact, the Guggenheim Museum in New York is the heart of an international network of museums. Their online collection features over 1,700 artworks by more than 625 artists. Meanwhile, you can use their search database to view art from the late 19th century through the present day. Some of the eras they showcase include Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, Modern, and Contemporary.
Start the Virtual Tour: Click here.
The Louvre
Real World Address: Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris
Details: The Louvre is one of the world’s most visited museums. That fact is no less true now that people are staying indoors, because they also offer a virtual tour. You can now visit the museum’s exhibition rooms and galleries right from your home. Some of their collections on digital display include pieces from the Pharaonic period. In addition, you can view the remains of the Louvre’s moat (the museum was originally a fortress). The tour also includes the Galerie d’Apollon, a ceiling which pays homage to Louis XIV.
Start the Virtual Tour: Click here.
Van Gogh Museum
Real World Address: Museumplein 6, 1071 DJ Amsterdam
Details: This museum houses the largest Van Gogh collection in the world, including 600 artworks and 700 letters. You can tour the inside of the museum and learn about the Dutch artist’s life on this virtual tour.
Start the Virtual Tour: Click here.
Top (Hero) Photo: © Zarya Maxim / Adobe Stock
Other Photos (in Order) Courtesy:
Hoboken Historical Museum / Facebook
Van Hopper House / Website
Anne Frank Museum / Website
Van Gogh Museum / Website
