Page 249 - AC/E's Digital Culture Annual Report 2015

AC/E Digital Culture Annual Report 2015249works around them with stories related to the paintings, X-ray images of the works, a virtual map-guide, etc. – all kinds of information based on GPS technology on the museum exhibits, together with information on educational content or even interactive games.visitors to be able to obtain more information on the painting, sculpture or magazine cover in front of them.A foremost example in our country is the Museo del Prado and its Second Canvas project. This application is designed to enable users to examine paintings in greater depth by showing the layers that underlie the painting’s surface. Thanks to this app, developed in conjunction with Madpixel, paintings can be viewed in the highest definition and as closely as possible, as well as through infrared and X-ray vision. In other words, users can observe the moments prior to the creation of a masterpiece and the changes and corrections made to it.In the implementation designed for the Museo del Prado,83 users can zoom in on images of the paintings (Velázquez’s Las Meninas, Bosch’s Gar- den of Earthly Delights and Dürer’s Self-Portrait, among others) in gigapixels to view detailsthat are imperceptible to the naked eye. It also allows them to cut out an eye-catching detail of a painting and share it directly on their social media, or tweet it using a particular hashtag. Lastly, the beacons located strategically in the museum’s galleries provide a broader range of customisation, real-time and highly interactive options during the visit to the museum.As part of its digital strategy plan, the Museu Nacional d’art de Catalunya84 has installed approximately 15 iBeacons in its rooms. This allows visitors to access contextual and comple- mentary multimedia information on a particular selection of works, without requiring an Internet connection (as there is no Wi-Fi service in the permanent collection).Video image at Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/84760383As they are small wireless devices, beacons can be installed inside the physical space without appearing unsightly. In other words, the technology does not interfere with the spatial arrangement or flow of visitors.The National Geographic Museum in Wash- ington has also installed beacons at different points on the ceiling of its premises for the exhibition A New Age of Exploration: National Geographic at 125.82 On entering the exhibition visitors are provided with an iPhone that includes a National Geographic app with full information on the exhibition.When visitors enter a new room or section of the exhibition, the iPhone vibrates, indicating that new content is available on the screen. Each new piece of content is highlighted depending on the user’s spatial location. The idea is for3. Technology associated with the actual visit