President & Mrs. Obama Team With Google Art Project For Virtual Tour Of The White House

The People's House in 360 degree StreetViews...
In a continuing effort to be on the cutting edge of digital technology and social media, President Obama and First Lady Obama have allowed Google to bring its StreetView technology inside the most historic home/museum in America. Unveiled at 12:01 AM on Tuesday morning: A 360 degree virtual tour of the public rooms of the White House at GoogleArtProject.com, which already has a major online collection of the world's art. Virtual visitors will see 139 artworks by 96 artists that are displayed in the White House, as well as china, floral arrangements and a couple of left-over backpacks sitting on antique chairs, but off-limits are things such as the kitchen and the Old Family Dining Room. (Above: StreetView cameramen film the Presidential china collection in the China Room)

The White House is hailing the partnership as an accessibility initiative, "the latest step in President and Mrs. Obama’s efforts to truly make 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue 'The People’s House.'" In a new video introducing the project, Mrs. Obama invites the citizens of the world to see the inside of her home without leaving theirs.

"Go ahead, look around, enjoy the history and the beauty of these rooms," Mrs. Obama says. "Because after all, this is your house, too.”



“The White House isn’t simply a home to First Families or meeting space for world leaders, it’s also known as ‘The People’s House,’ a place that should be open to everyone. And that’s why we’ve made it a priority to invite young people, military families, and Americans of all ages to join us here at the White House,” Mrs. Obama says.

“Thousands of people have walked these halls and gazed at the artwork. They’ve examined the portraits of Washington, Lincoln, and Kennedy. They’ve imagined the history that’s unfolded here. And now you can do all of that without leaving your home. So go ahead, look around, enjoy the history and the beauty of these rooms. Because after all, this is your house, too.”

In this video, Google team members explain how they filmed the art and interior:



The embargoed-until-12:01 AM press release from the East Wing:

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the First Lady
_______________________________________
EMBARGOED UNTIL 12:01 AM APRIL 3, 2012

President and Mrs. Obama Team Up with Google Art Project to Continue Making the White House More Accessible

Users will be able to take an at-home 360-degree tour of the White House’s public rooms at www.GoogleArtProject.com

Washington – The White House today announced the latest step in President and Mrs. Obama’s efforts to truly make 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue “The People’s House”, by working with Google Art Project to create a virtual 360-degree tour of the White House’s public rooms. Since the President’s inauguration – when he and Mrs. Obama surprised guests attending public tours – the Obamas have worked to make the White House more open and accessible. Over three years later, approximately 2.5 million visitors have walked through the gates of The People’s House, including Residence tourists, guests at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll events, Fall and Spring Garden Tours, guests at State or Official Arrival Ceremonies and White House Kitchen Garden school group tours. Now through the Google Art Project, millions more will be able to virtually visit the White House.

“The White House isn’t simply a home to First Families or meeting space for world leaders, it’s also known as ‘The People’s House,’ a place that should be open to everyone. And that’s why we’ve made it a priority to invite young people, military families, and Americans of all ages to join us here at the White House,” Mrs. Obama says in a video welcoming digital users to explore the White House via the Google Art Project . “Thousands of people have walked these halls and gazed at the artwork. They’ve examined the portraits of Washington, Lincoln, and Kennedy. They’ve imagined the history that’s unfolded here. And now you can do all of that without leaving your home. So go ahead, look around, enjoy the history and the beauty of these rooms. Because after all, this is your house, too.”

The Google Art Project, which launched in February 2011, uses Google technology to allow users to view museum objects in high resolution and explore institutions through Google Street View. The new White House tour is part of a global expansion of the Google Art Project – today Google announced the project has new partnerships with 29 partners in 16 cities across the country.

The White House is the only building in the world that is simultaneously the home of a head of state, the executive office of a head of state, and is regularly open to the public for tours. For information and instructions on applying for a White House visit, please go to: http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/tours-and-events/
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