Museums, educational centers, galleries and other cultural centers in Florida are closed to visitors to prevent the spread of COVID-19. But many are offering online art and science programs to engage people while they keep appropriate social distance.
The following list provides you with links to some virtual exhibitions, movies, ideas for activities at home and educational programs in the greater Tampa Bay region. (Editor's note: If you have one to share, email news@wusf.org with the details.)
ART
- Art Coast Journal: Creative Pinellas is offering a list of online resources with music, films, visual arts, theatre, stories and visual arts. The journal is also providing information on emergency grants and resources for artists.
- Asolo Rep Engage: Sarasota's Asolo Repertory Theatre is working on a new educational online platform. It is planned to engage people with the theater experience remotely. The platform can be accessed through social media.
- Morean Arts Center: The Morean Arts Center is inviting the public to participate in an artistic tribute to the official bird of St. Petersburg, the brown Pelican. Creators, makers, and artists are encouraged to submit an entry form with the $10 entry fee prior to Friday, May 22. Any work of art featuring a pelican is eligible for the show. The details of the exhibit of submitted and accepted artwork will be announced at a later time.
- Tampa Theatre Virtual Cinema: Tampa Theatre is working to support virtual screenings of new and specialty movies, so the audience can still watch them at home. Three-day streaming will cost $11.50.
- The Dalí Museum: The Dalí Museum has transitioned a curated set of materials onto TheDali.org. This includes the Museum’s award-winning virtual reality experience, Dreams of Dalí, The Dali’s 360 tour, numerous self-guided tours on The Dalí Museum App, plus several online-only exhibits. The Museum’s current special exhibit, Midnight in Paris: Surrealism at the Crossroads,1929, will transition to an online version as well, reminiscent of what visitors would have seen on site. All of the ways to experience the museum digitally in one comprehensive location can be found here.
- The Florida Orchestra: Live recordings of TFO concerts will be broadcast on Classical WSMR 89.1 and 103.9 FM radio at 7 p.m on Thursdays. The recordings will also be available at WSMR.org for 45 days after the original broadcast of the concerts.
The Studio@620: As a way to keep everyone connected, The Studio@620 will present virtual programs on their Facebook page via live stream through the upcoming month. These virtual events include: - Uncle Bends: A Virtual Theatrical Event, streaming live on Thursday, April 30 at 7 p.m.
- Poetry Open Mic hosted by Keep St. Pete Lit via Facebook Livestream every Wednesday during quarantine at 7 p.m.
- The Radio Theater Project has recorded an archive of previous performances that will be available anytime via Soundcloud.
- Wordier Than Thou, the monthly short story and prose open mic event regularly held at The Studio, will be broadcasting frequent readings live readings from the groups Facebook page.
- Virtual Inspire Sarasota Family Festival: The Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County has moved its Inspire Sarasota Family Festival online this year to celebrate local youth’s artistic accomplishments. All the videos of performances will be available on the festival website. Students who want to participate can contact the organizers through email communications@sarasotaarts.org.
Credit The Florida Orchestra
SCIENCE
Credit https://www.facebook.com/watch/BishopScienceFL/
- Virtual MOSI: The Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa is offering online field trips and educational programs via its Facebook page. The museum will stream 15-minute video sessions on weekdays at 1:30 p.m.
- Bishop Museum: The Bishop Museum will stream live or recorded sessions on different topics regarding science and nature every day at noon via Facebook. The museum is also offering online museum tours through the “Bishop Pathways” free app for smartphones and tablets.
CHILDREN
Credit https://greatex.org/
- Great Explorations Children’s Museum: The St. Petersburg museum has opened a new online platform called Great Ex At Home. It offers free games, activities, books and videos for children of all ages. The platform also provides information for parents on how to talk to children about Coronavirus and they are selling a S.T.E.A.M Kit filled with activities that children can do at home.
HISTORY
Credit https://www.facebook.com/TheFHM/
- Florida Holocaust Museum: The museum based in St. Petersburg is launching weekly educational series with testimonies on Tuesdays, artifact highlights on Wednesdays and lessons on Thursdays, all at 1 p.m. The series will be on the museum’s Facebook page. The museum also announced that a virtual tour of the permanent exhibition, History, Heritage, and Hope, is now accessible online at TheFHM.org/learn/virtual-tour. The exhibit features original artifacts, videos, and photos as it presents the history of the Holocaust.
- Henry B. Plant Museum: The historic building based on the University of Tampa campus offers online exhibits on its web page, including Spanish-American War Stories. It also offers “Upstairs /Downstairs” Livestreams where they show performances simulating staff members and guests of the Tampa Bay Hotel.
- Lake Wales History Museum: Virtual opportunities are being offered at the museum, as well as online videos of behind the scenes activities, curious items from the museum’s collection, virtual views of historic locations around Lake Wales, and a virtual tour of the new exhibit, "Infamy: December 6, 1941." The museum is also offering virtual talks and virtual resources during this time for families and educators at home.
- St. Petersburg Museum of History: St. Pete in a Snap: Stories of Our Past, offers viewers a digital look into the museum as well as a peek in to the abundance of stories that make up the city’s unique community.
Read More: Coronavirus Coverage On WUSF
OTHER
- USF 3D Virtual tours: The Digital Heritage and Humanities Collection of the University of South Florida offers virtual tours of St. Petersburg Parks, the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, museums and 3D World Heritage Tours featuring Guatemala ruins. These tours can be found online for free and also include the VR experience.
