A "dollhouse" view of the Jeff. Smiths Parlor Museum/NPS
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Skagway, Alaska, has launched new virtual reality tours of park buildings. Now you can explore some of Skagway’s most significant historic buildings from home. Enjoy a stroll through the park museum, experience the fascinating Jeff. Smiths Parlor Museum, and see how a pioneer family lived at the Moore House.
“We are committed to ensuring that everyone has access to the great resources and stories of Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park,” said Superintendent Mike Tranel. “Now people from all over the world can experience this unique place and those traveling to Skagway have even more options to help plan their trip.”
Utilizing 360-degree photography and laser scanning technology designed for the real estate industry, the virtual tours are mobile friendly, compatible with VR goggles, and combine a “Google Street View” experience of building interiors with a three-dimensional “dollhouse” view for quick navigation. Virtual tours are now available for four historic park buildings including the visitor center and museum inside the historic White Pass & Yukon Route railroad depot, the Jeff. Smiths Parlor Museum, the Moore House, and the Moore Cabin. More virtual tours will be added later this year.
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park was created in 1976 to preserve and interpret the historic structures, trails, artifacts, landscapes, and stories associated with the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897-98. The park preserves 23 historic structures in Skagway, the historic Chilkoot Trail in partnership with Parks Canada, and is the most visited national park site in Alaska.
Traveler footnote: While the tours are described as being "audio-described," Traveler couldn't figure out how to get the audio to play.
Comments
The self directed touring does not have audio. Click the video link below the self directed tour.
Audio description is accessed by clicking on the guided AD video tour directly below each matterport player. The video is made from the same footage shown and explored in the virtual player. A transcript of the AD is also available through the video. AD is not available through the Matterport player directly.