As COVID-19 has forced businesses across the country to close, many tourist attractions and cultural venues have created virtual tours, to keep would-be guests entertained throughout lockdown. The British Library has opted for a slightly different approach to others when creating their online experience.
The British Library simulator has a retro look and feel similar to that of a classic arcade game such as Pac-Man, or Pokémon. Other attractions have attempted to recreate a realistic-looking walkthrough of their venue, where guests get to wander the halls of museums through their computer screens. Using the Bitsy game engine, the British Library have transported viewers back in time with pixels and basic colours, creating a more fun version of the virtual tour.
Through the simulator, guests can explore a pixelated version of the British Library building in London’s St. Pancras. Giulia Carla Rossi, Curator of Digital Publications at the British Library, has taken the time to construct the fun simulator. It is operated much like a retro arcade game, using the arrow keys, or WASD, on the keyboard, to navigate the way through the venue.
Users can interact with museum staff, other visitors, and objects as they navigate rooms. The project isn’t just designed to create web traffic, in a time where guests can’t physically visit the venue. The simulator’s launch follows work undertaken by the British Library alongside five other UK Legal Deposit Libraries, aiming to collect examples of complex digital publications.
The British Library came into existence in 1973 and holds one of the world’s largest collections of books manuscripts and periodicals. The venue is set to remain closed for now, with a statement on their website saying “To keep our users and all our staff safe and healthy we’ve taken the decision to close our physical sites in London and Boston Spa for the time being, and suspend our public events.”
In the meantime, the British Library Simulator is free to use and can be accessed by clicking here.
