Physical places are becoming explorable from anywhere

Maps, museum websites and live-camera platforms are making physical places accessible before a visit, after it or without one at all. As 3D modelling and camera-feed aggregation become more accessible, digital previews are developing into experiences in their own right. For tourism boards, museums and other organisations tied to physical locations, the online version of a place can now attract an audience of its own.

Amap’s Street Stars app, a local discovery and navigation service used across China, has upgraded its 3D urban world model with ABot-Earth 0.7. Users can explore a destination in 3D and access real-time navigation from the same interface. This brings planning and wayfinding into one experience, allowing people to become familiar with a neighbourhood before moving through it in person.

Naver Labs and the Kansong Art and Culture Foundation have created a VR tour of the Kansong Art Museum. The digital twin recreates the museum’s galleries and artefacts, allowing people to browse the collection on a PC or mobile device. Access is no longer limited by opening hours, ticket availability or the exhibition currently installed in the physical museum. The digital version gives the collection a permanent space beyond the building.

World Watcher brings public live-camera feeds from around the world together on an interactive map. Visitors can choose a location or select the Explore button, which opens a random feed without asking them to pick a destination first. The platform turns live views of cities, landscapes and public spaces into a form of open-ended discovery that requires no itinerary or travel budget.