Google Art Project unlocks world galleries

The Google Art Project has tapped into the collections of 17 major art museums around the world and digitised thousands of works of art, Zdnet.co.uk reported.

In addition, the web giant has brought its 360-degree Street View technology to museum galleries, allowing people to walk the hallways of the National Gallery in London and peruse the works on display via a web browser.

"This initiative started as a '20-percent project' by a group of Googlers passionate about making art more accessible online," said Amit Sood, the head of the project, in a statement on Tuesday.

"Together with our museum partners around the world, we have created what we hope will be a fascinating resource for art lovers, students and casual museum-goers alike - inspiring them to one day visit the real thing."

The 20-percent scheme allows Google employees to devote one-fifth of their work time to side projects.

The Google Art Project has been in development for months, and museums participating in the effort include Tate Britain and the National Gallery in London; the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York; the Palace of Versailles in France; the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid; and the State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg.