Cuseum

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Explore the History of Soap with Clean the World Foundation’s New Web App

We are pleased to announce that the Clean the World Foundation, a leading global health nonprofit, has launched their new web app the Soap Story! The Soap Story museum is the latest addition to the Clean the World Recycling Operations Center in Orlando Florida and is the first soap museum of its kind.

The mission of the Soap Story is centered around the aim to “create an interactive, educational experience centered around health, beauty, and hygiene while driving awareness to Clean the World Foundation’s water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs.” The museum will cover over a century of soap history, from early 1800’s soap advertisements, antique washers, educational pieces on the importance of soap throughout the world, and Clean the World’s WASH programs. The museum will even include the opportunity to learn more about original soap brands, including popular name brands like Palmolive, Yardley, Dial, and Tide, just to name a few!  

The web app allows users to enjoy an interactive and educational experience and will lead visitors through exhibits, interactive games, puzzles, and imagery, all while raising awareness about a greater global cause. We are thrilled to welcome the Soap Story into the Cuseum family, and look forward to seeing how they continue to engage and educate their visitors!  

Interested in creating a mobile experience for your organization? Click here to schedule a free consultation with a Cuseum expert today! 

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Video Live Streams as an Engagement Tool for Museums

Technology is undeniably a big part of the world we live in today. From smartphones and social media to video streaming, technology has redefined the content we are exposed to and how we engage with it. With a large chunk of our days spent online, it comes as no surprise that many museums have begun to use social media and digital platforms to draw in audiences. This does not mean museums should stop trying to create an engaging in-person visitor experience; instead, it asks museums to extend the experience to the digital world with tools like the live stream. But before you hit the record button, we have come up with a few ideas on how your museum can leverage the power of the live stream!

Reach More People in Real-Time

Live streams allow museums to showcase content online in real-time and enables institutions to share on-site events with a larger audience. With the ability to present remote viewers with a taste of what an institution has to offer, museums can reach a larger audience and entice potential visitors. Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram have even begun offering live stream features that allow users to stream content directly to their followers.

Sharing video content on social media platforms like Facebook Live also provides the ability to comment and respond to content in real-time. The ability to respond to content creates the opportunity for viewers to tackle relevant issues that can even extend outside of the museum space. 

Keep the Momentum Going:

With the ability to share live stream content on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, these social media platforms have proven to be a great way for museums to reach a wide and diverse audience. Live streaming also allows museums to provide educational and entertaining content, like going behind the scenes of a big exhibition, a speaker series, or gallery tours that viewers can enjoy from anywhere. 

Some museums have even started using Facebook Live to make exhibits more accessible. For example, the Met recently used Facebook Live to provide hearing impaired visitors with an ASL tour of their Rodin exhibit!

Let’s take a look at how other museums have used live stream to provide accessible, educational, and engaging content. 

Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” 

Back in 2017, five different versions of Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” were reunited for the first time, a feat made possible by Facebook Live. Each version of the iconic painting is housed at a different museum around the world, and the live stream allowed viewers to see all five versions of the painting in real-time. Curators from each of the five museums also had 15 minutes to explain the significance of their version of the painting. Read more

National Museums Scotland

The National Museums Scotland started exploring live stream content in 2016 with the goal of sharing additional information about their major exhibit, Celts. After finding that these live stream videos had impressive reach, the museum started to live stream content on a more regular basis. As of August 2017, the museum had gone live 36 times. According to their provided statistics, these 36 live streams featured 25 speakers from across the museum, and garnered 120,348 total views, 24,308 total post clicks, and a total reach of 966,751 people. While those statistics are impressive, they also speak to how the museum used live stream as a tool to reach a larger and more diverse audience. Read more

The Getty 

When The Getty went live for the first time in 2016, the live stream wasn’t exactly planned. The live stream was a last minute suggestion by a Getty intern to broadcast the museum’s annual college night. The live stream was short, but it reached more than 30,000 Facebook feeds and generated almost 300 reactions, comments, and shares. This reach inspired Adrienne Luce, who works on Digital Engagement for the Getty, to regularly post live stream content. The museum has since live-streamed many different events like gallery tours, Q&A’s with curators, and behind the scenes of different departments around the museum. Read more

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston  

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston shared their first live stream video on Facebook Live in September 2016. Since then they have shared live streams that feature content like gallery tours with curators, behind the scenes of upcoming exhibits and public programs. The museum even recently shared a live stream with fashion curator Michelle Finamore to give viewers the inside scoop on the history of hats before the Royal Wedding! Read More

American Museum of Natural History 

The American Museum of Natural History started posting short, informal Facebook Live videos back in 2016. However, recognizing the potential to start a series of these educational and engaging videos, the museum has since created a YouTube channel (that now has over 150,000 subscribers!) where all live stream videos are available for viewers to watch. This points to a growing trend for museums to use both live stream tools like Facebook Live, and video streaming platforms like YouTube to create engaging content that viewers can access from anywhere. Read more

The Corning Museum of Glass 

The Corning Museum of Glass has made live streams part of their public programming. The museum regularly live streams gallery tours, speaker series, and artist demonstrations. The events are live streamed on Facebook, and then the video is added to the museum’s YouTube channel so viewers can catch up on past live streams and videos. Read more

Other Museums Using Livestream:

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee

Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana.

