7 incredible ways to get your culture fix without leaving your home

7 incredible ways to get your culture fix without leaving home

3 years ago

You might be stuck at home, but there's no need to miss out on culture and creativity, as the Jennis team and you guys prove

With the lockdown extended for another 3 weeks, you might be wondering how you and the family are going to stay entertained.

The good news is that lots of world-famous organisations, from art galleries and museums to zoos and breweries, have been using ingenuity and innovation to open their doors for virtual tours, visits and lessons, and the Jennis team and our lively social community have been taking full advantage.

Missing your weekly pub quiz? We’ve got you covered. Want to see how the Queen does lockdown? Then we have a seat her virtual afternoon-tea table. And want to take the kids to the zoo? No problem. Read on for our round-up of 7 cultural activities to try this weekend, as recommended by us and you. .

1. London Zoo

If your kids need entertaining, here’s the next best thing to a day at the zoo: a virtual tour of London Zoo . It would normally be packed with visitors at this time of year, but now you can walk around with the zookeepers as they get on with the business of looking after the animals during lockdown. Don't miss the meerkats' Easter egg hunt, but also look out for squirrel monkeys, pygmy hippos, giraffes, tigers and penguins. Expect webcams, behind-the-scenes updates and plenty of ‘aahh!’ moments. Find out more .

Recommended by Mark and Rosa on Facebook:

Rosa (who is 4) is obsessed by these mongoose pups . She keeps coming back to this video!

2. Buckingham Palace

Fancy visiting The Queen’s official residence? Now’s your chance to explore the staterooms but without the crowds. Filmed by Google Arts and Culture, the palace tour uses Google’s Street View technology to give you a nosey through some of her majesty’s home. You’ll also get the chance to gawp at some truly luscious designer fashion – the filming was initially done for a London Fashion Week 2018. Find out more .

Recommended by Ailish McKendry, Social Media Director, Jennis:

This is a sumptuous treat to view, especially as the palace is usually only open for a few months of the year.

3. National Theatre’s Treasure Island

Photo credit: Johan Persson

The National Theatre has been treating us to an array of classic theatre productions each week through its YouTube channel , and this week it's the turn of Polly Findlay's production of Robert Louis Stevenson's pirate-packed Treasure Island .

Released to rave reviews back in 2014, whether you're a theatre buff or not, it's worth tuning in for its swwashbuckling special effects and twist on the classic tale.

If you like this, next week it’s Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night , starring Tamsin Greig (Green Wing, Shaun of the Dead, Friday Night Dinner).

Recommended by Emily G, Instagram:

I loved James Corden in the National Theatre’s One Man, Two Guvnors home streaming last week and think this is a really clever way to get people (and my kids) back into plays.

4. Netflix Party

If you’re missing movie nights with your mates, you need Netflix Party, which allows you to stream movies or your favourite boxsets with your self-isolating mates. It works by synchronising video playback – so no more being annoyingly out of synch by a second. Instead, you’re all watching the exact same thing at the same time, just long-distance. It also has a chatroom function at the side of the screen for commenting on the screen action. Install the Netflix Party Google Chrome extension to get started. Looking for streaming inspiration? We’ve curated the best Netflix movies for movie nights.

Recommended by Maisie, Jennis fan:

I've really missed being able to catch up with my mates over our fave boxsets so this has been a godsend.

5. Tate Modern’s Warhol At Home

The Andy Warhol exhibition at the Tate Modern was only open for five days before lockdown started, but you can catch it now via the gallery’s virtual version. The curator-led video tour walks you through the empty gallery space, room by room, explaining the 100 different Warhol works on display through the lens of the immigrant story, his LGBTQI identity and his thoughts on death and religion.

Look out for his famous pop images of Campbell’s soup tins and Marilyn Monroe, but there are also less well-known works that haven’t been displayed for 30 years. “This is the most unorthodox Warhol survey I’ve seen,” says the Evening Standard . The exhibition runs until September 20th 2020. Find out more .

Recommended by Danielle Welton, Head of Content at Jennis:

I love Warhol, so this has been a great chance to see some of his amazing works for free.

6. BrewDog online bar

Now the pub can come to your living room thanks to BrewDog’s new online bar concept. With interactive events, including beer tastings, home brew masterclasses, online quizzes and live music, you can now (almost) get a pub atmosphere at home. Find out more .

Recommended by Louis Smith, Social Media Director, Jennis:

If you're missing the pub, this is an ingenious way to bring a little dash of pub spirit straight to you.

7. Bread Ahead Bakery

You can't beat the smell of fresh bread and cakes, so try honing your baking skills. Artisan bakers Bread Ahead Bakery School offer live baking tutorials at 2pm each day on their Instagram channel , sharing their skills and top tips: view upcoming bakes here , from cinnamon buns to croissants, so you can bag your ingredients.

But if doughnuts are your thing, for £25 per person, try signing up to one of their two-hour online doughnut workshops which run on Fridays and Saturdays. As well as learning how to make scrumptious doughnuts, you’ll also prepare custard fillings and honeycomb. Find out more.

Recommended by Carole Beck, Content Editor, Jennis:

My kids and I have been baking up a storm with the live baking tutorials. It's been truly delicious!