A new type of museum tour will help your COVID-19 vacation
Contributed
#MuseumFromHome began to trend after museums around the world closed to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
From the Louvre to the Museum of Modern Art, curators around the world have been entertaining and educating millions of at-home viewers by uploading virtual tours, interesting and entertaining facts, and never-before-seen content of their collections.
Alberta’s provincial historic sites and museums will be joining the #MuseumFromHome movement with new digital content uploaded every week – from educational content, to crafts for kids, to exclusive tours by museum staff. The campaign kicks off with an interview between Minister of Culture, Multiculturalism and Status of Women Leela Sharon Aheer and the Royal Alberta Museum about their immense bug collection.
“Our historic sites and museums may be temporarily closed for public safety, but our dedicated staff have created new ways to connect with Albertans and museum lovers around the world. We are going to show off what makes Alberta amazing and why everyone should visit Alberta, our sites and museums once they open again.” explained Aheer.
Turtle livestreams, prohibition and pysanky ahead! Viewers can check out the social media accounts of their favourite historic sites and museums each week for new content. Here’s a sample of what is available now:
• The Royal Alberta Museum’s livestream features Western Painted Turtles, Peacock Mantis Shrimp and other creatures from the Bug Gallery.
Follow #TankLifeTuesday for extra fun facts and features about the critters on the screen.
• Remington Carriage Museum’s latest video is on the province’s connection to Canada Dry and the prohibition era.
• The Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village has posted a video on how you can create your own pysanky (traditional decorated eggs), along with bread recipes.
• In its first video in an exclusive behind-the-scenes series, the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology shares a sneak peek of its collection, which spans the history of life on Earth – from some of the oldest known fossils, to the extinction of the dinosaurs, and beyond.
Support local artisans through online shopping The Royal Alberta Museum is joining thousands of retailers shifting to online shopping in the wake of COVID-19.
The museum shop’s online store is now live through the museum’s website. Everything from colouring books, activity kits and locally made products is available for delivery.