Many of us use Google Maps on the daily. Whether you need to figure out how to get to a bar you've never been to before or simply want to study the topography of Taiwan, Google Maps is probably your first destination for all of your geographical needs.
But did you know there's a whole Google Maps Gallery? Apparently, Google had this whole online treasure trove of maps from various businesses, non-profit organizations and governmental agencies.
That's all about to change. Well, all of that will still be in the gallery, but now there will be so much more.
Google recently expanded its Google Maps Gallery to make it easier for regular Internet users to create, search for and share their own custom-made maps. If you can think of something that can be mapped in the real world, you can probably find it in the Google Maps Gallery.
In the Google Maps Gallery, you can either search for whatever term pops into your head or browse through various categories of maps, from "Environment" to "Historical" to "Space." However, the "Explore" function is mostly made up of maps from more official sources rather than regular users.
To create a map of your own, you can use the "My Maps" tool, which is kind of just like dragging and dropping points where you want them located. Once you have the point where you want it, you can add labels and descriptions until your heart's content. You can share your map with the world or keep it private to share it with just a few people, a Google spokesperson told The Next Web.
Google's "My Maps" tool was previously called "Google Maps Engine Lite," so if you made maps using that software previously, don't fret. They will be upgraded automatically to "My Maps" later this year. Or, if you can't wait, you can upgrade them manually now.
Just to test out what this new tool can do, we went ahead and searched for a mix of fun and functional maps in the Google Maps Gallery. It should be known that we can't vouch for the accuracy of these maps, but just the fact that someone took the time to create them makes the Internet seem like a warmer, more geographically in-tune place. Take a look at our favorites above, and who knows? Maybe they'll inspire you to create some of your own.
