Apps for Small Galleries
The idea: provide location-based information about works of art, artifacts, etc. in a small gallery |
The app GALLERY VISITOR provides an introduction to the artworks in a small gallery or museum. Descriptions can be in text, use a voice-over, include a thumbnail of the artwork. An iBeacon near some or all of the works provides location information, and invites the gallery visitor to learn about that work.
The concept has been tested in the apps "Stations at St. Thomas" and "LVC Reimagined," both of which are described elsewhere on this site. This is now being generalized to include exhibitions which change at some interval (4-6 times per year?) but which are small (20 works, 5 beacons). The first example will be at the Thorn Hill Vineyard wine-tasting room and gallery on Fruitville Pike, Lancaster, PA. An exhibit opened in October, 2016, and a new exhibit will open in spring 2017.
|
Important note: Occasionally, the data about the artrwork in the gallery must be refreshed. Go to the Settings page (gear icon) and select "synchronize gallery data." If you quit and restart the app, it will resume at the artwork and in the gallery where you left off. It may be necxessary to "synchronize gallery data." If you wish to begin at the page where a gallery is selected from a list of galleries, you should delete the app in the background. [Double-tap the home key, find "Gallery Visitor" among the background apps, and swipe up to delete it.]
The current configuration (version 1.0) allows for several galleries in a "galleries" database, hosted at the developer's iCloud site. The information about specific galleries is contained in the "gallery" database. The information about specific works of art, and if an dhow they are marked by iBeacons, is contained in the "artrwork" database. At present, all databases are managed by the developer, using the CloudKit Toolbox.
Future plans include a macOS app to manage CloudKit databases, and hosting databases on the gallery's or museum's website, not the developer's.
The current configuration (version 1.0) allows for several galleries in a "galleries" database, hosted at the developer's iCloud site. The information about specific galleries is contained in the "gallery" database. The information about specific works of art, and if an dhow they are marked by iBeacons, is contained in the "artrwork" database. At present, all databases are managed by the developer, using the CloudKit Toolbox.
Future plans include a macOS app to manage CloudKit databases, and hosting databases on the gallery's or museum's website, not the developer's.