Virtual North Shore

Rising to the growing call for more ways to learn, create, and entertain from home, Chicago’s North Shore museums, libraries, and other organizations have scads of free options for you and your family to occupy your time. Tour historical collections from local and national perspectives, occupy the kids with stories and activities, or do some painting and crafting with expert guides in online workshops. Check your community library to find thousands of free movies and audiobooks, plus a deep well of research material for any project. Use some of this new space to expand your horizons in fresh ways.

Keep up with all of Chicago North Shore museums, history centers, art centers and other attractions as they continue to expand their online content and offerings. Know of any virtual experiences not listed here? Please let us know. 

Click here for our list of restaurants offering take out and delivery to add some tasty treats for your virtual adventures. 

Discover History Virtually and By Bike in Skokie
Offering a steady stream of engaging content across social media (including Museum Audio Tours via app), the Illinois Holocaust Museum includes virtual tours of many of their exhibits including the Notorious RBG: Virtual Exhibition Tour. Get a glimpse of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s extraordinary life and work. The museum also offers help to parents at home looking for educational interactive programs for their kids. If you’re getting antsy, set out solo or with a family member on a self-guided Historic Skokie Bike Tour from the Skokie Heritage Museum with views of Emily Oaks Nature Center, the restored Historic Engine House, and St. Peter Catholic Church built in the Gothic Revival style.

L: Notorious RBG: Virtual Exhibition Tour, Illinois Holocaust Museum, Skokie; R: Skokie Heritage Museum, Skokie

Take Flight and Keep the Kids Busy with Treats from Glenview
Enter the Home Zone! Check out the remote learning video series from Kohl Children's Museum. Build recycled towers from household items, make funky art brushes, and replicate other activities, experiments, and stories with your family. Get creative in your dining room as a Pinot's Palette artist guides you step-by-step in a live, virtual event. Watch how the Glenview Hangar One Foundation brings the Naval Air Station Glenview Museum to life with a local history of aviation and Wings Over Glenview: Personal Stories of Men Who Served documentary. Learn about the naming of the village from The Glenview History Center from the Glenview Area Historical Society. 

Virtual Classes: L: Khol Children's Museum, Glenview; R: Pinot's Palette, Glenview

Pick Evanston Greats or Evanston Paints
Scout the town’s rich past with Evanston History Center’s online database or other arts, history, culture from their online resources with free downloadable lessons and books and explore their new online live events in coming weeks. You can take a peek inside (and from above) in this brief video tour of Francis Willard House, the historic home of one of the most prominent social reformers of 19th century America. With self-guided painting classes, Amanda Evanston hosts several online workshops like The Secret Garden where you will create floral still-life scenes with easy-to-follow instructions. You can #museumfromhome in Stories from the Block where the Block Museum highlights of their collection that presents art across time, cultures, and media. Follow Assembly Creators for their Instagram “Live” Maker Workshop Series (@assemblycreatorsmarket). Each weekday morning features incredible people with different expertise: workout with fitness expert, tour a jewelry designer’s studio tour, and pick up a quick ukulele tutorial and sing-along. Take a (virtual) step inside the American Toby Jug Museum and explore over 8000 Toby and Character mugs around every corner at this unique museum. Staying home doesn't mean you can't rock out. Evanston SPACE is hosting All Dressed Up & Nowhere to Show virtual concert series.

L: Online Workshop, Amanda Evanston; R: Adoration of the Masters, Elizabeth Olds, Block Museum of Art, Northwestern University, Evanston

Step into Spring in Glencoe
While we might not be able to stop and smell the roses in person at the Chicago Botanic Garden right now, you can still take in the abundant greenery and blooming flowers via the garden's virtual offerings on their spring page. Enjoy a leisurely stroll along the water and over the bridge to Evening Island, pass the billowing trees, garderners hard at work and make your way all around the island back to the main path as you can practically smell the new blossoms. Revisit old favorite spots and find new ones to explore next time you can go. 

Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe

Explore Northbrook and Winnetka's Past
Get to know a bit more about the Village of Northbrook, its exploration, settlement, pioneer roads, development, and progress with resources from the Northbrook Historical Society. Test your local history chops and take the Shermerville–Northbrook Quiz. Be a part of history in the making as Winnetka History Society is asking for your family's experiences, photos and stories during this time. Through April 30, you can also watch the documentary Winnetka Story: The History of Winentka & the North Shore for free on their YouTube channel. Their website also includes interactive exhibits, virtual activities and more, so take some time to explore when visiting. 

T: Historic Northbrook, Northbrook Historical Society; B: Historic Winnetka, Winnetka Historical Society

Your Public Library
Our local libraries continue to provide a vast array of online goodies to help with any project or just keep us occupied. Don’t have a library card? No problem. Apply online and you can borrow materials and use online services for free any time. Download and stream books, audiobooks, magazines, newspapers, music, movies, and TV shows, as well as tons of kids’ resources. Librarians are available via email to help with any questions. Working from home can be easier with access to massive research and news resources. Find the link to your local library here: Evanston, Glencoe, Glenview, Northbrook, Skokie, Wheeling, Winnetka.

 

 

This entry was posted in Attractions, Museums, and tagged Chicago Botanic Garden, Chicago North Shore, Chicago's North Shore, Downtown Evanston, Evanston, Glencoe, Glenview, Holocaust Museum, Illinois Holocaust Museum And Education Center, Illinois Holocaust Museum, Illinois, Kid-friendly, Local Business, Local Businesses, Museum, North Shore Chicago, North Shore, Northbrook, Skokie, Special Exhibits, Spring On Chicago's North Shore, Spring On The North Shore, Things To Do On The North Shore, Things To Do, Wheeling, Winnetka, .