We’re thrilled to share our new National Gallery virtual tour, created in partnership with the Gallery’s Events team. They got in touch to invite us to produce a virtual tour that would show the spaces at their best for prospective clients, and ensure it was a clear upgrade on what they had in place before.
The result is a vivid, room-by-room experience designed to support the venue hire team. The gallery has spaces available to hire for corporate events, weddings, receptions, meetings and film or TV shoots (including recces).
From the outset, the photographic aim was simple: make the online experience feel true to the magnificent building. Each space was photographed carefully and then hand-finished in post-production, to ensure that the virtual tour would be an accurate digital twin of the National Gallery. Paint hues, stone tones and the character of the lighting have all been matched to do the building justice.
The shoot
All shoots took place outside visiting hours to avoid disruption. This enabled us to present the spaces exactly as an events client would need to see them: pristine and ready to dress.
We worked early mornings and evenings to capture iconic locations such as the Portico Terrace and the Barry Rooms in perfect stillness, and we loved exploring the newly updated Sainsbury Wing with nobody around. That quiet time allowed us to plan angles, hide inevitable reflections, and make sure every room would translate beautifully and clearly on screen.
The post-production
Behind the scenes, the post-production was meticulous. Each 360-degree image is built from many frames, and the Gallery’s architecture can be unforgiving! Patterned floors, mouldings, frames and cornices must align perfectly. We scrutinised every join and refined every 360 so the experience feels seamless.
We also paid particular attention to colour accuracy so that clients browsing the tour can rely on what they see.
How the tour will be used
Most importantly, the tour is a practical sales tool. It lets the Events team guide prospects through scale, flow and sightlines in far greater depth than stills. Clients can move between rooms, understand capacities and adjacencies, and shortlist locations before an in-person recce. This saves time and resource, as well as speeding up decisions.
The tour includes various features to support these aims:
- Menu system with subcategories
- Multi-level floorplan with buttons showing the 360 positions, helping viewers orientate themselves in the spaces
- Downloadable PDF floorplan
- Subtle info pop-ups to provide info on capacities, etc
- Share my view functionality
- Navigation buttons allowing viewers to move between spaces quickly and easily
View the National Gallery virtual tour on their website, or click here to explore the venue hire information.
FAQs
Anyone considering the Gallery for an event. From corporate planners and wedding couples to production teams. These audiences can use the virtual tour to understand space, flow and logistics before a site visit.
Key spaces available to hire across the Gallery are included, such as picture galleries and signature event areas like the Portico Terrace and the Barry Rooms, with clear views of sightlines and finishes.
It’s designed to qualify interest and help planning. Most clients still visit in person, but the tour helps speeds up shortlisting and reduces unnecessary recces.
Get in touch
If you’re planning a virtual tour to support venue hire and event spaces we’d love to talk about your brief.