North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh, North Carolina.  

Pima Air and Space Museum in Pima, Arizona.  

Columbus Museum of Art in Columbus, Ohio. 

While this is not an exhaustive list, these institutions serve as examples of how museums can leverage live stream and video content to engage members beyond the walls of their institution and perhaps beyond their traditional visitor base!

Where Do We Go From Here?

Live streams and social media are all part of an increasing trend towards broadcasting our lives online. While technology’s role in the museum space is still evolving, it is certainly a tool that has proven to be incredibly useful. Live streaming content also allows museums to provide their viewers with a wide range of engaging and educational content from anywhere. By utilizing live streams and social media, museums have the opportunity to reach a wider audience and start the conversation about big-picture issues beyond the physical walls of their institution!

Interested in learning more? Check out these additional links! 

“The New Museum streams art galleries live to the streets of New York”

“How Museums Can Leverage Live Streaming Technology”

“Live streaming, engaging the widest possible audience.”

Interested in learning how your museum can leverage mobile engagement tools? Click here to schedule a free consultation with a Cuseum expert!

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Cuseum Receives 3rd U.S. Patent for Predictive Content Delivery System

 Cuseum is pleased to announce the issuance of United States Patent No. 10,034,142 related to a method of effectively and predictively delivering content when there is limited or inconsistent network connectivity. The company continues to expand its innovative products and technology to serve the museum, attractions, and nonprofit sectors. 

“To address the unique challenges faced by our partners and users, we continue to invest in R&D efforts and focus on the strategic expansion of our platform,” said Brendan Ciecko, CEO of Cuseum. “We’re excited that our pioneering work continues to receive validation with the granting of this latest patent, and we look forward to rolling out new solutions that help our customers.”  

Cuseum has applied many inventive methodologies to advancing ways in which content is adapted, contextualized, and delivered, and continues to expand upon that with its latest innovation. The company’s latest patent has broad commercial appeal and application to a variety of sectors, including public attractions, entertainment, sports, and telecommunications. 

“We’re fully committed to finding ways that technology can be utilized to solve many of the biggest content delivery challenges faced by smartphone users around the world,” Ciecko added. 

This is the third in a series of mobile-focused patents received by the company, and further confirms the world-class level of innovation being produced by the Cuseum team.

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The Ultimate Guide to Partnerships Between Museums & Brands

Inspired by the Field Museum’s recent launch of an exciting new libation, let’s take a quick look back at the unique and creative partnerships that museums and brands have forged over the years. Many museums have been spinning up new brand partnerships as a way to create products that drive buzz, revenue, and capture the eye of their visitors and completely new audiences. 

 As both brands and museums look to further differentiate themselves and appeal to broader and more diverse audiences, these partnerships hold mutual benefit in both directions. For the brands, the benefit is crystal clear, especially when working with art museums. According to an article in Forbes, “museums have demonstrably better reputations than even the most well-regarded businesses in the world.” 

These brand partnerships have the potential of driving buzz on social media, boosting website traffic, and keep things fresh. Let’s take a look!

Field Museum + Toppling Goliath 

Image courtesy of DRAFT Magazine.  

The Field Museum in Chicago recently released a new line of beer in partnership with Toppling Goliath, and it was the only place in Illinois to tap the highly sought after PseudoSue pale ale. In addition to a collaboration on beer, the institution is also set to release a gin in celebration of its 125th anniversary in July 2018. The gin will be created with 14 botanicals that were introduced at the 1893 World’s Fair, the event where the museum was founded! 

Read more about the beer collaboration and gin collaboration! 

MOCA Los Angeles + Levi’s 

Image Courtesy of Hypebeast.com. Mr. A aka Andre Saraiva x Levi's®. 

In 2011, MOCA Los Angeles teamed up with Levi’s to create a denim jacket that featured work from notable graffiti and street artists, including Kenny Scharf, Keith Haring, and Shepard Fairey, just to name a few! Further, this line was designed to complement the museum’s “Art in the Streets” exhibition.  

Read more 

MoMA + Uniqlo  

Image courtesy of fashionista.com.  

In March 2104, MoMA and Uniqlo launched ‘SPRZ NY,’ a clothing line that was inspired by artwork from the museum’s collection. The line rolled out throughout the year and even had a dedicated floor in the brand’s flagship store on 5th Avenue. The collaboration evolved out of a partnership that started in 2013, when Uniqlo sponsored “free Fridays” at the museum to promote appreciation of modern art and design. The collaboration was even nominated for the Americans for the Arts pARTnership Award.  

