Technology is rapidly evolving the operations of museums and nonprofits. Now more than ever organizations must keep abreast of the technologies irrevocably changing the way they interact with visitors and administer services. Gartner, the global research and advisory firm, recently predicted the 2019 trends that will accelerate technological progress in years to come. This post examines which trends track with advancements in the museum and nonprofit sectors, providing a prescient glimpse into what the future may hold.

It has been a spectacular year for Cuseum and there is a ton to be excited about heading into the new year. 2018 was full of growth, unforgettable happenings, and new additions to the Cuseum family. We’ve never been more excited about what’s been happening in the world of museums, public attractions, and cultural nonprofits. Thank you for being a part of this journey!

Word travels fast. And, in our modern, connected world, this is more apparent than ever. With the popularization of websites such as TripAdvisor and Yelp, online reviews have become a way for consumers to share their thoughts on places and businesses and to make sure they have the best experiences possible. These review websites can be just as valuable for museums and cultural attractions as they are for restaurants and hotels.

Congratulations to our partner, the Perez Art Museum Miami and artist Felice Grodin on the special release of their latest Augmented Reality-based art installation at UNTITLED. The new AR artwork is unveiled today just in time for Miami Art Week one of the biggest events in the art world each year. The new work, “Mezzbug (offspring 3.0),” is an offshoot of the “Invasive Species” exhibition by Felice Grodin, which opened last year.

There are many ways that museums and cultural institutions can use technology to make their visitor experience both engaging and accessible to all ages and abilities. While many institutions have made accessibility a priority, a leading voice in this movement is the Denver Art Museum. While the museum offers many excellent programs to support visitors of all ages and abilities, through the creation of a Cuseum-powered mobile app, the museum made great strides in assisting visitors with vision and hearing impairments.

In the words of TechRadar, “It's time to ditch that clunky old audio guide.” Cuseum is featured in TechRadar for our ongoing work in helping the cultural and heritage sector embrace modern, mobile technology.

From dancing dogs to pop culture references, GIFs have added another element of fun to how we communicate in the digital age. Animated GIFs are like short, sweet, videos or digital flipbooks that allow images to come to life on your screen. While GIFs have been around since 1987 (they’re over 30 years old, and also known as “graphics interchange format”) they didn’t rise to mainstream popularity until the late 2000’s. Since their new rise to fame and everyday use, GIFs have not only redefined how we communicate over social networks, email, and SMS, but they have also presented themselves as a new tool to engage and educate audiences in the museum realm. This has led museums and cultural institutions to embrace GIFs as a way to bring their collections to life and engage  younger, digital-centric audiences.

When most people think of innovation, their minds automatically wander to technology. While technology does undeniably play a large role in how museums drive innovation, there are also many other ways institutions can make strides in creative and experimental ways. Looking towards membership, this aspect of museums has remained fairly inline in what it has been for the past few decades. But, as the demographics and expectations of the population continue to evolve, museums must search for ways to experiment and break away from the traditional models.

At Cuseum, we’re deeply interested in how new technology and approaches impact the multitude of ways museums and cultural attractions interact and engage with their visitors. Over the past few years, we’ve watched many changes redefine how organizations think about digital engagement and the general expectations and behaviors of their visitors.

We’re excited to announce that Cuseum has been selected by World Tourism Forum Lucerne as “one of the world’s 15 most innovative travel and tourism startups.”

We are pleased to announce that the Clean the World Foundation, a leading global health nonprofit, has launched their new web app the Soap Story! The Soap Story museum is the latest addition to the Clean the World Recycling Operations Center in Orlando Florida, and is the first soap museum of its kind.

Technology is undeniably a big part of the world we live in today. From smartphones and social media to video streaming, technology has redefined the content we are exposed to and how we engage with it. With a large chunk of our days spent online, it comes as no surprise that many museums have begun to use social media and digital platforms to draw in audiences. This does not mean museums should stop trying to create an engaging in-person visitor experience; instead, it asks museums to extend the experience to the digital world with tools like the live stream. But before you hit the record button, we have come up with a few ideas on how your museum can leverage the power of the livestream!

