Virtual Tour of the White House Introduced by Google and the White House, Featuring Audio Captions and Spanish Language Support

Unable to visit Washington, D.C., or secure a spot on a White House tour? Fret not.

In collaboration with Google Maps and Google Arts & Culture, the White House rolled out an enhanced virtual tour of the iconic residence this past Friday, coinciding with National Civics Day.

Utilizing a computer or mobile device, visitors can virtually navigate through all the spaces that would be accessible during an in-person tour of the edifice.

This revamped online tour aligns with First Lady Jill Biden’s objective to make the White House as accessible to the public as possible. Jill Biden, who has an extensive background in community college education, anticipates that educators will leverage this tool to instruct students about the White House and its storied past, according to her spokesperson, Elizabeth Alexander.

“Inability to travel to the nation’s capital shouldn’t preclude individuals from experiencing the White House. Therefore, we’re bringing the White House experience directly to them,” stated Alexander.

Significantly, this is the inaugural Google-enabled White House virtual tour to incorporate audio captions aimed at assisting individuals with disabilities. Narrated by Carlos Elizondo, the White House Social Secretary, these captions appear on-screen to furnish historical context for each room.

Moreover, this initiative marks Google’s first virtual tour of the White House to include a Spanish translation feature.

The tour commences with a succinct video in which President Joe Biden and the First Lady extend their welcome to visitors, mirroring the greeting presented at the White House Visitors Center for those attending in person.

To capture the visuals, Google Street View technology was employed, beginning at the East Wing Entrance and spanning all publicly accessible spaces, such as the library, the China Room, the Green, Blue, and Red rooms, the East Room, and the State Dining Room.

Google Arts & Culture’s storytelling tool was instrumental in the creation of this tour.

Ben Gomes, Google’s Senior Vice President of Learning and Sustainability, expressed that the purpose of Google’s Arts & Culture division is to democratize access to global culture for individuals everywhere.

The tour can be accessed via the official White House website, as well as through Google Maps and the Google Arts & Culture platform.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Virtual Tour of the White House

More about Virtual Tour of the White House

• Official White House Website
• Google Maps Platform
• Google Arts & Culture
• Statement from First Lady Jill Biden
• National Civics Day Overview
• Overview of Google Street View Technology
• Accessibility Features in Virtual Tours