The storied halls of 10 Downing Street aren’t often open to the public. Those who want to see inside the Prime Minister’s residence and office usually have to wait for a rare open house...

...until today. Visitors from anywhere in the world are now invited to experience one of the UK’s most important political buildings on Google Arts and Culture.

Walk through historic rooms and hallways and get up-close looks at more than 50 photographs and works of art. Take a peek into the cabinet room, where the Prime Minister has held weekly cabinet meetings since 1735, or look around Margaret Thatcher’s office. Stroll down the grand main staircase, stopping to study the carefully ordered portraits of the house’s previous residents. Once you’re ready for some fresh air, you can wander through the gardens, where Winston Churchill liked to nap.

There are also two brand new online exhibits. The first introduces two of Britain’s most iconic leaders, Winston Churchill and Harold Wilson. The second highlights three of the building’s most historic rooms: the Cabinet Room, the Study and the Grand Staircase.

And if you want the full immersive experience, be sure to try it out using a Google Cardboard virtual reality viewer, complete with the built-in audio tour.

Posted by Suhair Khan, Program Manager, Google Cultural Institute