Virtual tour of Buckingham Palace launched by Google

Google has launched a virtual tour of Buckingham Palace – and it’s available on your smartphone.

The royal.gov website already offers a virtual tour online, but the Royal Collection Trust – which maintains the building – has teamed up with internet giant Google to take Buckingham Palace into the classroom.

© Chloe Howard 2013

You can now take a virtua tour of Buckingham Palace, thanks to Google. (Chloe Howard 2013)

Part of Google Expeditions, an arm of the company which alread allows people to visit the Great Barrier Reef vitually, is caling it a ‘virtual school trip’, which is made by putting a smartphone into a cardboard frame, to help you explore The Queen’s London home.

Seven rooms are available to wander, and as the viewer moves their head, the view of the room changes, making it an interactive experience.

The Grand Staircase, the Throne Room, the Blue Drawing Room, the White Drawing Room, the Ball Room are the State Rooms open to guests, as well as the Picture Gallery.

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Film was only taken last week; images from 16 cameras on circular tripods have been knitted together to form a seamless panorama of the rooms, and provide a very realistic expereince for the ‘visitor’.

Curators and members of the Palace staff assist in showing visitors the best parts.

Curators and members of the Palace staff assist in showing visitors the best parts.

Tony Johnstone-Burt, Master of the Household, and Curator of Paintings, Anna Reynolds, also feature, explaining the history behind the rooms, giving tidbits of information and revealing secrets, including a hidden door in the White Drawing Room.

A Google Cardboard viewer, for the most authentic experience, is available to buy for under £10, and features two eye lenses to enhance the footage. The panoramic video is also available on the Royal Youtube channel – watch it below.

After testing the scheme last year, Google asked children from the UK, United States, Ghana and Canada, where they most wanted to visit: Buckingham Palace came out on top, ahead of the White House and Space.

Jemima Rellie, Director of Content and Audiences at the Royal Collection, said: “Virtual reality technology is a game changer. It is the most immersive experience you can get without being at the Palace.

“It won’t replace visiting Buckingham Palace but is the next best thing if you can’t go there.”

“For schoolchildren, Buckingham Palace is one of the most iconic, magical buildings in the world. We’re terrifically excited that, thanks to the VR potential of Google Expedition, children, their teachers and families can visit the Palace wherever they live.”

Ms Rellie did not think the new tour would affect visitor numbers for the summer opening, but would encourage those who were able to visit if they could, and see the building in person.

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1 comment

Al Sharif Al Sheikh Dr Raad Al Anbaky Thu 21 January, 2016 - 1:15 pm

Thank You – Very Nice

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