📸 Google Maps Photos API: every place photo as clean JSON

Pull every photo Google Maps holds for a business or landmark, as structured JSON. Type a place name and get back full-size image URLs, thumbnails, gallery positions, and a stable photo ID for each one.

Actor: Google Maps Photos API on Apify Store

Video Walkthrough

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jREWahDGhJM

Quick Start

git clone https://github.com/johnisanerd/Apify-Google-Maps-Photos-API.git
cd Apify-Google-Maps-Photos-API
cp .env.example .env          # paste your Apify token
uv sync
uv run google-maps-photos-api-example.py

Get a free Apify API key at apify.com.

Why Use This Google Maps Photos API?

• No place ID needed. Search by name, or by category and city. Paste a Google Maps URL if you have one. Identifiers work too, and skip the search charge.
• Filter to one gallery section. Menu, food and drink, vibe, by owner, videos, or Street View and 360.
• Stable photo IDs. Every row carries one, so a re-run updates rather than duplicates.
• Category discovery built in. Each place contributes a summary row listing every gallery section it offers, with the ID to filter by.

Features

Feature	Detail
Search by name	searchTerm takes a business name or a category plus a city
Google Maps URLs	placeUrls parses the identifier out of the link locally, no lookup
Place identifiers	dataId and dataIds accept the hex pair or a fid from a places search
Category filter	8 sections; 5 universal, 3 on food and drink venues
Bulk	maxPlacesPerSearch sweeps a whole neighbourhood in one run
Localization	hl sets the interface language

Usage Examples

Search a neighbourhood and pull food photos for the top five matches:

run_input = {
    "searchTerm": "coffee shops in Austin, TX",
    "maxPlacesPerSearch": 5,
    "photoCategory": "food_and_drink",
    "maxPhotosPerPlace": 40,
}

Street View and 360 panoramas for one place:

run_input = {"searchTerm": "Blanton Museum of Art, Austin TX", "photoCategory": "street_view"}

Skip the search charge with identifiers you already have:

run_input = {"dataIds": ["0x8644b5554461664d:0xbc4ff333ec9ad1ad"], "maxPhotosPerPlace": 20}

Input Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
searchTerm	string	Find a place by name, or by category and city. Billed per search.
searchTerms	array	Several searches in one run.
maxPlacesPerSearch	integer	How many matches per search to fetch photos for. Default 3, max 20.
placeUrls	array	Google Maps place URLs. Parsed locally, no search charge.
dataId / dataIds	string / array	Place identifiers. No search charge.
maxPhotosPerPlace	integer	Default 20. Photos arrive in blocks of 20.
photoCategory	select	all, latest, videos, by_owner, street_view, menu, food_and_drink, vibe
categoryId	string	A venue-specific section, such as one dish. Overrides photoCategory.
hl	string	Two-letter interface language. Default en.

Output Format

One row per photo:

{
  "result_type": "photo",
  "data_id": "0x8644b5554461664d:0xbc4ff333ec9ad1ad",
  "place_title": "Mozart's Coffee Roasters",
  "position": 1,
  "image": "https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gps-cs-s/...=w608-h342-k-no",
  "thumbnail": "https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gps-cs-s/...=w203-h114-k-no",
  "photo_id": "CIABIhAhgrI-VHBBnTZQYGq3jqot",
  "fetched_at": "2026-08-04T00:24:39.188574+00:00"
}

Plus one unbilled summary row per place, which is how you discover its gallery sections:

{
  "result_type": "place_summary",
  "place_title": "Mozart's Coffee Roasters",
  "photos_returned": 20,
  "pages_fetched": 1,
  "place_categories": [
    { "title": "Menu", "id": "CgIYIQ" },
    { "title": "Street View & 360", "id": "CgIgARICCAI" }
  ]
}

Captions, EXIF, contributor names, and upload dates are not returned.

Install in Claude Cowork Desktop

Cowork is the desktop app's automation mode. To give it the Google Maps Photos API as a tool, add the Apify MCP server as a connector.

1. Open the Claude desktop app and go to Settings → Connectors (or Settings → Developer → Edit Config to edit claude_desktop_config.json directly).
   • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
   • Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
2. Add the Apify MCP server, preloaded with only this Actor:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apify": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "mcp-remote",
        "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=actors,docs,johnvc/google-maps-photos-api"
      ]
    }
  }
}

3. Restart the app. When Cowork first calls the tool, complete the OAuth prompt in your browser, or add your Apify API token in the connector settings to skip OAuth.
4. In a Cowork chat, confirm the tool is available and ask it to run the Google Maps Photos API.

Download the desktop app and start a free trial: https://claude.ai/referral/uIlpa7nPLg More help: https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/claude-desktop

Install in Claude Code

Claude Code is the command-line tool. Add the Actor's MCP server with one command:

claude mcp add --transport http apify \
  "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=actors,docs,johnvc/google-maps-photos-api"

To use a token instead of browser OAuth:

claude mcp add --transport http apify \
  "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=actors,docs,johnvc/google-maps-photos-api" \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN"

Then verify with claude mcp list, or run /mcp inside a session. Ask Claude Code to call the Google Maps Photos API.

Try Claude Code free: https://claude.ai/referral/uIlpa7nPLg Claude Code MCP docs: https://code.claude.com/docs/en/mcp

Install in Claude (website)

On claude.ai you add Apify as a connector, then enable just this Actor's tool.

1. Go to Settings → Connectors → Browse connectors and search for Apify MCP server. Install it (enable or update if prompted).
2. When connecting, authenticate with your Apify API token, and enable the tool johnvc/google-maps-photos-api.
3. In any chat, open + → Connectors and turn on Apify.
4. Alternatively, choose Add custom connector and paste the full MCP URL https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=actors,docs,johnvc/google-maps-photos-api, using OAuth when prompted.
5. Ask Claude to run the Google Maps Photos API.

Open Claude on the web: https://claude.ai/referral/uIlpa7nPLg

Install in Cursor

Cursor reads MCP servers from a project file at .cursor/mcp.json.

1. In your project, create .cursor/mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apify": {
      "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=actors,docs,johnvc/google-maps-photos-api"
    }
  }
}

2. If you prefer token auth over browser OAuth, add a header:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apify": {
      "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=actors,docs,johnvc/google-maps-photos-api",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN" }
    }
  }
}

3. Open Cursor → Settings → MCP and confirm the apify server is connected (green dot).
4. In Composer or Chat, ask Cursor to call the Google Maps Photos API.

New to Cursor? Get it here: https://cursor.com/referral?code=XQP4VBLI3NNX

Install in ChatGPT

ChatGPT connects to the Apify MCP server through Developer mode (available on ChatGPT Pro, Plus, Business, Enterprise, and Education plans).

1. Click your profile icon, then go to Settings > Apps. If you do not see a Create app button, open Advanced settings and enable Developer mode.
2. Click Create app and fill out the form:
   • Name: Apify
   • MCP Server URL: https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=actors,docs,johnvc/google-maps-photos-api
   • Authentication: OAuth
3. Click Create and authorize the connection with Apify.
4. To use the app in a conversation, click + in the chat, choose Developer mode, and select Apify.

More help: https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp

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Made with care

Use the Google Maps Photos API to power local lead lists, market research, and place data for your product or AI agent.

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Last Updated: 2026.08.08