The final public tour of the White House under Barack Obama's presidency took place a week ago, and was commemorated with a moving photo on the White House's Instagram account. But if you never had the chance to get there in person over the past eight years, you're in luck: There's one last chance to squeeze in a tour before Obama leaves. And it's open to everyone, everywhere.
Today, the Obama administration unveiled "The People's House," the first-ever virtual reality tour of the White House, narrated by President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. The video, which you can watch on Facebook, takes you on an intimate walk through the Rose Garden, the Situation Room, and the Treaty Room. In the Oval Office, you'll sit across from President Obama, while Michelle Obama meets you in the Old Family Dining Room.
It is likely the last of many moves that Obama made to open up the White House, and make it feel more accessible to the American people than it had under previous administrations. "They invited the Girl Scouts to camp out on the South Lawn, they opened up the Old Family Dining Room on the White House tour, they got rid of the ban on photography for visitors, and more so the American people could see — and share — what it’s like to live here," writes Kori Schulman, special assistant to the President and Deputy Chief Digital Officer, in a blog post announcing the video. "Virtual Reality is the latest technology they can use in service of this mission."
President Obama is a known fan of new and developing technologies: He consistently celebrated NASA's victories on Twitter and even guest-edited an issue of Wired. This virtual reality experience was created by Oculus and Félix & Paul Studios, who were also behind President Obama's virtual reality tour of Yosemite National Park.
If you still can't get enough of Obama doing tours, go back and watch him lead you through his backyard or hear him talk about his first night in the White House.
Saying goodbye is never easy, but the final welcoming and emotional tributes from the Obamas, are making this one feel especially hard.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT