We have all been that lost person roaming around art installations, historic houses, and galleries full of abstract paintings. We try to figure out what to look at, to relive the lives of the famous people who graced these rooms, and how to interpret the red strokes crossing the canvas. And, yes, we have all also been the clumsy visitors trying to make that chunky and outdated audio guide work.
Now that engaging visitors is more important than ever, cultural institutions face the ongoing challenge of improving the quality and depth of their offerings. Amidst the array of strategies available, audio guide systems emerge as a powerful tool for taking the visitor experience from ordinary to extraordinary.
As guardians of cultural heritage and knowledge, cultural institutions play a pivotal role in shaping collective understanding and appreciation. Hence, it would be best if you made visitors feel like they're part of the fabric of history with every step they take inside your premises.
Developing thoughtful audio tours that deliver comprehensive and immersive experiences can be a transformative catalyst for visitor engagement and educational outreach, and more so when they are hosted in their already loved and used museum apps.
Let's review the best 5 features for next-level audio tours.
1. Immersive Storytelling
Audio guides aren't just guides anymore; they're gateways to immersive adventures.
That's where immersive storytelling comes in handy. By seamlessly blending auditory narration with visual stimuli, audio tours captivate visitors, enriching their exploration of exhibits and attractions. They offer a dynamic and personalized approach to navigating cultural institutions, fostering deeper connections and understanding.
For example, at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, using the Norman Rockwell Museum App. You will listen to how he went about the creative process, his opinions on certain matters, hidden 'easter eggs' in his works, and tons of golden nuggets (in 10+ languages!). Additionally, you can hear from Peter Rockwell, his youngest son, at some of the tour stops.
2. Interactive and Engaging Elements
Visitors are given the opportunity to make decisions and become active participants in the learning.
These elements transform passive observation into active participation, fostering deeper connections with exhibits.
A small but significant interactive experience is offered by the National Museum of Contemporary Art Αthens, aka EMST. If you are in a hurry or just interested in a certain set of pieces, you can dial the artwork number into the EMST App and listen to every important fact about it without the need to scroll through the whole site tour.
If we want to take it a step further, gamification is the ultimate learning tool. Cultural institutions can appeal to diverse visitor demographics while reinforcing the retention of knowledge. Who doesn't love a bit of friendly competition? Imagine embedding quizzes, puzzles, and scavenger hunts that location beacons can trigger into the audio tour. It's a win-win!
3. Augmented Reality Integration
The fusion of virtual and real-world elements facilitates a deeper connection and appreciation of exhibits by giving visitors a 360-degree view that can't really be harvested from a plaque or mere text.
Leveraging all the capacities of phones brings a brilliant result: Using the camera to capture and identify paintings, artifacts, animals, and plants or to visualize a digital work of art that looks like it's just materialized out of thin air, and then being able to listen to a super useful summary thanks to a fully integrated audio tour, really takes the experience to the next level.
4. Personalized and Inclusive Content
The one-size-fits-all philosophy is long gone; technology is all about tailor-made experiences that are now fostering a more equitable and enriching experience for all. With adaptive learning paths, audio tours cater to your visitor's interests, ages, languages, timeframes, and, yes, disabilities.
Some wonderful examples of how your cultural institution can be the entrance to a wider world can be found at the Heard Museum, where the Heard Museum App allows visitors to experience the museum in the Navajo Indian language, or at the Pérez Art Museum Miami, where we can enjoy the visit in Haitian Creole using the PAMM App. These are simple yet powerful ways to connect with and welcome historically underrepresented communities.
If you want to give the small ones a personalized experience, take a look at the Jupiter Inlet and Lighthouse Museum in Jupiter, Florida. The Jupiter Lighthouse App offers a tour exclusively for children, using a very young Charlie Piece, a Florida pioneer from the 1870s, as the guide. He walks his peers through the place while narrating important events of his time, teaching them about the works of art and focusing on areas where memorable events took place.
5. Behind-the-scenes insights and Insider Access
Exclusivity is a necessary perk when trying to grab people's attention and time.
Help visitors realize there's more than meets the eye and that every piece has a story to tell if they're willing to listen. Inviting visitors to peel back the curtain doesn't have to involve superhuman efforts.
Check out the extended version tour offered by the Center for Creative Photography in Tucson, Arizona. Chief Curator Rebecca Senf retraces the ins and outs of the HighLIGHTS exhibition in this exclusive audio tour offered by the CCP Interactive App.
Feeling overwhelmed by the idea of revamping your museum experience? You're not alone.
It's natural to hesitate when considering big changes, especially in an industry steeped in tradition. However, every great leap forward in history started with someone daring to dream and embrace the unknown.
The integration of updated audio guide systems is a strategic improvement in the enrichment and accessibility of cultural offerings.
Cuseum can help you seize this opportunity to redefine mobile engagement and pave the way for a more immersive and inclusive future!
