Let's Get Digital: Virtual Attractions + Activities
By Ohio.org Staff
Posted On: Mar 23, 2020
Right now, it's all about bringing that real life experience to the screen. Museums and attractions in Ohio are bringing their collections, exhibits and projects online. From virtual tours to museums creating #museumgames, we've rounded up some notable happenings in the digital world.
Credit: Stan Hywet virtual tour, screenshot
Virtual Tours
National Museum of the Great Lakes: Take a look around the museum with their interactive tour. You can also take a tour of the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Ship, which was built in 1911 and earned the moniker "Queen of the Lakes." National Museum of the United States Air Force: Go from gallery to gallery as you walk the virtual halls of the museum. Or download the app and get a 360º interior view of an aircraft cockpit. Experience Columbus: To keep you feeling connected, Experience Columbus with Scott Woods is taking viewers on tours of local attractions. Every Friday at Noon, Scott will be led on a guided tour of well-known spots like the Columbus Museum of Art and Thurber House. Watch on Scott's Facebook for the video tours, and check Experience Columbus' page for updates. Historic Zoar Village: Explore and interactive map of the town and learn about the 26 19th century homes, plus other buildings like the Meeting House and Cider Mill. Glenn Research Center: Feel like an astronaut readying for space travel with the NASA Glenn Virtual Tours. Experience everything from Zero-G to a Supersonic Wind Tunnel.
Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens: take a virtual tour of the historic Manor House that starts on the first floor.
Credit: Columbus Metropolitan Museum of Art, Facebook
Digital Art Collections
Columbus Museum of Art: Scroll through more than 3,500 pieces of art. You can also watch curator Jonathan Weinberg's past talk from the opening of their most recent exhibit. They'll also be posting behind-the-scenes looks at certain exhibits, so keep an eye on their social media channels, and follow along with #myCMAatHome and #MyCMAstudio. Toledo Museum of Art: Each week, the Toledo Museum of Art spotlights a piece from their Collection with #ArtMinute. Learn more here, and follow along on their Instagram. The Cleveland Museum of Art: Search the museum's collection, even see some places in 3D! You can also get an up close look at art from their collection on Facebook with their #MuseumFromHome series. Taft Museum of Art: You can check out pieces from the museum thanks to the #TaftMuseumDiscovered hashtag on social media — all from the comfort of your couch. Or you can go website to see ighlights from their permanent collection. Akron Art Museum: The museum's digital collection is available for you to look through. But if you're looking for something a bit more interactive, check out their weekly crossword puzzle (shared on Facebook and Instagram). Each Sunday, they'll reveal a new clue to the crossword puzzle. The Akron Art Museum, as part of their campaigns, also launched programs around other activities like #MuseumAtHome and #TryThis.
Music & Entertainment
Local - and even internationally famous - musicians and music venues are hosting livestream concerts. Like Columbus-based musician Angela Perley, who hosted a "House Couch" Watch Concert. For an extra bonus, check out her music video, "Don't Look Back Mary," which was filmed in part at the Early Television Museum. Several Ohio libraries, like the Ohio Governor's Imagination Library, are also offering online and digital resources. Listen Columbus, part of Upper Arlington Public Library, streams their collection of local musicians; so you can jam away all day long. Other libraries have several collections available to occupy your time. From ebooks, audio books, to streaming TV, movie and even digital copies of magazines. Cleveland Public Library offers a selection of digital content perfect for your days. Take a look at their ebook Prime Picks and their free Library Apps available for download. Or you can learn a new skill online for free or a new language.
Credit: Blue Manatee, Facebook screenshot
