Skip to main content

Google exhibit lets you explore the Sydney Opera House from your couch

google sydney opera house vr
Nadezda Zavitaeva
You can get the full Sydney Opera House experience without even booking a plane ticket. Well, almost. Google has launched a new interactive feature on Google Maps that puts you inside the Opera House, one of the most iconic buildings in the world.

The online exhibit was launched by the Google Cultural Institute, which hosts virtual museums from all over the world, and through it you can check out more than 1,000 of the building’s artifacts. These include early architectural designs by Jørn Utzon, rare photos of the building in its early stages, and information about the Opera House’s massive mechanical organ, which is the largest in the world.

“The sculptural elegance of the Opera House has made it one of the most recognizable buildings of the 20th century,” said Kate Lauterbatch, program manager at the Google Cultural Institute, in a blog post. “In addition to exhibits which tell the stories of the history and development of this architectural masterpiece, today’s launch includes a brand new 360-degree experience offering insights into the between-the-acts magic of the House.”

The experience offers a 360-degree view of the backstage area, which can be looked at either online or using a virtual reality headset. There’s even see a virtual performance on the Opera House stage by Nicole Car and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. You can also wander around the outside of the building, taking in the view using new Street View imagery. All this reportedly took six months to put together.

Of course, the new exhibit isn’t the first breathtaking exhibit on offer through the Google Cultural Institute — it’s not even the first in Australia. The Art Gallery of New South Wales and the Australian War Memorial have both also been put on display by the institute.

Sydney Opera House 360° Experience featuring soprano Nicole Car and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra

Editors' Recommendations

Christian de Looper
Christian’s interest in technology began as a child in Australia, when he stumbled upon a computer at a garage sale that he…
Amazon deals: TVs, laptops, headphones and more
iPad Air on a white background.

Amazon is one of the most popular retailers on the planet. It has almost anything and everything you could hope to shop for, and that includes tech like laptops, headphones, TVs, and even devices made to make life around the home a little easier. And whether you’re shopping for one of the best smart home devices or something more tailored to work or play, Amazon always shows up with ways to save. Right now it has a ton of laptop deals, TV deals, headphone deals, and more to shop. We’ve walked down the aisles of Amazon and picked out what we feel are some deals worth shopping, so read onward for more details.
Vizio 50-inch V-Series 4K smart TV — $223, was $360

The Vizio V-Series 4K Smart TV amazing picture quality for its price point, as well as a wide variety of smart features. It has an IQ Active Processor that delivers superior picture processing. This processor also enables the TV to upscale all of your favorite HD content into 4K quality as you watch. This TV also features a gaming engine that makes gameplay more responsive with less lag and a high refresh rate. This is something to consider if you’re a gamer and somebody who likes to watch fast-paced content such as sports and action movies.

Read more
How to delete files on a Chromebook
HP Dragonfly Pro Chromebook top down view showing keyboard and touchpad.

Your Chromebook has quickly become your everyday computer. Using it for just about everything, including web browsing, word processing, gaming, and social media, we bet there’s going to come a time when you need to delete some files from your PC. Doing so will not only allow you to store more media locally, but it should also help to improve the performance of your go-to Chromebook device.

Read more
Best gaming chair deals: Save on Corsair, Razer, and more
Razer - Iskur Gaming Chair.

Sitting down to play video games for hours and hours can be a lot of fun, but it can also be pretty bad for your health. Beyond just the lack of circulation, most modern chairs are not really made to have us sit in them for long periods, and so they don't offer things like lumbar support or breath to help keep us cool. Luckily, gaming chairs have come to the rescue, and if you're looking to at least help keep your body safe and healthy, going for a gaming chair can make a big difference. That said, gaming chairs can be quite expensive, which is why we've gone out and found some of our favorite gaming chair deals for you to pick from.
Homall Massage Gaming Chair -- $85, was $170

The Homall Massage Gaming Chair is affordable, but it will get the job done of keeping you comfortable while playing video games with its ergonomic design and high-quality PU leather materials. It's got head and waist pillows with a massage function that sets it apart from other cheap gaming chairs. The backrest can recline between 90 degrees and 180 degrees so you can find the perfect angle, and it also has a retractable footrest for an extra sitting position.

Read more