App: experience_zkm
Food for the brain? A virtual art hunt through Karlsruhe? Zeros and ones that show you the way to the ZKM? There is plenty to discover with the »experience_zkm« app!
Next to playful elements the app currently offers a digital audio guide that provides exciting information on the exhibitions »Open Codes« and »Art in Motion«. Curious? The app can be downloaded for free from the App Store (iOS) and the Google Play Store (Android):
Digital strategies to acquire new visitor groups
The app »experience_zkm« was developed by ZKM »smARTplaces« in line with the EU project, and aims to expand the visitor experience to the digital world with enjoyment of digital technology. Users’ needs are priority: with »Augmented Reality«, they can playfully immerse themselves into the cosmos of the ZKM, can be guided to the ZKM by a binary carpet of zeros and ones or walk as virtual art hunters through the center of Karlsruhe. Those who successfully »collect« all the artworks can look forward to a reward.
In the ZKM itself, various facts about the ZKM literally come to life through »Augmented Reality«: for instance, users can look into the ground of the foyer, see through walls or click through a virtual, interactive video sphere. The app also provides a digital guide for the latest exhibition »Open Codes«, where visitors can dive deeper into the subject.
The app is based on the platform »LBSEngine«, which was chosen to guarantee lasting further development: the »app ecosystem« can be modified dynamically and according to the requirements. In a second phase, various holography videos, an »Escape the Room« game and poster challenges will be implemented among others.
Why »experience_zkm«? Yet another museum app?
While the traditional museum audio guide is still widely used, the demand for museum apps providing further visual information to add to the exhibition »experience« on site is waning. At the same time, it is evident that the use of apps especially in the consumer industry has remained unchanged: either for information or entertainment purposes – the demand remains constant.
The main objective of the EU project »smARTplaces« is to expand the user experience into the digital world and to thus focus on the users’ ever-changing needs: ranges of services must be developed here that allow to target groups who have rarely visited museums until now.