Information technology and museums: Exhibits of the British Museum are available in Google Street View

The British Museum in London was the first institution in the world that have had all galleries and collections in Google Street View (mode "Street View" maps on Google). As part of the project virtual exhibitions "Cultural Institute" Google users, without leaving home, can take a stroll through the halls of the museum - even those that are closed to regular visits - and all the details to consider more than 4, 5 thousand exhibits.

Internet search engine has been digitizing objects of the British Museum for 15 months. Survey was carried out in high resolution using a special camera on wheels and lighting equipment, which allowed achieving uniform illumination of all the rooms.

According to museum director Nick McGregor the Street View project will allow visitors avoiding the queues and enjoy its exhibits "sitting at home". Users, for example, will be able to see the pearl of the British Museum - the Rosetta Stone, which is stored there since 1802, and "Directions of senior court lady" - a scroll of Chinese artist Gu Kaizhi (IV-V century), which is too fragile to long time to put it in public.

At the same time, McGregor said that the Virtual Tour was no substitute for this campaign in the British Museum. The project's objective - to inspire and motivate people to come and enjoy the live collection.