Use cameras, view panels, show/hide options, walkthroughs and more to explore your scene.
Use the Viewcube to rotate around objects
Finding your way around in 3D space can be tricky. There is a Viewcube in the corner of the Viewport that lets you steer around the space.
Click the Start Interactive Tutorials button in the Getting Started tab on the left side of
Application Home
and check out the
Basics tutorial for a fun way to get around.
The Maya Learning Channel on Youtube has short videos that can help.
The video below shows you how to set up the view panel in different ways, including using the default cameras and customizing the look of the view panel.
The Search Field in action
The Interface Overview topic contains a labelled diagram of the Maya interface so you can see where tools are and what they are called.