Read more

Neue Galerie + Estée Lauder  

Image courtesy of Vogue.com.

Back in 2010, New York City museum Neue Galerie collaborated with Estée Lauder to create an exclusive “Berlin Red” lipstick and Bauhaus-style mirror compact to commemorate the museum’s retrospective of German artist Otto Dix. The lipstick color was inspired by Dix’s iconic portrait of dancer Anita Berber.  

Read more 

Brooklyn Museum + Takashi Murakami + Louis Vuitton 

Image courtesy of cloudfront.net.

In 2008, the Brooklyn Museum presented a retrospective of Japanese artist Takashi Murakami. The retrospective was deemed controversial because it included a fully operational Louis Vuitton store within the exhibit. The store was home to both “Monogram Multicolor products” and limited edition canvases of the monogramouflage design, a new print created in a collaboration between Takashi Murakami and Louis Vuitton’s Artistic Director Marc Jacobs.   

 Read more 

American Museum of Natural History + Etsy

Image courtesy of the Etsy Blog.  

In 2015 the Museum of Natural History and online marketplace Etsy teamed up to launch an omnichannel collaboration inspired by the natural world and the museum’s collection. The line included over 140 items created by 22 Etsy artists, and was sold in both the museum’s gift shop and online. 

Read more   

Lincoln Park Zoo + DryHop Brewers

Image courtesy of Brewbound.com.

Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo has recently collaborated with DryHop Brewers to release a beer to raise money for the conservation of the Puerto Rican parrot, an endangered species whose habitat was devastated by Hurricane Maria. The beer was debuted at a Zoo fundraiser, and DryHop donated $1 for every pint sold.

Read more

American Museum of Natural History + F.A.O Schwarz 

Image courtesy of upout.com. 

While F.A.O. Schwarz may have closed its storefronts in 2015, back in the mid 90’s they teamed up with the American Museum of Natural History to create a line of highly realistic stuffed animals that complemented the museum’s exhibits on biodiversity.  

Read more 

MoMA + Callum Lumsden  

Image courtesy of store.moma.org. 

Back in 2014, MoMA collaborated with Callum Lumsden, a designer who has worked on many high profile projects linking aesthetic design and financial growth for museums. The project led to the opening of the MoMA Design Store, which sells curated items, as well as exclusive products licensed to the museum. The store has continued to grow and has expanded to a satellite location in Japan, as well as online.  

Read more

MOCA Los Angeles + Nike Skateboarding  

Nike SB x Geoff McFetridge Paper Dunk High. Image Courtesy of Freshnessmag.com. 

In 2011 Nike Skateboarding collaborated with MOCA Los Angeles to produce limited edition sneakers made from paper artwork, as well as t-shirts. The t-shirts were designed by featured artists to celebrate the “Art in the Streets” exhibit. Nike Skateboarding also hosted a Make Something!! Education project that ran six workshops focused on shoe design for high school students.

Read more  

Looking for More Information? Check Out These Additional Links:

Grayling: “Brands and the Arts: Making Creative Partnerships Work.”  

Forbes: “Ranking The World’s Most Admired Art Museums, And What Big Business Can Learn From Them.”

Americans for the Arts: “Looking Back: 7 effective arts and business pARTnerships this year for increasing brand recognition”   

Interested in staying up to date on all things museums, culture, and technology? Sign up for our newsletter here!

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Everything You Need To Know About The New White House Historical Association App

Cuseum recently made headlines in CNN, ABC, NPR, and beyond for the launch of the White House Historical Association’s new app, “WHExperience” created in partnership with Amazon Web Services! The White House is one of the most iconic national landmarks that draws an impressive crowd ( upwards of 100,000 visitors annually!). The White House Historical Association was founded in 1961 by First Lady Jackie Kennedy as a nonprofit and non-partisan organization, with a mission to “protect, preserve, and provide public access to the rich history of America’s Executive Mansion.” With the support of both the Secret Service and the National Park Services, the WHHA has enabled visitors to enjoy the White House’s rich history; however, the new app “WHExperience,” has extended that mission into the digital world to create an engaging and educational experience for all!  

The Nitty-Gritty:

The app, which went live in early June, allows users to take immersive, guided tours of the White House and the surrounding neighborhood. The app features three different tours: the White House companion tour designed to complement an in-person visit, a neighborhood walking tour, and a virtual tour of the White House that can be accessed remotely. This allows users to enjoy the tour even if they can’t make it in person!

Further, the app even offers a feature that allows users to take a selfie and find out which President or First Lady they most resemble! According to GeekWire’s recent article, “the feature relies on Amazon Rekognition, a deep learning-based image and video analysis tool.”  

