Adding Google Maps Platform base maps to the archive

Introduction

Keeping Culture base map layers can be configured to use 2D Tiles via the Map Tiles API on Google Maps Platform.

Supported tile sets include:

• Roadmap tiles – global image tiles based on vector topographical data, includes roads, buildings, points of interest and political boundaries.
• Satellite tiles ­– satellite image tiles captured by both satellite and airborne cameras, delivering top-down imagery of the earth.
• Terrain tiles – global image tiles contain hill-shade mapping, contour lines and natural features.

Google Maps Platform is an external service separate from Keeping Culture. It is a ‘pay for what you use’ service that requires a Google account for your organisation to access the service and to pay for its usage.

Pricing for the 2D Tile Map Tiles is available here.

Registering for an API Key

To use Google’s 2D maps with your archive, you will need to create an account on Google Maps Platform and generate an authentication key for the Map Tiles API. It is recommended that you follow Google’s Setting up the Map Tiles API documentation to get started.

Once you have a Map Tiles API key, proceed to the Adding a base map layer using Google’s Map Tiles API key section in this document.

Adding a base map layer using Google’s Map Tiles API key

The following steps require a Map Tiles API key from Google Maps Platform.

1. In a new browser window, login to the archive using the Super Administrator account.
2. In the main menu, click the ‘Base layers’ link under the Mapping heading in the Administration tab.
3. With the Base layers page open, select ‘New base layer’ from the ‘Actions’ cog menu in the top right of the page.
4. Choose ‘Google Maps Platform’ as the mapping service provider, then click ‘Continue’.
5. Depending on which map tile set you’re adding, enter the following properties:
   
   For Roadmap tiles:
   – Label: Enter ‘Google Roadmap.
   – Type: Select ‘Standard roads map’.
   – Google Map Tiles API Key: [copy-and-paste the key from your account]
   
   For Satellite tiles:
   – Label: Enter ‘Google Satellite’.
   – Type: Select ‘Satellite imagery’.
   – Google Map Tiles API Key: [copy-and-paste the key from your account]
   
   For Terrain tiles:
   – Label: Enter ‘Google Terrain’.
   – Type: Select ‘Terrain imagery’.
   – Google Map Tiles API Key: [copy-and-paste the key from your account]

6. Click ‘Continue’ and then ‘Done’.
   
   Your new base layer should now be listed on the Base layers page. If you want to use one of the new base layers as the default layer within the archive, reorder the layer to the top of the list.