mobile

Shelley Mannion, Samsung Digital Discovery Centre at The British Museum, United Kingdom

http://www.britishmuseum.org/samsungcentre

Abstract

In fall 2010, the British Museum’s education team embarked on a multi-year plan to explore the potential of Augmented Reality (AR) in our galleries. We have since run four AR projects for young people, each of which focused on a different aspect of the technology. Our first project focused on revealing content on markers; the second on creating alternative views on the collection; the third on location-based AR for navigation; and the fourth on exhibiting virtual art in the galleries. These projects have both challenged and surprised us. Technical problems like the instability of compasses for positioning and poor 3G reception have challenged us to find workable solutions. Working with different age groups in formal and informal education settings led to discoveries about AR’s ability to delight and engage young learners and to teach fine motor skills. Shoestring budgets forced us to be creative and resourceful in our approach to mobile app development. Here, we share our experiences and lessons learned in integrating AR into museum and gallery learning programs.

Hugh Wallace, National Museums Scotland; Loic Tallon, Pocket-Proof; and Dafydd James, Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales, United Kingdom

Abstract

Despite an ever-increasing urgency within institutions to deliver a mobile project, in the experience of National Museums Scotland and National Museum Wales, significant challenges exist in securing cross-departmental teams for these projects, managing internal expectations, and ensuring that the project is aligned with the institution’s core mission. To overcome these challenges, these two institutions each adopted an approach based on design briefs, cross-departmental collaboration, internal creative workshops, and downplaying the emphasis on technology. The following paper explores the resulting challenges, decisions and outcomes with a view to identifying a framework for planning digital projects more generally.

Natasha Waterson and Mike Saunders, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, United Kingdom

www.kew.org

Abstract

In October 2010, Kew Gardens commissioned an in-depth study of visitors’ motivations and information needs around its 300-acre site, with the express aim that it should guide the development of new mobile apps. The work involved over 1,500 visitor-tracking observations, 350 mini-interviews, 200 detailed exit interviews, and 85 fulfilment maps; and gave Kew an incredibly useful insight into its visitors’ wants, needs, and resulting behaviours.

It turns out that most Kew visitors have social, emotional, and spiritual, rather than intellectual, motivations during their time here. They do not come hoping to find out more, and they don’t want or need to know precisely where they are all the time. In fact, they love the sense of unguided exploration and the serendipitous discoveries they make at Kew—they want to become “delightfully lost.”

Cherry Thian, Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore

www.acm.org.sg

Abstract

In June 2011, the Asian Civilisations Museum launched an integrated iPhone app—the world’s first museum app to combine augmented reality (AR), location-based gaming, and interactive features—in its special exhibition Terracotta Warriors: The First Emperor and His Legacy. Specially designed to tell a story that complements the content and flow of the exhibition in seven interactive chapters, each chapter highlights at least one object in the exhibition and attempts to engage visitors on a more personal level. As the story progresses, visitors respond to image markers that launch augmented reality and gaming experiences that breathe life into the objects.