Star Trek panoramas from the CD-ROM era

Here's a lost wonder of the 1990s: Star Trek panoramas ripped from CD-ROM and presented on the web in accessible modern form. There are four environments to explore and pan: the main bridge of the USS Enterprise from the original Star Trek, the bridge of a Klingon Bird of Prey, the command deck of TNG's Enterprise D, and Main Engineering from same. They were upgraded and uploaded by mijofr on github. Click fullscreen; it's fascinating to see those not-so-big viewscreens from the captain's chair. [via Hacker News]

I feel like I've explored these places in more modern 3D form, but these were clearly shot on-set and have an ineffable air of authenticity. The pleather. The glowing light panels. The soft carpets. Everything is so weirdly cosy.

Someone has lifted the QuickTimeVR movie files from 1994's "Star Trek: The Next Generation Interactive Technical Manual", upscaled them then built an in-browser replica of the ITM's "Tour" module. mijofr.github.io/st-panorama/#StarTrek

— Engineer Brains (@hhackenbecker.bsky.social) 2025-12-30T00:54:36.793Z

More from the CD-ROM is on YouTube, though not interactively. These old disks are gold mines of samples and such.

Memory Alpha:

For the most part, the information is the same information contained in the paper version of the Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual.

However, the use of Apple's then-new Quicktime VR software allows a fully interactive exploration of many areas of the ship. Various sets from the TV show were photographed thousands of times, at various angles. These photographs were then stitched together to allow 360 degree viewing at a number of points in each location. It is possible to zoom into many control panels, and to closely examine a number of objects. Some control panels are interactive and can trigger sequences, such as transporting or firing phasers.

Previously:
• Just how enormous is the Star Trek Enterprise-D?
• Tour every Star Trek Enterprise bridge in new interactive web portal from Roddenberry Archive
• Star Trek's USS Enterprise restored and back on display at the Smithsonian