Sydney
A ferry and recreational boats pass in front of the Sydney Opera House September 28, 2014. Local media reported that the Sydney Opera House Trust has been awarded an AUD$225,000 ($200,000) grant by the U.S. philanthropic organisation, the Getty Foundation, for a study of the concrete elements of the building to develop long-term conservation strategies. Reuters/David Gray

Students from around Australia can now visit and take a tour of the iconic ship, HMB Endeavour, without leaving their classroom chairs through the new virtual technology developed by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). The project is the result of the collaboration of Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO and the Australian National Maritime Museum (ANMM).

The HMB Endeavour is known for its historical and significance to science. The ship is currently placed at Darling Harbour in Sydney and is a replica of the vessel used by Captain James Cook and the famous botanist Joseph Banks to sail across Australia nearly 250 years ago.

Every year, more than 35,000 school students visit the HMB Endeavour for academic tours. However, in the past, not every student in the country has the chance to visit the ship in person.

The new virtual tour technology will allow students in Australia and across the world to experience and study the HMB Endeavour without leaving their classrooms, CSIRO stated. The virtual ship uses live-streaming panoramic cameras for students to roam with a close-to-reality experience.

According to CSIRO, the students will be able to learn the mechanics of pulley systems, the process of storing food on board, and the plant specimens collected by Banks on his journey. A museum educator will lead the students with a tablet computer during the tour.

“The students can look around like they would if they were actually onboard, while at the same time hearing and talking to the educator,” said Gavin Walker, CSIRO’s principal experimental scientist, in a press release.

The interactivity of the digital excursion would lead to much more engaging experience for students, commented Anne Doran, an ANMM educator. “Being a national museum it’s fabulous that we are now able to share this wonderful ship with students from all around Australia,” she said.

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