A 360-degree virtual tour of the Great Exhibition has been released, marking 169 years to the day since it first opened it’s doors to the public. The virtual tour will enable the public to explore the structure from their homes.
The charity that manages London’s eight royal parks has partnered with educational virtual reality company Seymour & Lerhn, to develop and launch the first-ever virtual tour of the structure. The Crystal Palace opening in Hyde Park on 1st May 1851. The vast glass and cast iron structure is world-renowned for hosting the Great Exhibition.
The structure has now been digitally regenerated, using a combination of plans and images, along with archived documents and maps owned by the Royal Parks. Through the use of CGI and 360-degree photography, the original site is overlaid over the current structure, enabling the public to explore the site on their smartphone, computer or tablet.
The project stemmed from the Royal Parks winning entry, to a competition set by Seymour & Lerhn inviting organisations to put forward proposals for a virtual reality education resource.
“We’ve harnessed today’s technology to bring The Royal Parks’ heritage to life, uncovering the park’s past for everyone to enjoy, especially those who aren’t able to visit in person,” notes Ledy Leyssen, head of learning at The Royal Parks.
Charlie Power from Seymour & Lerhn adds that “with the lockdown continuing, the virtual tour offers a unique way for people to ‘get out of the house’ and explore the history hidden within Hyde Park – all without actually having to leave their homes.”
The Royal Parks is now seeking to gain extra funding to further develop the project, through populating the Crystal Palace with the artefacts from the Great Exhibition.
