PREVIOUSLY unseen artefacts, rarely opened archaeological stores, and hard-to-see masterpieces have been revealed for the first time online thanks to a new partnership between English Heritage and Google Arts and Culture.

Using the latest digital technology, the stories of 29 English Heritage sites across England — from Tintagel Castle to Hadrian’s Wall — are now brought to life and shared with an international audience via the Google Arts and Culture platform.

The partnership marks the first time Google Arts and Culture has worked with a heritage organisation and the first time it has worked with a multi-site institution.

Matt Thompson, head of collections at English Heritage, said: “In our new role as a charity, English Heritage is looking for innovative ways to open our sites to the public and share their fascinating stories with them. Now thanks to Google Arts and Culture’s technology, we’ve been able to bring people closer to our historic masterpieces than ever before, open up our storehouses to a global audience, and showcase hitherto unseen artefacts.”

Amit Sood, director of Google Arts and Culture, said: “England has such a rich, diverse, and interesting heritage — spanning literally centuries. English Heritage has done such an amazing job in preserving iconic art and sites, allowing us a glimpse into what life was like in a different time. Google Arts and Culture are proud to partner with English Heritage and use the power of technology to share these wonders and stories with a global audience.” John Glen, minister for arts, heritage and tourism said: “Our #CultureIsDigital project aims to harness the creative potential of technology to increase awareness and engagement in our world-class cultural organisations. The collaboration between Google and English Heritage is a perfect example of how the heritage and tech sectors can work together to present our history and culture in new and exciting ways. It showcases the richness and variety of our cultural heritage to the world and demonstrates how we can enhance the experience and share new stories using digital technologies.”