Eleventh International Conference on The Inclusive Museum

Abstract

In summer 2016, the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University launched Art++, an Augmented Reality (AR) application developed in partnership with the Image, Video, and Multimedia Systems Lab at the School of Engineering. In an age in which apps and in-gallery interactives have become standard at museums, Art++ presents an instance in which a museum has partnered with graduate engineering students to launch a new in-gallery experience, rather than hiring a private company to design and execute a technical build. This paper will focus on the development of the interdisciplinary, collaborative project at Cantor. The paper encourages museums to join with in-house or local universities to create technological offerings for visitors. Collaboration with graduate students on such projects allows smaller museums to create interactive tools, such as mobile apps, that are often expensive and thus reserved for Tier 3 institutions. An overview of the Art++ software, its interface, and its use will help lower the bar for smaller museums to incorporate customizable technological additions within their exhibition spaces.