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Guggenheim Launches New Multimedia Mobile App In Celebration of James Turrell Exhibition

By: Jun. 20, 2013
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In conjunction with the exhibition James Turrell (June 21-September 25), the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum today launched a new mobile app that is free to download at guggenheim.org/apps, providing a unique educational platform for visitors to the Guggenheim and users around the world. The interactive app presents an array of content, including rich multimedia guides to current and past exhibitions; interviews with artists, curators, and exhibition designers; access to more than 1,200 works in the Permanent Collection; and explorations of the iconic building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The app has been designed to be accessible for visitors with disabilities.

The Guggenheim app is sponsored by Bloomberg.

"Technology has the power to address the two main challenges facing museum guests-navigation and access to information about exhibits," said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and Mayor of New York City. "That's why we are proud to support the Guggenheim and other leading institutions as they enhance the visitor experience and expand access through innovative apps and devices that will help connect guests to art."

"The Guggenheim app is an essential educational tool that will enhance the understanding and appreciation of the Permanent Collection and special exhibitions, not only within our museum walls, but also around the world," said Richard Armstrong, Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation. "The Guggenheim is pleased to offer the app free of charge and we are extremely grateful to Bloomberg for their support."

For the exhibition James Turrell, the app offers video interviews with James Turrell as well as the show's curators, Carmen Giménez and Nat Trotman, that address the artist's groundbreaking explorations of perception, light, and space. Exclusive interviews with the installation team reveal the complex apparatus constructed to support Aten Reign (2013), Turrell's dramatic transformation of the Guggenheim rotunda into an enormous volume of shifting artificial and natural light. In addition to a full range of content in English, guides are available in French, German, Italian, and Spanish for the museum's building and collection, including the current collection exhibition, New Harmony: Abstraction between the Wars, 1919-1939, on view through September 8.

The Guggenheim app includes a variety of features that enhance the experience of art both on-site and beyond. App users can create their own virtual collection by selecting favorite works from the museum's holdings and special exhibitions. Additional features for select exhibitions include educational tours for families and children as well as verbal imaging descriptions, text enlargement options, and, for iOS devices, VoiceOver technology for visitors who are blind or have low vision. The app provides transcripts for audio and closed-captioning for videos (iOS only) for visitors who are deaf or hard of hearing, and is t-coil compatible. Social media access is available throughout the app, encouraging user interaction and content sharing.

The app is available free of charge on iPhone, iPodTouch, and Android atguggenheim.org/apps. Museum visitors may use the app with their own smartphones and headphones or borrow a device free at the Multimedia Guide desk. Headphones are available for purchase for $1 at four locations within the building. Devices provided for complementary use at the museum are t-coil compatible.

The Guggenheim app was developed by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Tristan Interactive.




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