Google is gearing up to bring museum exhibits at your fingertips -- literally! The company announced on Dec. 10 that it has established a platform that will open museum exhibits to users through their smartphone.
Google Cultural Institute, the company's cultural division, teamed up with museums around the globe to showcase a plethora of cultural artifacts online via mobile apps, allowing aficionados to immerse themselves in mesmerizing classic and contemporary artworks and photography.
In the past, the institute led projects that included recording World Wonders in Street View and 3D as well as digitizing the Dead Sea Scrolls.
"The Internet no longer plays just a minor role in diffusing museum knowledge. It has become a major force, allowing museums to expand and strengthen their reach. We look forward to deepening our partnership with museums that see digital media as core to their mission of education and inspiring people about art and culture," noted Robert Tansley, product manager of the institute.
Eleven cultural institutions and museums in the Netherlands, Nigeria, France and Italy are participating in the project, which is now in the pilot phase. Apps for MAO, Palazzo Madama, MAGA and GAM are now live on the Google Play Store.
The mobile apps take advantage of Google's other platforms, such as YouTube and Street View.
Several museums and institutions, such as the Musee Curie, Monnaie de Pris and Museum of Le Havre, are also part of the pilot project. Now, enthusiasts can explore the office of Marie Curie or the vast collection of impressionist artworks at MuMa easily.
The Rijksmuseum van Oudheden in the Netherlands, for its part, offers a view of the relics from Rome, Egypt and the Netherlands via a free app. The history of Nigeria, on the other hand, can be discovered via the Pan-Atlantic University app.
The good thing about these apps is that you need not be connected to the Internet to gain access. These apps work even when a user is offline.
