Until a few months ago, the National Gallery Singapore (NGS) was facing a significant challenge in engaging audiences. The audio tours they were using were non-interactive and failed to create docent-led experiences.
As a result, the diverse visitor profiles with varied communication preferences and language capabilities couldn't seamlessly access the art the museum offered.
Cut to the solution - the museum found a brilliant answer to their problem via artificial intelligence.
Imagine a two-way communication channel, essentially allowing you to engage your visitors. This personalized museum experience is now a reality using AI.
Moreover, LLMs which are a part of generative AI are opening up interactive experiences that go beyond visitor queries and instead focus on understanding visitor's intent before responding.
This article delves into the transformative impact of generative AI in museums. Let’s explore how it is revolutionizing marketing strategies while enhancing visitor engagement.
Let’s begin!
Impact of Generative AI Across Museums
Bill Gates once said, “Generative AI has the potential to change the world in ways that we can’t even imagine.” This transformation is visible in the museum world.
In fact, governments are also taking measures to address the challenges of ethics and operations. The development of the AI Museum Planning Toolkit in the UK serves as an exemplar of such collaborative efforts. The government-funded year-long research project emphasizes the importance of informed consent, stringent data privacy, and the anonymization of collected data. This approach safeguards visitor information while harnessing AI's potential to enhance the museum experience.
Similarly, initiatives like Canada's pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy and the National Museums Policy provide a regulatory framework that sets standards for AI usage in museums and offers AI-specific grants to facilitate the transition towards AI-readiness.
5 Revolutionary GenAI Solutions for Museums
Using AI for Visitor Engagement
Museums are harnessing AI to enhance visitor experiences.
A notable example is Tate's collaboration with Microsoft in 2016, leading to the 'Recognition' project, which innovatively paired artworks with contemporary photojournalism, offering new interpretative perspectives to audiences.
Projects like Google’s Arts & Culture app with its Art Selfie feature have further propelled this trend. This application, utilizing facial recognition technology, connects users with their art doppelgängers from global museum collections. Such initiatives have increased global exposure for participating museums. Additionally, it has also potentially boosted visitor numbers as people travel in pursuit of their artistic counterparts.
Internally, AI is revolutionizing museum operations. Applications range from sentiment analysis, using natural language processing to interpret visitor feedback, to predictive analytics for visitor behavior and operational efficiency.
Creating Contextual Content Using AI
We can all agree that museums are our gateways to the past. Therefore, they are tasked with making history as tangible and relatable to visitors as possible.
Here, the key question is: how can museums breathe life into these objects, providing context and story to deepen visitor engagement?
The British Museum has discovered that the solution lies in leveraging generative AI to create immersive, contextual content.
Utilizing the generative image platform Midjourney, they transformed pieces from their Mesoamerican collection into vivid illustrations depicting the objects in use.
A significant advantage of this approach is its economic feasibility. Traditionally, commissioning interpretive artists to produce illustrations for museum collections would be prohibitively expensive and time-consuming, especially for larger collections.
AI technology, however, can generate such content quickly and at scale, making it possible to bring a much larger portion of the collection to life.
Moreover, AI-generated content in multiple languages and virtual tours further expand museums' reach, making art more accessible and appealing to a global audience.
At Museums22, we've innovated for The Artbeat of New India, formerly Jaya He Museum at Mumbai's CSM International Airport, with a similar vision.
Our audio guide app revolutionizes the visitor experience in this bustling space. It eliminates the need for hardware, using QR codes for easy artwork engagement. The app's compelling storytelling and diversified tours, which revolve around nine cities allow the visitor to appreciate the art and India’s manifold culture.
It also expands accessibility and generates revenue, supporting the museum's dynamic cultural mission.
Personalized Chatbots for Effective Connectivity
Museums often face a significant challenge to interactive experiences that are both informative and resonate with the diverse visitor demographics.
The revolutionary solution? Personalized chatbots powered by generative AI.
The Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro perfectly captures the innovative use of AI chatbots to improve accessibility. The introduction of IRIS+ chatbot takes data from interactive museum cards and personalizes visitor experiences by leveraging AI.
As a result, visitors are recommended relevant social and environmental initiatives that would interest them.
GenAI Transcending Language Limitations
Art belongs to everyone. So, good museums should cater to the needs of all visitors, regardless of language or disability.
Generative AI is breaking down language barriers in museums. It offers real-time translation services, enabling visitors to engage with exhibits in their native language. This is achieved through multilingual audio guides and interactive experiences powered by AI, creating a more inclusive environment for international visitors.
During our work with the Aviation Museum of Kentucky, we focused on integrating multilingual tours and QR codes. This helped the museum improve interaction and engagement with exhibits. The museum's app, featuring guided tours and rich storytelling, has received overwhelmingly positive feedback for its immersive and educational content.
We were even grateful to hear back their review which noted, “We partnered with Museums 22 and created a tour where visitors can use their smartphone to download our branded Audio Tour app at no cost. It has been welcomed with a good response from our visitors and allowed us to expand the information beyond our signage with extra photos, etc. The company was very easy to work with.”
For visitors with disabilities, generative AI plays a crucial role. Here, AI-driven audio descriptions provide visually impaired visitors with detailed insights into artworks or artifacts.
Similarly, online AI-powered guides, captioned videos, and interactive virtual experiences enable those unable to visit in person to enjoy a rich museum experience remotely.
Save Money By Employing AI in Museums
Chris Michaels, digital director of the National Gallery in London highlighted that "The major applications of AI will come under the hood of museum operations. In the way we measure and forecast visitor behaviours, in the way security systems work and the way energy and other resources are managed.”
He adds that these improvements can lead to significant cost savings, particularly in building management, a major expense for museums.
AI also offers a unique time-saving feature called sentiment analysis. This tool employs natural language processing to analyze visitor comments, identifying satisfaction levels, emotions, and key themes.
Traditionally, such analysis would require extensive manual effort and would be based on assumptions more than facts. However, AI can quickly provide granular, accurate insights, significantly reducing the time and labor involved.
Musuems22 - Guiding The Future of AI in Museums
Angie Judge, CEO of Dexibit, aptly notes, “Just as with the age of the internet, then the digital revolution, AI will quickly create a world of the haves and have nots."
Institutions like MoMA, The Broad, and the Art Institute of Chicago have leveraged AI to gain valuable insights into visitor behavior and preferences. From humanoid robots like Pepper at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art to the AI Connections Table at the Henry Ford Museum, AI is proving to be a versatile tool for revolutionizing the museum experience.
At Museums22, we combine our deep understanding of museum needs and audience desires with our specialized AI expertise. Our team is dedicated to seamlessly integrating the latest AI technologies into your operations, addressing your unique challenges, and enhancing your museum's appeal.
Additionally, you can imagine a mobile app that manages your museum's online presence, from social media posts to digital catalogs, visitor experience management, and proximity-based audio guides.
Traditionally, these offerings, inclusive of GenAI services, involved substantial costs, including hiring consultants and development teams.
Museums22 offers a game-changing solution: your own mobile app through a single monthly SaaS subscription starting at just $199. This approach makes digital transformation accessible and affordable for museums of all sizes.
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