In addition to its rich content, the app also illustrates how museums and cultural institutions are utilizing technology to create an engaging visitor experience. Stewart McLaurin, President of the White House Historical Association expanded on this idea in his recent keynote address at the AWS Public Sector Summit in Washington DC. Watch the full presentation here. 

In the Press: 

In bringing greater awareness to the ongoing conversation around how technology can be leveraged in the cultural sector, it has garnered the attention of both national and international press. The app has been featured in leading publications such as CNN, ABC, The Washington Post, and Geekwire, just to name a few! Additionally, The First Lady released an official statement at the time of the app’s launch.  

From the First Lady’s Official Statement:

"Thank you to the White House Historical Association, Amazon Web Services, and Cuseum for their creative and innovative collaboration in designing this app. Whether people are visiting in-person or virtually, this new feature offers a chance for everyone to see many of the mansion's wonderful and historic rooms - including the residence, the East Wing, and the West Wing."   

Read the full press release here.

Putting it to the Test: 

As reporter Sadie Dingfelder from The Washington Post found out when she visited the White House, the experience does not include a guided tour and can be overwhelming at times. She delves into her experience in an article aptly titled, “Is a White House tour worth the wait?” In her piece, she outlines how visitors can make the most of White House experience by using the White House Historical Association app. From the article: 

“As it turns out, you have to be your own guide at the White House. The officials stationed around the building are there, primarily, to keep you off the furniture. They’ll answer your questions, but if you’re feeling shy, or don’t know enough to even ask good questions, I recommend downloading a new app called White House Experience.”  

The Takeaway:  

By providing an engaging platform that will be accessible to a larger audience, the WHExperience app offers something for everyone! As Cuseum’s Founder & CEO Brendan Ciecko remarked in an interview with the Boston Business Journal, "It’s really fascinating to look how, at the end of the day, history and culture can shine through," Ciecko said. "This (app) is here for public enjoyment and public education.”

As technology continues to make its way into the cultural sector, we are thrilled to take part in a project that both illustrates how technology can be leveraged across industries and presents users with an engaging, immersive, and educational experience!  

The app is available to download for free from both the App Store and the Google Play Store.  

Looking for More Information? Check Out These Additional Links: 

ABC: “New app offers virtual reality tour of the White House"

CNN: “This app lets you take a virtual tour of the White House"

GeekWire: “Which president or first lady do you look like? Amazon helps provide answer in White House App”

Washington Post: “Is a White House tour worth the wait?"

Boston Business Journal: “Tiny Boston startup works with Amazon on White House tour app"

WGBH: “Nine Person Startup in Boston Teamed Up With Amazon to Create an App for the White House”    

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Cuseum’s CEO Speaks at AWS Public Sector Summit in Washington, DC

Cuseum’s CEO & Founder, Brendan Ciecko, recently spoke at the AWS Public Sector Summit held last week in Washington, DC. The summit explored the power of Amazon’s cloud technology, as well as how this groundbreaking technological shift can be utilized for innovative projects across industries and sectors.

In the keynote speech focusing on public sector organizations, Theresa Carlson, Vice President of Worldwide Public Sector at Amazon Web Services, highlighted the new White House Historical Association app built in partnership with Cuseum to show how these organizations are taking on the role of “builders on behalf of citizens.” 

The summit included many talks and breakout sessions, and Brendan spoke on the panel “Fueling Innovation in the Government through Startups,” where innovators from both the commercial and public sectors discussed how they are “partnering to access and co-develop available capabilities faster through startups.” This conversation also pointed to Cuseum’s recent partnership with Amazon Web Services on the White House Historical Association app that launched earlier this month as an example of how the government and nonprofits are leveraging startups.

When speaking about what drives Cuseum to work with museums and nonprofit organizations versus other sectors, Brendan remarked that “It’s absolutely about the mission. We look at museums as shepherds of our world’s culture. By helping these organization be more successful, efficient, and relevant, we are helping them to further achieve their mission.”

We had a blast sharing ideas at the Summit, showing off the new White House experience, and look forward to actively participating in how the cultural sector sees and explores the areas of technology and innovation!

Click here to talk to a Cuseum expert about how digital can benefit your organization!

Further reading:

This app lets you take a virtual tour of the White House

Which president or first lady do you look like? Amazon helps provide answer in White House app

New app offers virtual reality tour of the White House

Nine Person Startup In Boston Teamed Up With Amazon To Create An App For The White House

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Putting Yourself in Your Members’ Shoes (or Phones) With Digital Membership Cards

We’ve written a lot about why digital membership cards are so great for museums and really just about any type of membership organization (yes, they’re eco-friendly, accessible, and leverage mobile wallets), but what is the experience like for members? Time to flip the script and put yourself in your members’ shoes!

