Trinity Hall’s innovative approach to College tours has taken it’s next step with the expansion of a 3D virtual tour system that allows anyone to ‘walk’ around the 670-year-old College’s grounds.
In December last year the College became the first in Cambridge to use the platform that allows anyone to view our site, regardless of where they are in the world. This is particularly useful for prospective students.
From this week the tour includes our student accommodation sites in the heart of Cambridge in Thompson’s Lane: WYNG Gardens and Bishop Bateman Court.
Dr Marcus Tomalin, Director of Admissions at Trinity Hall, said: “We launched this because we thought that the University of Cambridge can often seem like a remote and inaccessible place, especially to potential applicants who are unable to attend Open Days and Residentials.
“The addition of WYNG Gardens and Bishop Bateman Court shows off our modern facilities and gives a real view of how students live in the centre of this wonderful city.
“This has really enabled people to visit Trinity Hall remotely and explore its facilities. The addition of these accommodation sites means the College truly has never before been opened up in this way to the public, and we are thrilled that so many visitors will be able to find out even more about the beautiful learning environment we provide.”
The idea for the tour came after the pandemic when the Trinity Hall Admissions team used virtual webinars and social media posts to sustain their outreach and support their applicants and offer-holders. Such events were limited in their capacity to familiarise future students with the space and atmosphere of the College. Faced with this challenge the Admissions team commissioned Venue View to produce a virtual tour of the College’s Central Site.
Online visitors can use the platform to navigate their way through all the main spaces in Thompson’s Lane including the garden area at WYNG Gardens, its spacious lounge and modern décor. It also gives access to student accommodation and kitchen areas in both WYNG Gardens and Bishop Bateman Court, allowing prospective and current students to get a feel for their future living arrangements.
A tour of our Central Site, opened in December 2021, includes several student rooms, the historic Dining Hall, and both the modern Jerwood Library and the Old Library where books dating back 900 years can be found. Since the original 3D Tour went live thousands of visitors have paid the virtual College a visit.
The tours can be accessed via the website. Trinity Hall is the first Cambridge college tour Venue View has captured.
Managing Director of Venue View, Keith McMahon, who personally captured the tour, said “It was an honour to be asked to shoot Trinity Hall. The buildings’ history and uniqueness make it such a special venue. It was essential that the virtual tour does justice to how wonderful the spaces are in ‘real life’”
The Admissions Team will continue their partnership with Venue View to capture more of Trinity Hall’s facilities. The College hopes to tailor the project for its different community members, giving its alumni and anyone wishing to use its events facilities, more personalised tours.
The project was made possible by a donation from alumnus Tim Bunting who recognises the importance of widening participation.
