Prospective students, alumni wanting to stroll down memory lane, and others curious about Dartmouth can now take a virtual walk around campus and explore far beyond Main and Wheelock Streets thanks to the recent inclusion of the campus on the Google Maps feature called Street View.
The feature, highlighted today in an announcement by Google, provides online, 360-degree, street-level imagery of more than 20 U.S. college and university campuses, including Dartmouth’s, allowing viewers to see places where cars can’t go, such as the Dartmouth Green.
Google’s Street View now lets users cross the Dartmouth Green online. (photo by Martin Grant)
Dartmouth is among the first schools to be featured in Street View.
“We’re delighted that Dartmouth’s beautiful campus is now available on Google Maps for millions of people to view wherever they might be,” said Daniel Ratner, Google engineer and inventor of the Street View trike. “This partnership shows Dartmouth’s commitment to innovating, serving their student and alumni communities, and attracting new talent.”
Dan Parish, Dartmouth’s director of Admissions recruitment, is pleased that the campus is included in the recent Google Street View update.
“For prospective students who are unable to visit Dartmouth, Street View provides a window into this remarkable community from anywhere in the world. Dartmouth attracts students and visitors from all around the globe and this new partnership with Google will help us showcase our great college town and incredible campus more easily,” says Parish. “In addition, those planning a visit to campus can now use Google Street View to become acquainted with the campus before their arrival in Hanover.”
Vice President for Alumni Relations Martha Beattie adds that, “We love to welcome alumni back to Hanover but we know that their lives are very busy. Google Street View is a great way for alumni to explore today’s campus without leaving home. It helps us bring Dartmouth to them.”
In addition to walking across the Green, Street View allows online viewers to walk up the hill to Shattuck Observatory, travel around the track on Memorial Field, tour the Tuck School of Business and Thayer School of Engineering campuses, and walk around Occom Pond.
Google captured the images by mounting Street View cameras on a three-wheeled trike and riding through participating campuses.
Dartmouth first discussed working with Google after the launch of Thayer360, a panoramic virtual tour of its engineering school. “We’ve been talking with Google since that time about enhanced mapping of the campus,” said Thayer Dean Joe Helble, “and we’re pleased to participate in this project as another step toward providing a comprehensive electronic tour of Dartmouth engineering.”
There are more than 20 other universities in the United States participating in Street View, including Dartmouth, Cornell, and the University of Pennsylvania from the Ivy League. Additional schools in Canada, Europe, and Japan and Taiwan will also be featured.
In addition to college campuses, Google’s Street View allows viewers to see public parks and museums around the world, check out ski resorts, hike Stonehenge, and soon, float down the Amazon River.
