The University of Notre Dame has created a virtual tour Web site to bring the beauty and spirit of the campus to anyone with Internet access.
Visitors to the new site, which can be accessed at "http://tour.nd.edu":http://tour.nd.edu, will find student-led video tours of campus, 360-degree panoramic photos, numerous still photos – both interior and exterior – that showcase buildings during various seasons of the year, and descriptive text of each venue. The virtual tour immerses viewers in the experience of being on campus.
“We have one of the most beautiful, historic universities in the world,” said Todd Woodward, associate vice president of marketing communications at Notre Dame. “With the virtual tour, the Office of Public Affairs and Communications and the Office of Information Technologies are able to bring our campus to millions of people who revere Notre Dame but may never be able to step foot on campus.
“Now they can stand inside the Basilica, feel as if they are lighting a candle at the Grotto, get a tour of our amazing and growing academic facilities, and even go behind the scenes of our storied athletic locker rooms,” Woodward added. “Eventually, we want to add to the site and create a place for people to leave their thoughts or comments about their most cherished moments on campus.”
Featured locations include well-known landmarks at Notre Dame, as well as academic buildings, residence halls and sports and recreation facilities. Some sights on the virtual tour are locations the average visitor to campus may not be able to see, such as the carillon bells in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart and the locker room of Notre Dame Stadium.
Initially, the virtual tour will feature more than 25 campus locations, and new locations will be added in the coming months, as well as a feature that will allow visitors to purchase favorite campus photographs through the site.
_*Contact:* Beth Grisoli, Office of News and Information, 574-631-5110, "egrisoli@nd.edu":egrisoli@nd.edu_