At Vizcaya Museum and Gardens we have participated in a small pilot project using Beacons. Our hope was to develop an app that would serve as a visitor centered multi-media self guided experience. We ran into many challenges of which two I will mention. One, the Beacons work by proximity and we found it difficult to fine tune this when Beacons were in the same gallery space. Two, Beacons in the end come down to the interface and how that interface is designed and what device that happens on. The interface we experimented with was not very original or different from a template website. Furthermore, the app forced the view to constantly be looking at their device and this is something I did not like. Ideally, the alerts that the Beacons send should not be visual, but either audible or use the vibrating function so that the visitor has a choice to look down or not. A major positive is the low cost and ease of installation of beacons. Another positive is the adaptability of Beacons. They can be used to push content, marketing information, membership information, sales at the gift shop etc.. They can also be used to monitor atmospheric conditions and used as security devices. The app development does not seem to onerous, but as a museum practitioner you will need to explain your exact needs for a visitor experience to whomever you are working with.
Mark
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Mark Osterman
Guiding Programs Manager
Vizcaya Museum & Gardens
Miami FL
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-02-2015 05:38 PM
From: Lindsay Garrod
Subject: Beacons
We are currently redesigning our museum guide and would like to include a digital component that utilizes beacons. Does anyone have experience implementing beacons in their museum? If so, has the experience proved successful? Any difficulties?
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Lindsay Garrod
Visitor Engagement and Programs Manager
Anchorage Museum
Anchorage AK
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