Social distancing means that events and exhibitions may be on hold for a while, but you can still enjoy a wealth of culture online.

Culture on call

Hampshire Cultural Trust is responsible for 23 museums, galleries and art centres across the county, containing more than two and a half million objects. With their doors shut, curators have delved into the archives to create an interactive online museum packed with videos, quizzes, and articles investigating some of the objects in the collection – from a 17th century casket embroidered by a young girl living in Oliver Cromwell’s Commonwealth to the works of contemporary British artist Jake Wood-Evans.

cultureoncall.com

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God’s House Tower

It has taken seven years to refurbish Southampton’s 700-year-old landmark God’s House Tower into the city’s newest arts centre. And after only five months the venue has been forced to close its doors again. But owners A Space Arts have not taken it lying down, launching a new Stay At Home website, offering a virtual tour of artist Laura Eldret’s new show. The site also has art workshops, interviews and live events such as the weekly lunchtime lectures and Old Town Bingo.

godshousetower.org.uk/whats-on/stay-at-home-our-page-to-help-you-survive-total-lockdown

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Bert, His Dog, Our God

Painter Gary Bunt was set to bring his touring cathedral exhibition Bert, his dog, our God to Winchester in May and June. The tour was cut short when it reached Ely Cathedral, but London’s Portland Gallery has created a short work featuring some of the 51 works in the exhibition, and their accompanying stories.

Click here to view a video tour of the exhibition

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Hampshire Wine School

With face-to-face tastings currently banned, Hampshire Wine School has been hosting virtual tastings on Zoom every Saturday and Wednesday from 7pm. Logging on costs £10 per household, with details of upcoming tastings posted in advance so guests can nip to the supermarket in advance. Previous tastings have covered Chilean and Spanish wines as well as cheese and wine pairings.

hampshirewineschool.com

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National Garden Scheme

The National Garden Scheme had to close its doors this summer for the first time in its 93-year history. But many of the stunning gardens will be open for virtual tours, raising funds for nursing and health charities. Among the first to virtually open his garden was Hampshire’s own Alan Titchmarsh. Find the short film of Alan’s garden, and other virtual tours of gardens across the country, which will be added to every Thursday.

ngs.org.uk/virtual-garden-visits

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Jane Austen House Museum

Jane Austen House Museum was planning to show new items in its collection to visitors this spring.

The museum, which is based in Jane’s family home in Chawton, has launched a new website following a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The site features a series of short videos narrated by collections and interpretations manager Sophie Reynolds about the new pieces, which include a miniature of Mary Pearson, who was briefly engaged to Jane’s brother Henry and may have inspired the character of Lydia Bennet, three portraits of the Steventon-based Digweed family and a hand-painted Mr Darcy fan by Aafke Brouwer.

janeaustens.house

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