Winter may not be the best time for a walking tour, but anyone with an interest in Brookline's rich history can now take a virtual walking tour of the town via our new online map.

The map presents pictures and descriptions (with links for more information) about homes, commercial buildings, churches and synagogues, schools, neighborhoods, parks, and other parts of the town.

Most of the sites marked on the map are in Brookline Village, Coolidge Corner, Longwood, and the area around the First Parish Church and the old Village Green. Other sites and other areas of Brookline are being added, helping to bring to light stories behind familiar and not-so-familiar places in town.

The virtual tour, created using Google Maps, can be viewed from any computer. Smartphone users can follow the tour on their mobile devices, even using GPS to find information about locations while standing before them.

• Start the tour