You might have seen one of these Google Street View cars roaming your neighborhood or recently used the Street View map search to envision exactly where you need to go. The technology behind Street View involves lasers bouncing off surfaces to compute distance, 360-degree panoramic views, stitching all the photos together using special algorithm processing and 3D modeling – all to provide the user a smooth transition during their search. Now, take all that technology and use it to view a landmark or the inside of a museum.
The Musical Instrument Museum is the latest cultural institution to have its galleries accessible online using Google’s Street View technology. People around the world will now be able to virtually tour MIM and view more than 5,000 instruments and associated objects from across the globe without ever leaving their home.
Explore MIM’s First Floor here
Explore MIM’s Second Floor here
To make this all happen the Street View team designed a trolley to photograph the interior of notable buildings and landmarks. The images were later stitched together and mapped to their location, enabling online viewers to seamlessly navigate from one room to the next as if they are walking through the space.
“Since MIM’s inception we have been committed to using technology to ensure our guests can connect with our collection on a multisensory level and be inspired by the stories that our exhibits tell. Working with Google Street View is a natural extension of that philosophy,” said Bob Ulrich, founder and board chairman of MIM. “MIM is a museum in constant evolution, so while viewers can get a taste of our collection online, there will always be new exhibits, objects and videos for guests to see when they visit in person.”
Other Arizona destinations using Street View include the Grand Canyon and Meteor Crater. The MIM is unlike any other music-related museum in the world because of it’s devotion to global musical instruments, how they’re made and how they’re played.
The Musical Instrument Museum is located at 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard in Phoenix (corner of Tatum and Mayo Boulevards, just south of Loop 101). For general museum information and a full schedule of events, or to learn about our Circle of Friends program, visit MIM.org or call 480.478.6000
For AZTB’s past coverage of technology and music click here
Graphics courtesy of MIM
