Museum Mobile Phone Apps

Posted on | June 19, 2010 | No Comments

In the current issue of Museum Practice, a journal that focuses on trends in curatorial practices, Simon Stevens presents us with an informed perspective on the costs and benefits associated with implementing mobile applications in the museum-going experience. The premise of this piece is that it may serve many museums well to pause and think about what they want this application to do for them before they make the investment; Is it just for in-house use? Should it be geared towards a specific age-group? Should it engage museum-goers when they are out and about? Does it individualize the experience? Should it bring more people in?

Though the piece can only be accessed with a subscription, any museum or similar organization considering this strategic decision should put up the dough to take a look. Stevens does an especially great job at giving his audience a framework that diagrams how to develop and market an app for their museum.

Moreover, Stevens provides examples, cataloguing the experiences of four different museums and their apps- including the Hunterian Museum (pictured), which developed its app in-house on a tiny budget.

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