Free Virtual Experiences by Local Museums, Libraries, and Arts Groups to Check Out Now

New video performance series from Cincinnati Opera and Playhouse in the Park keep arts fans connected.
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Stuck at home, possibly with kids? Local museums, libraries, and arts groups offer virtual tours, performances, and education. Even better? These virtual experiences are free, unless otherwise noted.

Sloth Photograph Courtesy of Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden

Cincinnati Playhouse

Playhouse in the Park has commissioned 10 local playwrights to create “Monologues of Hope” to be performed by local actors and released on the Playhouse web site and social media as weekly videos. The first monologue, Hope, is available now—it’s written by Jennifer Joplin and performed by Annie Fitzpatrick. cincyplay.com/tickets/monologues-of-hope

Cincinnati Opera

“Apartment Arias” is a series of at-home musical performances by company artists such as Morris Robinson, Cincinnati Opera artistic advisor, and soprano Janai Brugger, both of whom starred in last summer’s production of Porgy and Bess. The short videos are posted on the Opera’s web site and social media. cincinnatiopera.org/apartment-arias

The Children’s Theatre

Watch full TCT shows on their YouTube channel—including their commissioned play celebrating the 100th anniversary of women’s right to vote, Suffragettes: With Liberty and Voting for All—and access podcasts, study guides, and games. Your child can also enter a video of themselves singing, dancing, or acting in a “March Madness” style competition, or audition for TCT’s 2020-21 season via YouTube and Vimeo. https://thechildrenstheatre.com/2020/03/tct-everywhere

Holocaust & Humanity Center

Learn more about survivors of the Holocaust who settled in Cincinnati through social media storytelling, a virtual book club, and survivor testimonies streaming on Facebook. You can also take a video tour of the museum space at Union Terminal. holocaustandhumanity.org/museum

Cincinnati Art Museum

Take a virtual tour of the 67,000 works in the permanent collection from your couch, and follow daily updates and Q&As with museum staff on Facebook. cincinnatiartmuseum.org/art/explore-the-collection, facebook.com/groups/CAMConnect

Cincinnati Museum Center

Wonder Zone offers more than a dozen 3- to 10-minute videos to “bring experiments and museum experiences into your home.” Subjects range from making slime and instant snow to learning the basics of electromagnets and inertia. cincymuseum.org/wonderzone

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

Learning-at-home activities are available, from musical crafts and activities to daily worksheets for those learning to play an instrument. You can also watch videos of or listen to CSO and Cincinnati Pops concerts or national classical music content from American Public Media. https://www.cincinnatisymphony.org/about/watch-listen/let-the-music-play

Cincinnati Zoo

Keep tabs on some of your favorite animals on the zoo’s YouTube channel, which is regularly uploading videos of keepers interacting with an ocelot, a porcupine, and (of course) Fiona. youtube.com/user/CincinnatiZooTube

Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County and Northern Kentucky Libraries

Check out e-books, audio books, magazines, movies, and TV series online with your library card, which you can sign up for at the sites. cincinnatilibrary.overdrive.com, kyunbound.overdrive.com

Mercantile Library

Daily Facebook book chats, poetry readings, and virtual book clubs. facebook.com/TheMercantileLibrary

ArtsWave

Partnering with The Well to stream new playlists of soothing music and recorded poetry readings to help create “mindful moments” during a stressful time. Also has a roundup of other local virtual arts programming. artswave.org/corona

Taft Museum of Art

Take a virtual tour of highlights from the museum’s permanent collection. taftmuseum.org/art/permanent-collection

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