While most countries around the world are restricting citizens’ movements in order the slow the spread of the coronavirus, those fortunate enough have relished the various forms of entertainment the web and technology have on offer.

Here are some interesting new virtual experiences listed below:

Build your own museum – yes, you read right!

According to Smithsonian Magazine, thanks to an ever-growing catalogue of digital exhibitions, virtual tours and other online cultural offerings, art lovers sequestered at home amid the COVID-19 pandemic have plenty of options for socially distanced creative expression. For those who prefer a do-it-yourself approach to artistic appreciation, consider downloading “Occupy White Walls,” a free video game that allows users to design their own art gallery. Available on gaming platform Steam, the building experience features 2,200 unique architectural elements—including spiral staircases, art deco lighting and stained-glass windows—and more than 6,000 artworks ranging from Old Master paintings to contemporary creations.

Fancy a trip abroad?

With lockdown it might not seem possible, however, there are some options for virtual tourists. The Guardian reports that the Egyptian Tourist Board has invited the world into the 5 000-year-old tomb of Queen Meresankh III, for free! 

The tour is one of four virtual trips of historic Egyptian sites being promoted during lockdown. Beefed up with 3D modelling by Harvard University, this is true vicarious travel, offering a tangible sense of one of the finest tombs in antiquity plus information and computer reconstructions at a click. Just crank the central heating up to max for desert realism.

For those with a penchant for ruins, here’s another site which let’s you tour two recently excavated homes in Pompeii, according to Smithsonian Magazine.

In the video, Pompeii Archaeological Park Director Massimo Osanna narrates a tour of two Pompeiian homes that were entombed in ash alongside the rest of the city when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D. The director’s Italian remarks are translated into English in a statement and can also be read using YouTube’s auto-translate feature, according to HeritageDaily.

How about boarding a train?

Getaway magazine reports that Several rail lines across the world made videos of their famous journeys. Like a 19 km historic ride through Colorado that takes you along the Arkansas River on what is considered to be the most famed portion of the former Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad.

Or, if you find all these armchair pastimes a tad too decadent, you also have the opportunity to do some good by becoming a virtual volunteer. Volunteer from where you are, taking on small digital tasks like social media support, marketing, writing, translation, design, video mentoring, data capturing and more.

Remember, should you require information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, phone the Coronavirus Hotline Number: 0800 029 999 or send ‘Hi’ to 0600 123 456 on WhatsApp. Get the latest COVID-19 news updates on our fact page.