Sociable Museums

Who said internet and e-learning systems were necessary for museums of only Contemporary Art? See on the photo (if you are able) 'La Gioconda' at the Louvre Museum, Paris. If you want to meet her in person, surely you will thank some extra help.

The Louvre offers virtual tours on its website, but the one devoted to La Gioconda is even more frustrating than on site. Although the extremely famous painting appears without visitors, the software does not allow getting closer to the art work. Despite this fact, what is probably the most visited museum on the World only offers traditional information systems.

In addition to check the text and the images on the website (with very good quality,) the only supplementary information option to visitors provided by the museum is audio guides. After having to queue during long time and over on receipt of 5 euros and an ID deposit, visitors will be allowed to carry an uncomfortable portable cd player model during their visit. The other option is hiring a guide tour, which because of the amount of visitors, the noise and the real movement difficulty; includes a headset service to be able to hear guides’ explanations.

Maybe the logical alternative to this entire nuisance would be an additional podcast and/or vodcast service on the website of the museum, so people would arrive to the museum provided with their respective explanations to enjoy at the same time they appreciate art works or, who knows, they queue listening to some music customized by the very Gioconda.

Images: Corneille, Petite: Mona Lisa, 2005. Photography. (left.) iPod® Nano Skin ‘Mona Lisa’ (right)