If you’re stuck inside and have already gone through your entire Netflix queue, it’s time to start branching out and thinking about what kinds of experiences you use the internet for! Institutions all over the globe are beginning to share more and more experiential content online, which is a fantastic way to feel connected to the outside world, and to help keep your brain stimulated and sharp. Here are five Pennsylvania-based institutions who are contributing to this cultural movement:
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The Philadelphia Museum of Art‘s Digital Collection is an incredible way to explore some highlights from the deep vaults of this prestigious institution. More than half of the works in its extensive collection are online (155,227 so far!), with more being added every week. While nothing can take the place of seeing a painting, drawing, photo or sculpture in real life, this well-organized database on PMA’s website truly is the next best thing. The content is categorized by collector or by artist; we suggest choosing one artist at a time, looking up his or her biography on Wikipedia, and then immersing yourself in a number of their works for a mini-crash course. As it’s still International Women’s Month, we suggest starting with Mary Cassatt, Georgia O’Keeffe, Kara Walker or Elsa Schiaparelli.
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The Philly Free Library is majorly stepping up the amount of digital content available through its website. There are tools for those learning from home, ebooks, streaming content and much more. Many of these require a library card, but one cool thing that’s available to everyone are the Author Events on YouTube that the Library has been uploading. These conversations, which clock in mostly between 45 and 65 minutes, can introduce you to engaging authors and thinkers from the comfort of your couch.
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Pittsburgh Public Theater is innovating how it interacts with its community with a new program called PlayTime. On Thursdays and Fridays at 7 p.m., PPT is using the video meeting platform Zoom to launch a new online reading series, hosted live by Artistic Director Marya Sea Kaminski. PlayTime will bring classic plays and the work of local writers right to your digital device! The series kicked off with excerpts from Shakespeare’s Henry V, and the second installment will be a reading of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Ernest. This series is free of charge, but consider a small donation to support the guest artists and costs of the program, if you’re able! Sign up for PlayTime here.
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Visit Bucks County has set up 3-D Tours of museums and landmarks, like Silver Lake Nature Center, 1870 Wedgwood Inn of New Hope and Sine’s 5 & 10 (oh, what we wouldn’t give to sit at that counter and drink a milkshake right now!). The “excursions” can provide a welcome distraction, especially on bad-weather days, and can add a bit of comfort to see familiar places, even from a virtual distance.
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Families are already starting to grapple with the reality of kids being home 24/7: Pittsburgh Children’s Museum is ready to help with its Museum at Home resources. The brand new Let’s Try… video series on YouTube introduces crafting concepts, like knotting, weaving and embroidery, to school-aged children. If you’re able to safely go outdoors, the Let’s Go Outside gives kids fun prompts, like planting shelling peas or digging for worms.
Bonus: The PA Dept. of Agriculture‘s blog Food for Thought has provided readers with guidance over the past few weeks on COVID-19-related topics, like guidelines for safety in community feeding and pet pantry resources. It recently published a feature with a fun scientific activity to try at home: sprouting seeds! We love family-friendly DIY projects like this, projects that don’t require a lot of special tools, materials or skills. We hope to see more ideas from PA Ag!
What local resources have you been relying on to stay mentally active and connected to your interests while practicing social distancing? Please share with us here, or on the PA Eats Facebook page!
- Feature photo: Raw Pixel
