Google Maps Photo Gallery Extractor by Category: MCP config, n8n workflow and API

{
  "mode": "place",
  "placeUrls": [
    "https://www.google.com/maps/place/Empire+State+Building/@40.7484405,-73.9878584,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x89c259a9b3117469:0xd134e199a405a163!8m2!3d40.7484405!4d-73.9878584!16zL20vMDJfMjg2"
  ],
  "maxPlacesPerQuery": 3,
  "maxPhotos": 1,
  "photoCategory": "all",
  "enrichDetails": false,
  "language": "en",
  "imageSize": "original",
  "minWidth": 0,
  "minHeight": 0
}

---
name: google-maps-photo-gallery-extractor-by-category
description: "Dataset of public Google Maps media. Each row has recordType set to photo, video or streetView, plus contributor, upload date, dimensions, owner flags, place context and per-place completeness metadata. Runs the Apify Actor nimbryxo-studio/google-maps-photo-gallery-extractor-by-category. Use when the user needs Google Maps data with fields such as recordType, photoId, photoIndex, photoUrl, thumbnailUrl, businessName and an Apify token is available."
compatibility: "Needs network access, curl, and an APIFY_TOKEN environment variable. Runs are billed to the token owner's Apify account."
metadata:
  actor: "nimbryxo-studio/google-maps-photo-gallery-extractor-by-category"
  store-url: "https://apify.com/nimbryxo-studio/google-maps-photo-gallery-extractor-by-category"
---

# Google Maps Photo Gallery Extractor by Category

Use this skill to fetch Google Maps data with the Apify Actor `nimbryxo-studio/google-maps-photo-gallery-extractor-by-category` and work with the returned rows.

## Before running

1. Check that `APIFY_TOKEN` is set in the environment. Never print it or write it to a file.
2. Build `input.json` from the user's request using the fields below. Keep limits small for a first run.
3. Confirm the search terms or URLs with the user if the request is ambiguous.

## Input fields

| Field | Type | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `mode` | one of `place`, `search`, required | Choose whether to read photos for specific places or to search for places first. |
| `placeUrls` | array | Google Maps place links, share links, Place IDs (ChIJ...), feature IDs (0x...:0x...), numeric CIDs, or business names. Used when mode is place. |
| `searchQueries` | array | Places to find, for example "coffee shops in New York". Include a city or area for precise matches. Used when mode is search. |
| `maxPlacesPerQuery` | integer | Maximum number of places to take from each search query (1-100). |
| `maxPhotos` | integer | Maximum number of photos and videos to return for each place (1-10000). The actor stops earlier when Google's public sample ends. |
| `photoCategory` | one of `all`, `photos`, `videos`, `by_owner`, `by_visitors`, `street_view` | Choose which media to return. Owner and visitor filters read each photo's public contributor and only return media whose owner/visitor status is known. |
| `enrichDetails` | boolean | Read the contributor name and profile, exact upload date, caption, video download link and video length when Google publishes them. |
| `language` | string | Language for place names, categories and dates. |
| `imageSize` | one of `original`, `large`, `medium`, `thumbnail` | Resolution for the main photo URL. Thumbnail is about 200 px, medium about 800 px, large about 1600 px, original is the largest Google serves. |
| `minWidth` | integer | Drop media narrower than this. Set to 0 to keep every width. |
| `minHeight` | integer | Drop media shorter than this. Set to 0 to keep every height. |

Example `input.json` (the Actor's published prefill):

```json
{
  "mode": "place",
  "placeUrls": [
    "https://www.google.com/maps/place/Empire+State+Building/@40.7484405,-73.9878584,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x89c259a9b3117469:0xd134e199a405a163!8m2!3d40.7484405!4d-73.9878584!16zL20vMDJfMjg2"
  ],
  "maxPlacesPerQuery": 3,
  "maxPhotos": 1,
  "photoCategory": "all",
  "enrichDetails": false,
  "language": "en",
  "imageSize": "original",
  "minWidth": 0,
  "minHeight": 0
}
```

## Run

```bash
curl -sS -X POST "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/nimbryxo-studio~google-maps-photo-gallery-extractor-by-category/run-sync-get-dataset-items" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $APIFY_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d @input.json > results.json
```

The call waits for the run to finish and returns the dataset items as a JSON array. If the run needs more than 300 seconds the API answers with HTTP 408; then start the run with `POST /v2/acts/nimbryxo-studio~google-maps-photo-gallery-extractor-by-category/runs`, poll `GET /v2/actor-runs/{runId}` until `SUCCEEDED`, and read `GET /v2/datasets/{defaultDatasetId}/items`.

## Output

Each item is one record. Published fields include: `recordType`, `photoId`, `photoIndex`, `photoUrl`, `thumbnailUrl`, `businessName`, `placeId`, `featureId`, `placeUrl`, `category`, `mediaType`, `isVideo`, `isStreetView`, `photosComplete`, `stopReason`, `advertisedCount`, `placePhotoIndex`, `collectedCount`, `contributorName`, `contributorUrl`.

Summarise what was found, cite the record URLs when present, and say how many items came back. Do not invent values for empty fields.