Skip to Main Content

Virtually Visit the International Space Station

Virtually Visit the International Space Station
Credit: Shutterstock

After several months of social distancing and staying home, a lot of people are experiencing major wanderlust. And given that we’re still involved in a global pandemic, taking a break from Earth may seem especially tempting. Though we’re not quite there when it comes to space tourism, we can at least get a glimpse of what life is like in orbit, thanks to a virtual tour of the International Space Station (ISS).

As Travel + Leisure points out, one of the many amazing virtual trips you can take via Google Arts & Culture is a a 360-degree tour of the ISS. But this isn’t just pretty views of space: you actually get to explore the inside of the ISS, scrolling and clicking your way through narrow tunnels and rooms full of equipment.

If you have kids and want to take them on a virtual summer vacation to the ISS, Google Arts & Culture also has an interactive article featuring 10 out-of-this-world facts about the ISS. This includes stuff kids will be interested in, like how the astronauts filter their urine to turn it into drinking water, and all the ways human bodies change when spending long periods of time in space.

Beyond that, the Space Exploration page on Google Arts & Culture contains a variety of other space-related information, photos and interactive virtual exhibits. These include an inside look at the moon landing on July 20, 1969, other historic images from space travel of the past, a tribute to women who have gone into space, information on Galileo and space exploration, Canada’s development of the Avro Arrow, a day in the life of a cosmonaut and an exhibit on the Viking Mars Mission.

So if you’re still stuck at home and want to see and learn something new, this is an easy way to spend a few hours.