As the summer approaches, the pull to visit some of Virginia’s favorite places gets stronger. But, with the continued need to socially distance in order to protect our community from COVID-19, most venues are temporarily closed.
Now, thanks to technology, you and your family can take a virtual field trip to great places in our Commonwealth. You might even learn something new!
Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site
In the Jackson Ward neighborhood of Richmond stands the home of trailblazer Maggie L. Walker, visionary and businesswoman. The U.S. National Park Service offers I n Her Footsteps: a Virtual Tour of Maggie L. Walker’s Home through Google Arts & Culture, where you can see the parlor and dining room where Mrs. Walker entertained such influential guests as W.E.B. Dubois and Mary McLeod Bethune, as well as her home office and library where she ran the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank and her political and civil rights work.
In addition to the virtual tour of Mrs. Walker’s home, the National Park Service also offers other resources and lesson plans on the life and times of Maggie L. Walker, so your student can learn while home.
Monticello
For $10, an entire family can take a one-hour live virtual tour through Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello in Charlottesville. Virtual visitors get an private, unobstructed view of the house and will hear personalized discussions on important topics such as Thomas Jefferson’s role as nation builder as well as owner of a plantation powered by the labor of enslaved African Americans.
Using Zoom, visitors are paired with a Monticello guide who walks them through the first floor of the house. Guides answer any questions in real-time for an interactive, unique experience.
American Battlefield Trust
If you are longing for an outdoor experience from indoors, American Battlefield Trust offers a 360 degree experience of United States battlefields from The Revolutionary War, The War of 1812, and The Civil War. Visit Virginia’s battlefields in Appomattox, Yorktown, and Fort McHenry, to name a few - plus other battlefields throughout the country.
Try an App!
Looking for more virtual field trips? Try an app for your smartphone. Go to Common Sense Education’s top 31 picks for Virtual Field Trip Apps and Websites. Through them, you’ll open a whole new world of learning, right from your sofa.
