Cleveland Museum of Art Enhances Popular ArtLens App

CLEVELAND (December 22, 2014) – Enhancements to the Cleveland Museum of Art’s award-winning ArtLens app now enable visitors to use their IOS and Android mobile devices for an even richer museum experience. The museum’s facilities are now fully “location aware” through a network of 225 BLE (Bluetooth enabled) beacons discreetly installed and configured throughout the museum’s galleries. Visitors can zero in on artworks around them and put expanded interpretive content at their fingertips.

“The Cleveland Museum of Art is a global leader in the development of cutting-edge technologies and on-site interpretive materials,” said William M. Griswold, museum director. “The new technology behind our popular ArtLens app provides greater accuracy that personalizes the visitor experience to a level that visitors to all museums will eventually expect.”

The free ArtLens app introduced in early 2013, is a unique, personal guide loaded with video, audio, text and still-image content. The app is now able to match a visitor’s specific location within a gallery and transmit pertinent information about selected artworks to a mobile device. 

By upgrading to the newest technology from Navizon, in addition to enhancements to the ArtLens app, the Cleveland Museum of Art has created an unprecedented foundation for continued services based on location awareness. The museum will also be able to collect valuable feedback and analyze information to better understand visitor preferences in addition to enriched interactive experiences.

ArtLens is compatible with Apple mobile devices running iOS 7 and above and Android devices running 4.3 and above. Visitors are encouraged to download the latest version in the iTunes app store or Google Play store before visiting the museum so they can begin using it immediately when they arrive. iPads and iPod Touches are also available for rent at the desk located inside Gallery One, near the Collection Wall.

The content feature is accessible in “Near You Now” on iPads and “Galleries” on iPhones and Android devices. In addition, ArtLens offers innovative image recognition software that can identify artworks in the collection seamlessly; a daily snapshot of exhibitions and events; restaurant location, restrooms and exits; museum-created and visitor-created tours; and the ability to save favorite works of art and share them on Facebook, Twitter, text, email and more.

Through partnership with Local Projects and Navizon, the museum is now fully “location aware”, creating the foundation to enable many future products and services focused on the user experience.