Some of the biggest perks of memberships (aside from reduced or free admission!) are all of the extra ways that the organization you’re supporting shows their love for you. Sometimes they offer early-access registration for special events, guest passes, or discounts at the gift shop and cafe. You may be thrilled about these benefits when you first sign up for your membership, but how often do you actually remember to use them? That’s where digital membership cards come in.

How do digital cards help you remember your benefits?

Well, they’re not constrained by physical space or the size of your wallet, so the organization can list all of your benefits on the back, even if it’s a long list (and we hope it is!). But it goes way beyond that. When you’re onsite, you can receive special promotional messages via your membership card to ensure that you never miss out on any benefits or special events. There’s no longer any need to worry that you’re not making the most of your membership!

Picture this: you’re walking through the local zoo with your family after a morning of exploring with your kids. Everybody’s hungry, and you’re headed out to try to find lunch, when your phone vibrates with a notification. You pull it out of your pocket to see a message on the screen: “Don’t forget, your membership entitles you to a 15% discount at the café!” Lunch solved. 🍽️

Or, when you’re finally dragging yourself away from the newest Impressionism exhibit, a message pops up on your phone: “Register for members-only Gala next week.” Now you’re looking forward to the party! 🎉

The museum may even decide to surprise you. Just imagine receiving, “It’s our 50th birthday! Don’t forget to stop by the gift shop on your way out for a special treat.” 🤩

There’s no limit to what special messages that organizations may want to send their members, and now they have an easy way to it, through notifications on digital membership cards that are triggered by GPS location or on-site proximity-awareness (thanks to iBeacon). Yet another reason for your members to come back soon!

Museums, aquariums, zoos, and any attraction with a membership program, we know you want to show your members some love ❤️, and you probably already have ideas brewing about what carefully crafted messages you’d like to send when your members visit. With all the effort you put into designing and creating their membership benefits, make sure they don’t forget about them!

Click here to chat with a Cuseum expert about how digital membership cards can help you better connect with your members and improve your membership process!

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Winnipeg Art Gallery Launches New Mobile App With Cuseum

Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG) has launched their new mobile app with Cuseum! The app, available on both iOS and Android devices, will provide audio tours, maps, and more as visitors browse the expansive collection and learn more about the deep history of the land the Gallery calls home.  

WAG opened its doors in the Winnipeg Industrial Bureau Exposition Building in 1912, becoming the first civic art gallery in Canada. While WAG has since grown out of its original space in its evolution into Canada’s sixth largest gallery, they seek to bring an expansive and engaging experience to visitors, while also recognizing the implications of their occupation of indigenous lands. 

WAG proudly promotes the vision that “the Winnipeg Art Gallery is a cultural advocate using art to connect, inspire, and inform,” and we are thrilled to support that vision!  

Download Winnipeg Art Gallery’s new mobile app for free in the App Store or the Play Store 

Interested in creating a mobile experience for your organization? Click here to schedule a free consultation with a Cuseum expert today!

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Fair Lane, Home of Henry and Clara Ford, Brings the Past to Life with New Mobile App

Fair Lane, Home of Henry and Clara Ford, has debuted their new mobile app with Cuseum! This mobile app allows visitors to immerse themselves in a self-guided tour of Henry and Clara Ford’s stunning estate in Dearborn Michigan, a place that they called home for over 30 years. 

Henry and Clara Ford moved to this breathtaking estate in 1915 after achieving booming success in the design and production of the Model T; however, Fair Lane was more than simply Ford’s home. It became a private escape for Ford and other great minds to come together and collaborate. Don’t have iOS? No worries! Fair Lane also has a mobile web app for visitors to enjoy their digital self-guided tour.  

We are excited to see how Fair Lane continues to share Ford’s life story, and engage members and visitors alike!    

Fair Lane’s new mobile app can be downloaded for free in the App Store.  

Interested in creating a mobile experience for your organization? Click here to schedule a free consultation with a Cuseum expert today!  

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Cuseum Featured in Slate on New Ways that Museums are Leveraging Technology

Cuseum was recently featured in Slate, a notable online magazine of news, politics, technology, and culture, in an article that explores how museums are working to draw a younger audience and take advantage of the digital age.  

“Most museums looking for the Goldilocks approach—they want some tech, but aren’t willing to bring in enormous gummy bears as backdrops for photos—have dedicated their digital resources toward apps. These apps serve primarily to wayfind, offer additional contextual information, or tie in to social media. However, they are essentially building digital scaffolding on top of existing infrastructure. Cuseum, a Boston-based tech company, has created apps for many midsize museums across the country, including the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, and the Pérez Art Museum in Miami. Cuseum was one of the early companies experimenting with Beacon technology—a system originally developed for retail that uses Bluetooth technology to track visitors as they move through a building. The system can then trigger push notifications that help you navigate the museum, or even offer information on pieces within your immediate vicinity. However, these functions simply digitize information that was already available.”  

