Just in time of Freedom Day and Celebrating 21 Years of Democracy, Google and the the Robben Island Museum has announced the release of the first ever Street View imagery of Robben Island as well as an audio-visual tour hosted on Google Cultural Institute.
In a statement released by the museum, it was said that, a collaboration between Google and the Robben Island Museum to make the UNESCO World Heritage site accessible to the world via the internet represented an effort to marry history with the future. The Robben Island Museum announced in April that they would be overhauling the ailing user experience on the island.
The app and partnership with Google was a step in the overall improvement of the island, the museum said. On the offical Google Blog, Luke McKend, country director for Google South Africa wrote,that they had launched the project just days ahead of Freedom Day because “Robben Island is a symbol of South Africa’s fight for freedom”. “Once a symbol of the oppressive apartheid regime, Robben Island is now a memorial and a reminder of the human spirit’s irrepressible search for freedom. We hope you’ll take a moment to step back in time to explore and be inspired by the island’s story of hope and humanity.”
As part of the project, Google Maps will release educational notes that will be available to teachers as educational tools. CEO of the Robben Island Museum, Sibongiseni Mkhize said at the launch that the museum was embracing technology to avoid becoming “irrelevant”. “We are using technology to enhance the story of the island.” He said the educational element of the island would be highlighted with this new partnership.
“The reason Robben Island is now a museum is to educate people about the part of South Africa’s heritage that is embodied in the island’s multi-layered history. Together with Google we are making this heritage accessible to people all over the world,” he added.
This new project is aimed to educate people around the world about the apartheid regime which saw Former President Nelson Mandela imprisoned for over two decades. announced in April that they would be overhauling the ailing user experience on the island. The app and partnership with Google was a step in the overall improvement of the island, the museum said.
The Nelson Mandela Centre for Memory also confirmed it would update their Cultural Institute exhibits with new layouts and add Street View panoramas of Robben Island.
The Robben Island interactive tour can be accessed on mobile phones, from desktops and from Google’s Cultural Institute, where Robben Island Museum will host five exhibits depicting the history of the island.
You may download the app from Google Store or alternatively go to https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.culturalspot.mobile.robbenislandmuseum
