One of the greatest ways museums can capitalize on technology is to take advantage of digital toolkits. Oh, and a lot of them are free, did you know?
Digital toolkits are easy to use and very manageable. They range from Google docs to Wordle to Flickr to Garage Band--anything that allows you to do everyday things...but digitally. The argument that I make for digital toolkits is this: they help you address learning issues. Some audiences need more interactive platforms. Others learn by capturing and sharing photos. Still others can't learn unless it is fun. So consider a learning issue that you'd like to tackle whether that's creating and fostering social communities for learning or an activity where visitors can produce something from their experience (a photo collage, story, etc.) And I guarantee you, there is a digital toolkit for that.
This post will highlight two digital toolkits and suggest ways that they can be implemented in museums.
1. History Pin
History Pin is a place where people from around the world can share about their family, cultures, country, etc. and foster relationships and communities. A number of museums and other public institutions have already joined! The iPhone app is also easy to navigate. Watch the short introduction to the site and how it works.
Some potentials for this toolkit:
Museums may draw in people that never intended on coming but wandered in just because they were nearby and were intrigued by the challenges and rewards.
Some thoughts to consider are--how would museums convince visitors to download the app in the first place? How would they know that these options exist? And that is easy--hopefully the museum is already connected via social media. More popular avenues such as facebook and twitter are great ways to advertise these digital toolkits.
If you have a smartphone, download the apps discussed here (totally free!) and write a comment on your experience and how you think it can help museums. Even if you don't have a smartphone, you can join HistoryPin (you can use your Google account) and upload your own photos. Try them out and drop a comment. We'd love to hear your thoughts.
Digital toolkits are easy to use and very manageable. They range from Google docs to Wordle to Flickr to Garage Band--anything that allows you to do everyday things...but digitally. The argument that I make for digital toolkits is this: they help you address learning issues. Some audiences need more interactive platforms. Others learn by capturing and sharing photos. Still others can't learn unless it is fun. So consider a learning issue that you'd like to tackle whether that's creating and fostering social communities for learning or an activity where visitors can produce something from their experience (a photo collage, story, etc.) And I guarantee you, there is a digital toolkit for that.
This post will highlight two digital toolkits and suggest ways that they can be implemented in museums.
1. History Pin
History Pin is a place where people from around the world can share about their family, cultures, country, etc. and foster relationships and communities. A number of museums and other public institutions have already joined! The iPhone app is also easy to navigate. Watch the short introduction to the site and how it works.
Some potentials for this toolkit:
- The museum can become part of the community and use the site to post collections and even digital tours.
- It can be a place where visitors can tell their stories. Specifically, families that are generations apart can come and share stories about a place with which they are both familiar. Historypin did a project with a school in the UK and has experience enormous success.
What other potentials can you think of?
2. SCVNGR - a scavenger hunt game design that allows you to go places, do challenges, earn points!
This is a great way to get tourists and locals alike to experience the museum in a fun and interactive manner.
Watch the video below on how to play SCVNGR.
Museums can benefit from this by creating challenges that will help the visitor learn more about the place and objects. Rewards such as a discount at the museum store, museum admission, museum cafe can be offered for earning points.This is a great way to get tourists and locals alike to experience the museum in a fun and interactive manner.
Watch the video below on how to play SCVNGR.
Museums may draw in people that never intended on coming but wandered in just because they were nearby and were intrigued by the challenges and rewards.
Some thoughts to consider are--how would museums convince visitors to download the app in the first place? How would they know that these options exist? And that is easy--hopefully the museum is already connected via social media. More popular avenues such as facebook and twitter are great ways to advertise these digital toolkits.
If you have a smartphone, download the apps discussed here (totally free!) and write a comment on your experience and how you think it can help museums. Even if you don't have a smartphone, you can join HistoryPin (you can use your Google account) and upload your own photos. Try them out and drop a comment. We'd love to hear your thoughts.
This has been my favorite post so far! I loved both of these apps (esp. having the video pasted right in the blog!). HistoryPin might be the coolest thing I have ever seen (at least this week!) and when I read your previous post about inside GPS and the idea for its use in museum scavenger hunts, I thought that was a great idea too. Plus now you have an easy to use method of getting the scavenger hunt out there. Great research!
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