13 Immersive Virtual Tours and Experiences to Help With Boredom

As the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of us have one task to keep in mind — stay at home.

While there are many things we can no longer do, thankfully, many of our everyday activities can still be carried out virtually, including remote work and a plethora of online and home activities. 

Looking for an educational virtual day out? Here are 13 virtual tours and experiences that will help to stave away the boredom.

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1. There's never been a better time to try Disney's virtual rides

Since 2016, the YouTube channel "Virtual Disney World" has been uploading 360-degree experience videos of Disney rides, all of which are virtual reality headset compatible. Dreaming of being in Disney World? Grab a virtual reality headset and you're not far off.

2. Take a virtual tour of the Great Barrier Reef alongside David Attenborough

Anyone who's seen BBC's Blue Planet or Netflix's Our Planet knows there's nothing quite like being guided through incredible wildlife footage via David Attenborough's soothing tones. Here's a Great Barrier Reef virtual tour, guided by the man himself.

3. The first-ever 3D VR experience filmed in space

The 'overview effect' refers to a striking shift in cognitive perception that many astronauts feel when looking down at our fragile planet from space. This groundbreaking 360-degree 3D video, captured from the International Space Station (ISS) and featuring narration from astronauts Chris Hadfield, Mae Jemison, Mike Massimino, and Nicole Stott, allows you to view Earth from space like never before. 

4- A virtual Northern Lights experience live-streamed from Canada

The Aurora Borealis, also known as Northern Lights, is a huge draw for tourists worldwide. With countless plans being canceled as a result of COVID-19 lockdown worldwide, we've no doubt that many people missed out on booked trips to go see them. Thanks to Explore.org, you can still see them in a live virtual experience. 

5. Experience the Amazon rainforest in virtual reality

Thanks to Conservation.org, you can now also immerse yourself in the soothing virtual surroundings of the world's largest rainforest, the Amazon. The organization aims to raise awareness on the issue of deforestation via its stunning virtual reality experiences.

6. Join a group of artists, architects, and researchers on a voyage to Antarctica

Three years ago, a group of artists and scientists got together to explore and perform in Antarctica. Thanks to AirPano, you can put a VR headset on, or watch in 360-degrees in 4K, and go along for the ride. 

7. Take a virtual tour of the National Museum of Computing

Something so many of us rely on immensely today —even more so in the lockdown— is our computers. If you'd like to learn about the history of computer's we highly recommend trying the National Museum of Computing's virtual tour — a great way to learn about that device you connect to the world with, via that device you connect to the world with.

8. Watch puffins from Georgia Aquarium's live webcam

Though Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, U.S. had to close down, you can, thankfully still check out those puffins and make sure they're doing ok — all thanks to a live webcam from underwater. Frankly, for parents, it's probably a great way to keep the kids distracted while you get a bit of remote work done.

9. Swim with dolphins in a 360-degree experience

One of those big bucket list experiences comes to your living room thanks to the work of VIEMR. Join divers in a calming experience as they swim with a pod of dolphins in a 360-degree experience. For any thrillseekers out there, we also recommend the company's Red Bull Formula 1 VR experience.

10. Visit The Louvre, Paris from home

Ever wanted to go to the Louvre during a trip to Paris but didn't quite make it? No problem. The Louvre has a great virtual tour that allows stay-at-home art and history lovers to learn about the likes of Egyptian antiquities, the Remains of the Louvre’s Moat, and, of course, the famous Mona Lisa, all from the comfort of their sofa. The tour has an easy-to-use minimap that makes navigating the iconic museum a breeze.

11. Visit a 5,000-year-old Egyptian tomb in a new virtual tour experience

Though all tours of Egypt's classical pyramids are currently off-limits, a virtual tour has just opened, allowing anyone unique insight into the 5,000-year-old tomb of Queen Meresankh III. Thanks to a 3D modeling technique implemented by Harvard University, the tour is incredibly immersive and easy to navigate.

12. Check out NASA's virtual museum tours

Astronauts can teach us a thing or two about dealing with isolation and confinement. They can also teach us a lot about space and the universe. That's why it's worth checking out the virtual tour for NASA's famous Langley Research Center in Virginia, as well as NASA's immersive app for their Space Center at Houston, which provides virtual tours, and augmented reality experiences.

13. Take a virtual tour of famous Cambodian historical temple, Angkor Wat

Virtual Angkor's VR experience comes via a collaboration between virtual history specialists, archaeologists, and historians that spent months bringing the Cambodian historical landmark of Angkor Wat to life. More detailed than your average 360-degree video tour, VIrtual Angkor goes deep into the history of the site.