Google Moves Expedition VR Tool To Culture App For Home Learning

Google is integrating its Expedition 360 virtual reality (VR) tools to Google Arts & Culture app to allow teachers to keep offering students digital adventures as remote learning continues.

Google announced on Friday (Nov. 13) that the Expeditions app will not be supported anymore and will be removed from the App Store and Google Play after June 30, 2021.

Google Arts & Culture is intended to deliver digital experiences like museums, heritage sites and other destinations worldwide. There is no charge to use the app or take the virtual trips.

The platform offers collections on history, equality, invention, and more. New augmented reality (AR) experiences are also being developed that use interactive camera functions.

“We hope this product evolution to Google Arts & Culture will provide educators with a bridge to continue to use immersive content to transform their classrooms and enrich the learning experience for their students,” said Jennifer Holland, director of program management, education, for Google.

“As always, we’ll continue to share updates, user tips and gather feedback, and we look forward to continuing our support for the educational journeys of people around the world,” she added.

The original Expeditions Pioneer Program launched in 2015 for educators and in 2016 was made available on the Android operating system. Google also sold dedicated expedition kits with a tablet, phones, virtual reality viewers, and router, Google 9 to 5 reported.

Virtual experiences are the new normal amid the lockdowns of the worldwide pandemic. London’s Notting Hill festival, one of it’s longest-running street carnivals launched in the 1960s, went virtual this year. It is also part of the Google Arts & Culture app as well as on Youtube.

Digital participants were able to “meet” people who worked behind the scenes to make the festival a reality and also participated in live music performances.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed a lot of traditions, from the Summer Olympics to Las Vegas conventions, events either canceled or moved online. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in New York City is going to happen, but people will only be able to watch from their living rooms.