The Canadian Museum of Civilization today became the first museum in the world to introduce a BlackBerry application for access to its audioguides and other Museum information. This follows on a similar first for an application accessible to iPhone and iPod Touch in December 2009.
Owners of these popular handheld devices now can obtain one-stop access to Museum information from anywhere in the world. They can plan a visit to the Museum by accessing interactive floor maps, a calendar of events and information about hours of operation, admission fees and public services.
"The Museum is constantly looking for innovative ways to broaden its audience and reach people in Canada and around the world,"
said Dr. Victor Rabinovitch, President and CEO of the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation. "We are delighted to be the first Museum in the world to provide this progressive and convenient technology to the public. The Canadian Museum of Civilization strives to preserve Canadian heritage and to share our country’s fabulous story with Canadians and the world."
The Museum of Civilization’s Mobile Application for BlackBerry Bold 9700, developed in partnership with Tristan Interactive of Ottawa, is now available for free on BlackBerry App World in both official languages. "Tristan's support for the BlackBerry — the North American smartphone market leader — now allows millions of BlackBerry users the best access to Museum multimedia. Tristan is proud to be the first in the world to build this technology,"
said Chris McLaren, CEO of Tristan.
In addition to automatic updates about new Museum programs and exhibitions, two audioguides, which were previously accessible only on Museum-supplied headsets, are now available on these personal handheld devices. Visitors can use their mobile devices to visit two of the Museum’s largest and most popular exhibition galleries. At the touch of a button, BlackBerry owners have access to Canada Hall, which relays the history of Canada from year 1000 to the present and the First Peoples Hall, which shares with listeners how Canada’s First Peoples shaped our country as we now know it. In essence, the history of the foundation of Canada is brought to Canadians and the world through this new application.
Stay tuned for future announcements as the Museum continues to lead the way, using innovative means to reach beyond its walls and around the world.
The Canadian Museum of Civilization (CMC) has become the first museum in Canada, and one of the first in the world, to provide access to its audio guides and other Museum information through the iPhone and iPod Touch. The CMC Mobile Application, developed in partnership with Tristan Interactive of Ottawa, is now available for free from the iTunes App Store in both official languages.
Owners of these popular handheld devices can use the mobile application to obtain one-stop access to Museum information from anywhere in the world. Users can plan a visit to the Museum by accessing interactive floor maps, a calendar of events and information about hours of operation, admission fees and public services.
"We are delighted to be the first museum in Canada to provide this cutting-edge and convenient technology to the public,"
said Dr. Victor Rabinovitch, President and CEO of the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation. "This is one more way of bringing the Museum, its exhibitions and programs, to people across Canada and throughout the world. It is a perfect extension of our information-packed website."
In addition to automatic updates on new Museum programs and exhibitions, two audio guides, previously accessible only on Museum-supplied headsets, are also available on these personal handheld devices. Visitors can now use their mobile devices to listen to the Canada Hall and the First Peoples 40-minute audio guides, the Museum's largest and most visited exhibition galleries.
"Tristan's proprietary platform, Autour, allows museums to build rich, interactive applications for mobile devices,"
said Chris McLaren, CEO of Tristan. "We are very proud to be able to help the Canadian Museum of Civilization bring Canada's history and culture to life through this exciting technology."
Initially, the application will run exclusively on the iPhone and iPod Touch. It will be downloadable from the iTunes App Store through any personal computer or directly to the handheld device within the Museum's Lobby or Voyageur cafeteria, now equipped with WiFi access. The Museum hopes to expand this public service in the future by adding more content and providing access through other mobile devices.