In the age of COVID-19, museums and other cultural institutions have been forced to find new ways to reach audiences. For some, this process began years ago and simply accelerated during the pandemic. For others, this is unchartered territory. They were left scrambling to acquire the need equipement and expertise in order to program in the digital age. The Westcott Center for Architecture + Design thankfully fell somewhere in the middle. We were equiped, but had never envisioned the need to offer virtual version of experiential programs. Why would we? A tour is an experience; it is the sun hiting a stained glass window... the smell of a cherry tree while strolling past Victorian houses... the sound of your footsteps echoing in a large hall... the taste of Mother Stewart's beer while explore the brewery. How do you translate this to the virtual world. Simple answer... your do not. Instead, you hope that virtual programs will satisfy the some of longing for spaces that bring us joy, while making us miss, all the more, the experiences that can only be shared in person. At Westcott, our Education Committee debated best practices for months. In the end, we settled on a combination of 5 to 6 minute mini-documentaries, called Virtual Visits, along with a few live virtual tours.

Below is our latest Virtual Visit. If you want to see more, click on the "Videos" tab above or "Watch More Videos" below. Enjoy! 

Oracle's Vision by Ronald Bladen (1981)