Have cultural experiences been thrown a lifeline?

If there’s one thing which I think we can all agree on – we’re all missing doing something a little different. There’s only so much Netflix, parties of six, and covid convo one can take, and usually, a little injection of cultural exploration restores the balance.

For those who may have forgotten what it’s like to do something different, this could be watching a live theatre production (in an actual theatre). Or travelling to the edge of the earth to visit a rainforest or even taking a tour of the red-light district in Amsterdam. Whatever you deem a cultural experience, it is sorely missed.

So no surprise, Amazon has recently launched Amazon Explore. A virtual experience platform that is seeking to fill the void that cultural dystrophy is having on our appetite for experience. That’s right, who needs to travel or leave the same four walls when you can remain on your sofa and have it come to you?

Would you be inclined to splash $109 (approx. ￡84) to have a 60-minute virtual ‘stroll’ through the Markets of Venice? Personally, I’d rather wait and spend ￡40 on return flights and walk around the markets for as long as I wish free of charge.

And before anyone asks, the last thing I personally feel like doing at the moment is sitting a moment longer in front of the TV or laptop while paying to experience something which let's face it, was designed to be experienced in person. But hey ho, who am I to judge!

Let’s hope these human trials go to plan hey folks.