Over 200 artifacts from Theodore Roosevelt’s Sagamore Hill National Historic Site can be viewed online on Google Arts & Culture by people around the world due to a new partnership between Google and the National Park Service.
With this new virtual collection, users will be able to step into the rooms of Theodore Roosevelt’s home and Summer White House to see his Rough Rider hat and saber from the Spanish American War, his Bronco Buster bronze sculpture by Frederic Remington, the Cape Buffalo taxidermy trophy taken by Roosevelt during his 1909-1910 African safari, and many other treasures of the museum, here.
This all comes as part of Google Arts & Culture’s Presidents Day collection, celebrating the history of the United States presidency from George Washington to present day. Explore a president’s journey to and time in the Oval Office — from political campaigns, to their first days in office, and finally defining moments of the presidency.
Virtual tour with Street View
Using the Street View feature, people can move around the Sagamore Hill property and the Theodore Roosevelt Home virtually, selecting works that interest them and clicking to discover more or diving into the high resolution images, where available.
A specially designed Street View ‘trolley’ took 360 degree images of selected galleries which were then stitched together, enabling smooth navigation of over 26 rooms within Theodore Roosevelt Home, including Theodore Roosevelt’s private Library, First Lady Edith Roosevelt’s Drawing Room, and the North Room, the family’s grand trophy room. A cardboard tour is also available with audio narration.
Digital exhibits
Specially curated virtual exhibits have been developed for online visitors who can discover 7 interactive stories, curated by experts at Sagamore Hill National Historic Site. The digital exhibitions tell the story of Theodore Roosevelt’s private and family life, his devotion to conservation, the art work of Sagamore Hill, and Roosevelt in the public sphere.
Some of the most important items of the online exhibition are:
● A ring embedded with Abraham Lincoln’s hair given to Theodore Roosevelt by John Hay on the occasion of Roosevelt’s 1905 inauguration
● Porcelain bisque figurines from the series “The Scarf Dance” by Agathon Léonard, given to Edith Roosevelt as a French diplomatic gift in 1902
● The family china used by the Roosevelts during their time in the White House
Google Arts & Culture is a new, immersive way to experience art, history, culture and world wonders from over a thousand organizations worldwide. Google Arts & Culture has been created by the Google Cultural Institute and it is available for free for everyone on the web, on iOS and Android.
For more information on the Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, visit their website or call (516) 922-4788.
Leave a Reply