The latest technology will be on show at The Fitzwilliam Museum this summer in a three-week trial of visitor information systems. The Museum is offering information about its collections through two different systems: state-of-the-art digital audio guides and pioneering wireless computing technology. Visitors will be encouraged to try out both systems and pass comment on their respective merits.
The latest technology will be on show at The Fitzwilliam Museum this summer in a three-week trial of visitor information systems. The Museum is offering information about its collections through two different systems: state-of-the-art digital audio guides and pioneering wireless computing technology. Visitors will be encouraged to try out both systems and pass comment on their respective merits.
This is the first trial in a museum of local company Hypertag Limited's 'Magus Guide', an interactive system which gives access to a wealth of information about the Museum's collections. Visitors use a hand-held computer (a Compaq iPaq) to access information. By pointing the iPaq at small electronic tags positioned next to selected objects in the galleries, the user can download and either read, or listen to, information about particular works of art.
For the trial, the Magus Guide will provide access to Fitzwilliam Museum web pages and images stored on the iPaq. However, the fully developed system could link up with several thousand web pages and is easily updated with changing displays. In the future, visitors might use the Magus Guide through their own mobile phones whilst standing in front of works of art. This would add an entirely new interactive element to museum visits, with the facility to store or download collections information for review at home.
The Acoustiguide 2000 Audio guide system is a well-established system used in many museums. It can hold up to 54 hours of audio programming and offers excellent sound quality. Visitors will be able to access an audio commentary covering the same selection of Fitzwilliam objects as the Hypertag system. The audio guide has a key pad and each display item has a reference number; visitors key in the number to hear the relevant commentary.
The museum is keen for members of the public to participate in the trial which runs from Tuesday 23 July to Sunday 11 August. The Fitzwilliam Museum is open from Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm and on Sunday from 2.15 to 5pm; admission is free.
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