Petersen Automotive Museum holding free online lectures for students

The fascinating Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California, isn’t letting the fast-spreading Coronavirus stop it from quenching the public’s thirst for car knowledge. Although it’s closing its doors from March 15 to 31, it has begun streaming free, twice-daily lectures and other activities online.

Its online activities are largely aimed at students aged 12 and under, though anyone can tune in. The program consists of lectures held daily at 10 am Pacific time, and hands-on activities that begin at 1 pm. Each session will be accompanied by downloadable worksheets and coloring sheets to give parents constructive and creative ways to keep their kids occupied until schools re-open across America.

The first morning session on the schedule will teach students about the physics involved in making a car move by diving into topics like Newton’s laws, and the different types of energy. It will be followed by an afternoon session that will teach kids about Newton’s Third Law of Motion by showing them how to make a balloon car.

Other lecture sessions will explore the history of the automobile, teach students how to create their own license plates, and show them how to create car models using common household materials. The full schedule will be posted on a dedicated part of the museum’s official website, and it will be updated as events are announced.

“Future lessons will cover propulsion, aerodynamics, racing, and a host of other topics,” according to a statement published by the museum. The facility plans to remain closed to the general public until March 31, though it could keep its doors shut for longer if needed. If there’s a silver lining to confinement, it’s that even kids who live thousands of miles away from Los Angeles will have the opportunity to tap into the Petersen’s wealth of knowledge.