Google Street View is in the process of capturing images that will immortalize the inside of the House of Commons.
The software giant, famous for the Street View function of its Maps product, is heading indoors to allow people to explore the historic halls and offices of the Parliament Buildings from the comfort of their computers.
"What we're using is something called a Trolley," Aaron Brindle of Google explained to The Canadian Press. "It's just shy of two metres high and is has a high-res camera on it. It allows our operators to basically take a few steps through these halls, stop, the camera does a 360-degree panorama and it captures images from the floor to the ceiling."
According to Brindle, users will be able to go virtually into the chamber and see from a 360-degree panoramic what it's like to sit in the House of Commons. "It's kind of like an exclusive, behind-the-scenes public tour," he noted.
It's not the first historic or culturally significant building Street View has peered inside in Canada, however. Google captured the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto last year. And in the US, the White House in Washington has already been documented, as well as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
"It’s exciting to provide another way for Canadians to be able to view and experience their Parliament buildings,” Commons Speaker Andrew Scheer told The Canadian Press. "This is truly an opportunity for Canadians to bring the House of Commons into their homes."
Photo: Adrian Wyld/CP