Do museums have to be smart? The applications implemented at the Kraków Cloth Hall or MOCAK as well as mobile solutions created by Moiseum prove that they do. How do they affect the way we explore museums today?

Mobile apps change the way we interact with our environments. Communication with others, purchasing goods, or using means of transport have been changing according to the development of new technologies. They also boldly enter the realm of museums and change our perception of art pieces and monuments.

Mobile mobilization of museums

According to Zuzanna Stańska, the founder of Moiseum, mobile applications may become an ally of museums and cultural institutions. Effective use of smartphones will make it possible to replace unhandy guidebooks and makes interaction between the visitor and the object better
through a device the visitors use daily. Most importantly, apps do not replace the current reception of art, but serve to enrich it by giving access to additional photographs, films or curator’s comments.

Mobile Cloth Hall

The mobile app “Kulturysta” (English: “Culturist”) that enriches a visit at a museum, was introduced during the Night of Museums in 2015 in the Gallery of 19th-Century Polish Art at the Kraków Cloth Hall. “Kulturysta” is one of the first of such solutions in Poland.
It makes it possible to take a photo of museum objects without exposing them to harmful flashes, as well as facilitates sightseeing and recognition of paintings. The games available in the app help consolidate the knowledge obtained at the gallery.   

Interactive MOCAK

Another museum in Kraków that has implemented a mobile app is the Museum of Contemporary Art in Kraków (MOCAK). It is available on smartphones and tablets – with it, you can plan the way you will explore the place,
see additional photographs, and find more information about the exhibition. The navigation is based on QR codes which change the visit to the museum into an interactive experience.

A fad or a future standard?

Zuzanna Stańska is sure that apps in museums will catch on. All of this because of the popularity of smartphones and the way they can extend the museum and educational offer. Cultural institutions in the world, such as MoMa or the Louvre,
implement new solutions based not only on mobile apps, QR codes and beacoins, but also augmented reality (AR). Mobile revolution in museums is not only a trend, but already the reality.