Cuseum is pleased to announce the issuance of United States Patent No. 10,034,142 related to a method of effectively and predictively delivering content when there is limited or inconsistent network connectivity. The company continues to expand its innovative products and technology to serve the museum, attractions, and nonprofit sectors.

Inspired by the Field Museum’s recent launch of an exciting new libation, let’s take a quick look back at the unique and creative partnerships that museums and brands have forged over the years. Many museums have been spinning up new brand partnerships as a way to create products that drive buzz, revenue, and capture the eye of their visitors and completely new audiences.

Cuseum recently made headlines in CNN, ABC, NPR, and beyond for the launch of the White House Historical Association’s new app, “WHExperience” created in partnership with Amazon Web Services! The White House is one of the most iconic national landmarks that draws an impressive crowd (an upwards of 100,000 visitors annually!). The White House Historical Association was founded in 1961 by First Lady Jackie Kennedy as a nonprofit and non-partisan organization, with a mission to “protect, preserve, and provide public access to the rich history of America’s Executive Mansion.” With the support of both the Secret Service and the National Park Services, the WHHA has enabled visitors to enjoy the White House’s rich history; however, the new app “WHExperience,” has extended that mission into the digital world to create an engaging and educational experience for all!

We’ve written a lot about why digital membership cards are so great for museums and really just about any type of membership organization (yes, they’re eco-friendly, accessible, and leverage mobile wallets), but what is the experience like for members? Time to flip the script and put yourself in your members’ shoes! 

Cuseum’s CEO & Founder, Brendan Ciecko, recently spoke at the AWS Public Sector Summit held last week in Washington, DC. The summit explored the power of Amazon’s cloud technology, as well as how this groundbreaking technological shift can be utilized for innovative projects across industries and sectors. 

Winnipeg Art Gallery has launched their new mobile app with Cuseum! The app, available on both iOS and Android devices, will provide audio tours, maps, and more as visitors browse the expansive collection and learn more about the deep history of the land the Gallery calls home.  

Fair Lane, Home of Henry and Clara Ford, has debuted their new mobile app with Cuseum! This mobile app allows visitors to immerse themselves in a self guided tour of Henry and Clara Ford’s stunning estate in Dearborn Michigan, a place that they called home for over 30 years! 

Cuseum was recently featured in Slate, a notable online magazine of news, politics, technology, and culture, in an article that explores how museums are working to draw a younger audience and take advantage of the digital age. 

Detroit Zoo has launched their new digital membership cards with Cuseum!

We are excited to welcome the Norman Rockwell Museum into the Cuseum family with their new mobile app!  

The White House Historical Association launches their new mobile app today, in partnership with Cuseum and Amazon Web Services.  

Creating an exceptional app is the first step to supercharging your visitor engagement, but a world-class app is no good unless your visitors know about it! We’re always on the lookout to see how members of the Cuseum family are introducing visitors to their apps so that we can share their great ideas. Read on to learn more about how the National Museum of Wildlife Art is making sure that every visitor who walks through the door knows about their app and has the tools to use it easily and effectively. 

In our last post, we discussed how digital membership cards are a great way to streamline the membership process. By providing digital cards via the mobile wallet, organizations can reduce the number of steps members need to take to access their cards and provide a frictionless experience.

Cuseum’s Founder & CEO, Brendan Ciecko, was recently featured in IoT Playbook in an article exploring how Cuseum utilizes new technology to redefine the digital tour guide, while delving into the use of iBeacon technology. 

We are proud to announce the launch of The Historic Charleston Foundation’s new mobile app in partnership with Cuseum and Museum Hack! This mobile app is an impressive feat that leverages technology to engage visitors with the vivid and storied history of Charleston and its varied historical sites.

Using augmented reality, Klimt’s iconic masterpiece “The Tree of Life” will be brought to life for the enjoyment of Pioneers attendees in celebration of Viennese modernism and on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of death of Gustav Klimt.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) has debuted their new, Cuseum-powered app! The app features several self-guided tours with rich audio content, as well as visitor information and maps. Additionally, if visitors prefer not to follow a tour, they can browse the Museum on their own and search for content on the app via stop numbers. This effort is generously supported by Bloomberg philanthropies, and has allowed SFMOMA to engage and educate visitors in a new and dynamic way!