Read the Full Article: "The Museum and the Stylus"

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Take a Walk On The Wild Side With Detroit Zoo’s New Digital Membership Cards

Detroit Zoo has launched their new digital membership cards with Cuseum!  

Detroit Zoological Society is a non-profit organization that operates both the Detroit Zoo and the Belle Isle Nature Center with the goal of “celebrating and saving wildlife.” Situated on 125 and 6 acres of land respectively, both the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Center immerse visitors in a picturesque location to learn more about wildlife and the environment. More importantly, Detroit Zoo strives to educate and engage visitors on topics such as stewardship, environmental consciousness and wildlife conservation! 

We are pleased to welcome Detroit Zoo into the Cuseum family, and look forward to seeing how they continue to provide meaningful and educational experiences to their visitors!   

Interested in learning how digital membership cards can benefit your organization? Schedule a free consultation with a Cuseum expert today!

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Norman Rockwell Museum Joins Cuseum Family With New Mobile App

We are excited to welcome the Norman Rockwell Museum into the Cuseum family with their new mobile app!  

The Norman Rockwell Museum is located in charming Stockbridge MA, on a 36-acre site that overlooks the Housatonic River Valley. Visitors can stroll the idyllic grounds and delve into the most significant collection of Rockwell’s work while enjoying a digital tour that includes audio narrated by Peter Rockwell, as well as image recognition, on their own smartphone (including Androids!), or on a rented iPad.

From the official description: 

“This app will enhance your overall experience of the Museum and the world of Norman Rockwell and the art of Illustration. Whether you are at Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, visiting a traveling exhibition organized by the Museum, or learning more about the art of Illustration and Norman Rockwell at home or in school, this app will give you an insider’s look at the art and the collection of Norman Rockwell Museum and much, much more!” 

We are thrilled to add another outstanding institution to the Cuseum family and look forward to seeing how they continue to delight and inspire the people of Stockbridge and beyond!  

The Norman Rockwell Museums’ mobile app is available to download for free in the App Store and Play Store.

Interested in creating a mobile experience for your organization? Click here to schedule a free consultation with a Cuseum expert today!

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The White House Historical Association Launches Mobile App With Cuseum and Amazon

The White House Historical Association launches their new mobile app today, in partnership with Cuseum and Amazon Web Services. 

Read the full press release below:

NEW: “White House Experience” Mobile App

First App to Offer Virtual Tours of the White House and President’s Neighborhood

Includes Presidential and First Lady Look-Alike Feature

June 5, 2018 (Washington, D.C.) – The White House Historical Association is pleased to announce its new free mobile application for both IOS and Android which offers, for the first time ever, virtual educational tours of the White House and surrounding President’s Neighborhood. The app features three separate tour experiences for in-person visitors and those who want to learn about the White House from afar. The app also includes a Presidential Look-Alike feature that allows users to take a selfie to find out which president or first lady they most resemble based on portraits of presidents and first ladies in the White House collection.

“I am so pleased that the White House Historical Association has taken these forward-thinking steps to offer more opportunities for the American people to visit the People’s House,” said First Lady Melania Trump. “Thank you to the White House Historical Association, Amazon Web Services, and Cuseum for their creative and innovative collaboration in designing this app. Whether people are visiting in-person or virtually, this new feature offers a chance for everyone to see many of the mansion’s wonderful and historic rooms – including the residence, the East Wing, and the West Wing.”

“Since 1962, the White House Historical Association has published the White House Guidebook as part of our education mission inspired by Mrs. Kennedy,” said Stewart McLaurin, President of the White House Historical Association. “This app is the 21st century evolution of the Guidebook, now in its 24th edition. This state of the art technology tool will increase public access and share the rooms and history of the White House across the country and around the world.”

The app’s three separate tour experiences include information on the furnishings and decorative arts within the State and historic rooms and significant points of interest in the neighborhood.

Explore the Virtual White House: This is a virtual tour of the White House that includes the East Wing, Family Theater, Library, Vermeil Room, China Room, Diplomatic Reception Room, Map Room, State Floor and the famous rooms of the West Wing including the Oval Office, Cabinet Room and Press Room. The tour also includes several rooms on the upper floors of the residence including the Lincoln Bedroom, the Queen’s Bedroom, the President’s Dining Room and the Treaty Room. Users can take this tour from afar.

White House Neighborhood Walking Tour: This is a walking tour of the President’s Neighborhood surrounding the White House that includes stops at historic landmarks and buildings in the area such as Decatur House, Lafayette Square, St. John’s Church, Treasury Building, North Lawn, Blair House, Eisenhower Executive Office Building, South Lawn and Ellipse, and the White House Visitor Center, among other fascinating locations. The app also features information on points of interest at the stops. Visitors in Washington, D.C. are offered turn-by-turn navigation to the featured sites.

