New 3D Virtual Tour of Fenyes Mansion for Kids Launched

Children and their adult companions can now tour the Fenyes Mansion anytime, anywhere, free of charge, while discovering kid-friendly fun facts along the way. This virtual 3D tour was created by former Pasadena Museum of History Junior Docent Amanda Kiesel so that children can enjoy the same excitement she experienced the first time she stepped inside this historic residence.

Amanda was drawn to the history and beauty of the Fenyes Mansion during a third grade field trip to PMH. In seventh grade, she joined the Museum’s Junior Docent program so that she could lead these tours for younger schoolchildren. Now Amanda will be guiding young online visitors through some of her favorite spots in a new, fully-immersive virtual tour she created for her Girl Scout Gold Award Project. “This award recognizes a project that the Girl Scout is passionate about,” Amanda explains. “I’m passionate about history and working with children. I’m also passionate about making Museum tours fun for school children and beyond."

ABOUT AMANDA KIESEL

Amanda Kiesel has been a Girl Scout for 12 years (Troop 13841) and is currently a senior at Marshall Fundamental High School in Pasadena. She enjoys playing the flute and participating in marching band. Amanda also likes to play soccer and reads in her leisure time. In the future, Amanda looks forward to pursuing studies in child psychology, political science, and history. She hopes her project is inspirational to Girl Scouts and young learners.

ABOUT FENYES MANSION VIRTUAL TOURS

The Youth Tour is the second virtual tour of the historic 1906 Beaux Arts-style residence available for free on the PMH website, pasadenahistory.org. A General Tour, launched in June 2020, offers details about select areas and objects in various rooms that are typically highlighted by docents during in-person guided tours. With COVID-19 safety measures necessitating closures and limited access to public spaces much of this year, these new tours provide VIP all-access passes to explore the historic home’s highlights, as well as every intriguing nook and cranny! They also allow PMH to share this architectural treasure with visitors from far and wide who might otherwise not have a chance to visit Pasadena in person.

Matterport technology allows online visitors to experience a fully immersive 3D encounter in which they can self-navigate and view both interior and exterior spaces from multiple angles anytime and anywhere. While it has become an important feature of the real estate market, museums, historic sites, and entertainment venues have found this new online opportunity equally exciting and engaging. The PMH virtual tours were created by Global Imaging Services, Pasadena.

INFORMATION

For additional information, please visit pasadenahistory.org.