THE fascinating stories behind two of the region’s most iconic landmarks can now be explored like never before thanks to a new immersive digital guide launched by Bridging the Tamar.

The free guide allows visitors and virtual explorers to discover the history, engineering and heritage of the Tamar Bridge and Royal Albert Bridge through exclusive behind-the-scenes content created by Bridging the Tamar’s heritage officers and volunteers.

Available today, the interactive experience can be used while visiting the Bridging the Tamar learning centre in Plymouth, exploring the bridges themselves, or remotely by anyone, anywhere in the world wanting to learn more about the historic crossings linking Devon and Cornwall.

The guide is hosted on Bloomberg Connects, a free arts and culture app used by more than 1,500 museums, galleries, sculpture parks, gardens and cultural spaces worldwide. It places Bridging the Tamar alongside internationally renowned institutions including New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the Guggenheim Museum and, closer to home, The Box in Plymouth.

The new digital experience offers visitors an opportunity to go beyond what they can see with the naked eye, revealing the stories behind the design, construction and ongoing maintenance of the two bridges. It also features first-hand insights from the people who help preserve their history for future generations.

Visitors are encouraged to bring headphones to make the most of the guide’s dedicated audio tour, which accompanies users as they explore the learning centre exhibitions, the Tamar Bridge, the Royal Albert Bridge and the surrounding grounds. An interactive map makes it easy to navigate between locations, while users can also browse the guide from its homepage.

Fresh content will be added throughout the year, giving returning visitors new behind-the-scenes stories and archive material to discover.

Jane Cooper, Visitor Experience Manager at Tamar Crossings, said: “We’re really excited about how our digital guide allows us to share more of our archive with the public.

“We hope that the new features made possible through the guide, such as the bridges audio tour, will help to engage more people with learning about the important heritage of these iconic structures.”

Bloomberg Connects was created by Bloomberg Philanthropies to make arts and culture more accessible around the world. The free app brings together thousands of hours of specially created audio, video and written content, allowing users to enjoy everything from quick highlights to in-depth explorations, whether they are visiting in person or exploring from home.

The app has also been designed with accessibility in mind. Features include voiceover support, captions, audio transcripts, image zoom and adjustable font sizes, helping remove barriers for visitors with different access needs. Guides can also be downloaded for offline use, allowing people to continue exploring wherever they are.

Bridging the Tamar’s visitor centre at Pemros Road, St Budeaux, Plymouth, is open daily from 10am to 4pm with free admission.

The new guide is available now through the Bloomberg Connects app or online, allowing users the chance to uncover the hidden stories behind two of Britain’s best-known bridges.