White House Companion Tour: This is a room-by-room guide of the White House to accompany those on an in-person tour of the house. This tour also includes information on where visitors should meet to begin the tour and items that are permitted and prohibited during their White House visit.

Each tour allows users to click on featured “Points of Interest” to learn more.

Presidential and First Lady Look-Alike Feature

This feature allows app users to take a selfie to find out which president or first lady they most resemble based on portraits of the presidents and first ladies in the White House Collection. Users can share their results on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The feature is powered by Amazon Rekognition, a deep learning-based image and video analysis tool that compares user-submitted selfie images with images of presidents and first ladies to determine a level of similarity, and then tells a user which president or first lady he or she most resembles.

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with the White House Historical Association to digitize the history of the White House, giving individuals the opportunity to learn about and interact with that content,” said Teresa Carlson, Vice President of Worldwide Public Sector at Amazon Web Services. “It’s important to find ways to make our nation’s history more accessible to everyone – particularly students – so that they can experience the White House from anywhere in the world. I’m both humbled and proud that at Amazon Web Services, we have the tools that organizations can use to deliver these kinds of experiences to educators, students, and the general public.”

"We're honored to be partnering with the White House Historical Association and Amazon to highlight the deep history of one of America's most recognizable landmarks," said Brendan Ciecko, CEO & Founder of Cuseum. “The White House Historical Association’s commitment to engaging their visitors through new digital initiatives is exciting, and we’re proud to power their new mobile app.”

The app also features an outdoor map of the President’s Neighborhood, calendar of upcoming tour events, search function, and links to the White House Historical Association’s White House History Shop and Digital Library.

The White House Experience app is available on IOS and Android and can be downloaded free from the App Store and Play Store, respectively. The White House Experience App is run on the Cuseum digital platform and with support from Amazon Web Services. The White House Historical Association thanks the White House, National Park Service and the United States Secret Service for their support in launching the White House Experience app.

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App Marketing Tips From The National Museum of Wildlife Art

Creating an exceptional app is the first step to supercharging your visitor engagement, but a world-class app is no good unless your visitors know about it! We’re always on the lookout to see how members of the Cuseum family are introducing visitors to their apps so that we can share their great ideas. Read on to learn more about how the National Museum of Wildlife Art is making sure that every visitor who walks through the door knows about their app and has the tools to use it easily and effectively.

What are they doing?

The National Museum of Wildlife Art set up a “download station” directly inside the main gallery doors. It’s the first thing that visitors see after they have paid admission and are ready to enter the galleries. No need to get too fancy, the download station consists of a few comfortable chairs and a small table to hold app information.

According to the Museum, “The purpose of the download station is to both advertise the existence of the Museum app for audio tours, and to provide easy directions and troubleshooting tips.”

There is also a poster designed to catch the eye of visitors and let them know that this free mobile app provides exclusive content from artists, curators, and more! The poster also provides basic info, like how to connect to the Museum’s WiFi, how to locate the appropriate app for your device, and the icon sticker to look for on the wall next to art objects that have audio content in the app.

The station features a “Getting Started Guide,” a laminated sheet that answers FAQs, provides step-by-step instructions for downloading the app, and helps visitors decide between using the downloadable iOS app and the web app.

Not wanting to stop there, the Museum has also created small “business cards” with a condensed version of the Getting Started Guide for visitors to take with them, in case they have questions as they browse the museum! There is also a book about the museum’s permanent collection, and in the summer, a basket of free, individually wrapped earbuds.

Where did the idea come from?

According to the museum, the download station was created to fill a need for basic troubleshooting tips, as well as to advertise the app and the exclusive content it contains. While volunteers and museum staff are always happy to assist, their time is limited and the download station offers a helping hand.

What has the reception from visitors been like?

While no official evaluation has been done, museum staff report seeing lots of visitors with their phones out at the station!

What are the plans for the future?

The first addition will to be to expand the Getting Started Guide for Spanish. The Museum is also going to take the concept of audio marketing to a whole new level by playing a soundscape of animal vocalizations via spotlight speaker directly above the download table! This has two advantages: drawing visitors to the table as well as advertising the Museum’s new audio tour featuring animal sounds. Finally, they plan to do an evaluation of the effect the download station is having on visitor engagement and identify any future additions or changes that could increase its usefulness to visitors.

What can your museum take away?

You can create your own download station, or you can pick and choose the parts that would work best for you!

Here are some of the main features of the National Museum of Wildlife Art’s download station that you could use individually or all together in your museum:

Post informative signage onsite

Provide a comfortable place to sit while downloading and initially exploring the app

Create convenient “business cards” with useful information for accessing the app

Offer free headphones for audio tours

Promote current tours that are featured on the app (using signage, as well as audio and video)

Include instructions in multiple languages

Do you have a new marketing idea that you’d like to share with us? Interested in learning more about how digital tools can impact visitor engagement at your museum? Chat with a Cuseum expert today! 

