Media Release

LAWRENCE, KS, November 19, 2015 — Spencer Museum of Art and KU Information Technology (KU IT) staff have collaborated on a new mobile app that provides a virtual “insider’s look” at the Museum through images, video, and text. Users can explore with audio and video tours, browse photographs of objects with multiple views, and learn more with digital label copy. The app is free to download and is currently available for iOS devices, with an Android version planned for early 2016. The project team of Museum and KU IT staff spent more than a year developing the mobile app, the first to be created entirely in-house by KU Information Technology.

“Creating a mobile app for the Spencer Museum is a natural extension of our mission to educate and engage audiences through innovative and dynamic approaches” Spencer Director Saralyn Reece Hardy said. “The expertise of KU IT has made this project a tremendous success.”

Mobile apps have become a growing trend for museums and cultural institutions, with a focus on features that enhance a visitor’s art-viewing experience through additional information and self-guided tours. The Spencer’s app allows the Museum to expand its presence while galleries are closed for renovation until mid-2016. Additional features will be added to the Spencer’s app after the Museum reopens to further engage in-gallery visitors.

Launching the Spencer Museum’s mobile app has also allowed KU IT to explore new territory. As the first application created entirely in-house, this project has been an opportunity for development and exploration.

“As mobile devices continue to become more integrated in people’s lives, our focus is on meeting the needs and expectations of customers who want to connect with the University on the go,” KU Chief Information Officer Bob Lim said. “The collaboration with the Museum provided an opportunity to create a fun and engaging mobile app, while expanding our in-house capabilities.”

KU IT is working with other campus units on potential mobile apps to support learning, discovery and stakeholder engagement at KU.