Travel and different day trips have been a tough thing to coordinate this past year! But like all other things, many popular locations and organizations have been quick to adapt, so it’s still possible to “travel” and try new things with your troop without leaving the comfort of home. If you haven’t been able to plan a trip in a while with your troop, or you’re just looking for something out of the box to try in your next meeting, virtual field trips can be a great (and free!) option to explore somewhere new or learn about a topic or area that your troop is interested in. There are tons of different virtual field trip options out there, so we decided to round a few up to help you get started. We hope your troop enjoys exploring a new place or activity with these different virtual field trips!
Unleash your Inner Artist
Does your troop love art? There are so many different art museums that you can now tour from the comfort of your own home! One of these virtual field trips would be a great follow-up to badges that focus on art.
- Art Institute of Chicago – learn about one of the oldest and largest art museums in the United States!
- Musee D’Orsay – (virtually) travel the world to Paris to view French art mostly dating from 1848-1914.
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art – located in New York City, the Met has more than 5,000 years of art from around the world to enjoy.
- The Van Gogh Museum – you don’t have to hop on a plane to visit Amsterdam! Your troop can view the largest collection of art by Vincent van Gogh virtually.
Learn more about STEAM
Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics, oh my! There are so many different STEAM virtual field trips that you can take with your troop to learn more about topics like space, engineering, and the environment.
- NASA – explore the Solar System and choose from tons of videos and learning opportunities.
- STEM Center of Excellence – join GSUSA to visit the STEM Center of Excellence and unleash your inner scientist!
- Idaho National Laboratory – visit the leading nuclear research facility in the country to learn about nuclear science and how it’s shaping our future.
For the Animal Lovers
If your troop loves learning about different animals, these are the virtual field trips for you! Learn about animals from around the world or visit a zoo from a different part of the country.
- Tundra Connections – learn about polar bears, the tundra ecosystem, and more with Discovery Education.
- Animal Jobs – the Smithsonian’s National Zoo has an entire video series about zoo jobs, what to go to school for, and what it’s like to work with animals for a living! This could be a great series to explore if girls in your troop would like to work with animals.
- Georgia Aquarium – visit the live underwater cams from the comfort of your own home!
- San Diego Zoo – visit this amazing zoo by watching some of their virtual education programs with your troop.
Explore the Outdoors
Many of us love hiking and exploring the outdoors in our own backyard, so this is a great option for a rainy day or for troops that want to explore other outdoor spots around the world.
- Yellowstone National Park – this beautiful national park is a nearly 3,500-sq.-mile wilderness recreation area atop a volcanic hot spot.
- Crater Lake National Park – formed by a volcanic eruption and collapse, this park is home to the deepest lake in the United States and part of the top 10 deepest lakes in the world!
- Channel Islands National Park – go under the sea with a live ocean webcam to explore rich marine life and the ocean environment at this park on California’s Southern Coast.
Visit a Historic Landmark
Is your troop interested in history, traveling to new cities, or visiting popular landmarks? Many places have virtual options to explore! Whether it’s taking a virtual trip to D.C. to see the White House or learning more about another country, this is a great option to learn something new with your troop!
- The Eiffel Tower – known as the most visited monument that you have to pay for in the world, you can learn more about the Eiffel Tower’s rich history with this virtual field trip.
- The White House – learn more about our Nation’s Capitol by taking a virtual tour of the art and decor in the White House.
- Virtual Walking Tours – do you want to learn about a new city? Take a virtual walking tour of cities like London, Paris, or Rome!