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3 Accessibility Benefits of Digital Membership Cards

In our last post, we discussed how digital membership cards are a great way to streamline the membership process. By providing digital cards via the mobile wallet, organizations can reduce the number of steps members need to take to access their cards and provide a frictionless experience.

What’s this got to do with accessibility, you ask? More than you might expect!

You may already be familiar with the fact that Apple and Android both support accessibility features like screen-readers and text-to-speech functions that enable those who are low-vision, no-vision, and/or hard-of-hearing to more easily use their devices. These personal devices and features are indispensable to those who rely on them everyday. So, why not ensure all facets of your membership program leverage these powerful accessibility tools?

Let’s look at some of the reasons why members and organizations alike can benefit so greatly from universal design:

Receiving My Membership Card

With the traditional membership process that relies on snail mail and physical cards, once a visitor has become a member of an organization, they wait a couple of weeks to receive their membership card in the mail. For members who are low-vision or no-vision, it’s imperative that the membership card and the envelope it’s mailed in are printed in raised characters (braille) or display no less than 14-point font, but this is rarely the case.

With a digital approach, your members who are low-vision or no-vision will rejoice, as the process is accessible from the start! The membership card is emailed to them, and thanks to the screen-reader and text-to-speech functions enabled on your member’s phone, the information in the email is opened and communicated to them.

Accessing My Membership Card

Traditionally, your members would need to remember to bring their physical card before making a trip to your institution. For members who are low-vision or no-vision, hopefully the membership card is printed in raised characters (braille) or display no less than 14-point font, just like the envelope it came in. But sadly, most membership cards are not.

With a digital membership card, the member’s smartphone screen-reader is able to guide them to their digital wallet where their membership card lives conveniently next to the rest of their digital cards and passes. Better yet, their membership card will automatically pop-up once they arrive on-site based on some nifty location-based support! And for added ease, using the phone’s virtual assistant, like Siri or Google Assistant, members can pull up their digital wallet with a simple verbal request: “Siri, open my digital wallet” and voilà, they’re ready to go!

Renewing My Membership

With a digital card, every member has all their membership benefits at their fingertips and can easily access them through their device to take full advantage of everything your organization offers. When it comes time to renew their membership, their phone alerts them with a screen-reader-friendly renewal notification and guides them to easily renew their membership.

Bonus: Stay in the Know

Once the member is on-site and ready to explore, they can receive messages based on their location, like, “Come back next month for our special exhibit on July 9th!” or “Enjoy 10% off a coffee at the cafe.” Best of all, these messages can be read to members using their phone’s screen-reader. With today’s growing focus on accessibility and compliance, digital membership is an easy step to take that will yield quick benefits for all of your members.

Interested in learning more about how digital tools can enhance the accessibility of your organization? Connect with a Cuseum expert today!

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Cuseum CEO Talks iBeacons and Digital Tour Guides in IoT Playbook

Cuseum’s Founder & CEO, Brendan Ciecko, was recently featured in IoT Playbook in an article exploring how Cuseum utilizes new technology to redefine the digital tour guide, while delving into the use of iBeacon technology.

IoT Playbook points out the tedious task for museum visitors to find a map and trying to follow the predetermined markers and numbers through an exhibition. However, iBeacon technology will allow museums to create a digital tour guide that is easily accessible on visitors’ smartphones and delivers an engaging mobile experience.  

“Museums are important for making the past come alive, teaching, and preserving art and history. But engaging visitors and identifying what they like and where they spend their time can be a process of guesswork. Cuseum, of Boston, makes IoT products designed to change the equation by connecting individual items in the museum to visitors’ smart devices, turning phones and tablets into digital tour guides while delivering insights about visitors to museum management.”  

Read the Full Article: "Cuseum IoT Digital Tour Guide"

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Historic Charleston Foundation Launches New Mobile App That Brings History Into The Digital Age

We are proud to announce the launch of The Historic Charleston Foundation’s new mobile app in partnership with Cuseum and Museum Hack! This mobile app is an impressive feat that leverages technology to engage visitors with the vivid and storied history of Charleston and its varied historical sites.

This app builds off the impressive Instagram following HCF has built since 2013 (it has grown to over 50,000 followers!), and seeks to make Charleston’s history accessible to visitors through audio tours. These audio tours are complemented by onsite docents and volunteers at both the Nathaniel Russell House and the Aiken-Rhett House who are ready to help guide visitors using the mobile audio tours.   

Interested in learning more about what went into this expansive project? Check out this two-part story to learn more about the process behind this exciting partnership!    

The Historic Charleston Foundations’ mobile app is available to download for free through the App Store.   

Interested in creating a mobile experience for your organization? Click here to schedule a free consultation with a Cuseum expert today!