Google Maps for Android Update Adds Museums Indoor Maps

Good news for Android users living in the United States as Google has just updated its Maps application with new features that offer more functionality.

Starting today, Google Maps users will be able to take advantage of more than 20 popular museums indoor maps and a zoo. These maps are now available on any compatible Android smartphone and/or tablet.

According to Google, the company added more than twenty popular U.S. museums to its portfolio of over 10,000 indoor maps that have been released back in November.

Some of these museums include the de Young Museum in San Francisco, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Cincinnati Museum Center, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, the American Museum of Natural History and 17 Smithsonian museums.

But how does this work? In order to be able to access the floor plans of a museum that you want to visit, simply open Google Maps on the Android phone or tablet and zoom in on the museum.

In case you find it hard to find the museum, you can search for it by name using the magnifying glass icon.

However, if you already are in front of or inside the museum, simply use the “My location” feature to orient yourself. The thing with this “My location” feature is that it allows users to get indoor walking directions.

Google also stated that “more museums are adding their floor plans to Google Maps for Android soon, including the SFMOMA, The Phillips Collection, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the National WWII Museum in New Orleans.”

Aside from the Google Art Project, indoor mapping is another way that Google provides users with enhanced access to cultural and educational institutions worldwide.

Google Maps is now available as a free download via Google Play store and it should be fully compatible with all devices running Android 2.0.1 and up.