Cell phone tour

How many times have you walked into an exhibition and wanted to learn more about the objects on display but didn't want to pay the fee or deal with the bulky hardware of a wand-based tour? Have you ever wanted to hear from the exhibition designers and curators about why they included certain objects in an exhibit or what they believe are the most interesting objects and stories?

One of the new and truly unique components of the Seeking Liberty exhibition is the free cell phone tour. This tour has been generating quite a bit of buzz from anyone who has heard about it and people are very intrigued as to what it is. The cell phone tour is the first of its kind in Annapolis and one of a small but growing number in Maryland.

The cell phone tour works just like a wand-based tour with the benefits of not needing to rent equipment or training on how to use the hardware. Users simply call the exhibition's cell phone number and then enter the stop number they would like to listen to. Users also have the capability to provide their feedback on the cell phone tour. The tour is free of charge to visitors with the exception of however many minutes they use up on their cell phone plan.

Cell phone tours were introduced in museums a few years ago and have been quickly increasing in number. Visitors find them easy to use and as most people have cell phones there is no need to provide the necessary equipment.

The tour will be tested throughout the next few weeks to see how users respond to it and to find out what they would like to learn more about. After we evaluate the feedback from the testing phase, we will record several additional stops to include commentary from the exhibit guest curator, Dr. Mark Leone of the University of Maryland's Archaeology in Annapolis program, as well as other exhibition team members. As the exhibition expands to include interpretive panels at each of the five sites featured in the tour, the cell phone tour will add stops to incorporated each of these buildings as well.

We invite you to come and try the cell phone tour for yourself and let us know what you think. We are very interested in learning about what objects and subjects you would like to see featured on the tour.

Another great feature of this tour is that people can leave their cell phone number in the feedback section and be signed up to receive text messages with information on upcoming events or to have the exhibition website and blog addresses. Visitors will soon have the ability to download the cell tour as a podcast as well.

The Seeking Liberty exhibition cell phone tour was funded in part by a generous grant from the Four Rivers Heritage Area. The cell phone tour is distributed by Guide by Cell.

Links to more information on cell phone tours:

USA Today - This article highlights cell phone tours as city walking guides.

Washington Post - This article highlights cell phone tours at the Baltimore Museum of Contemporary Art.

Other local cell phone tours:

Baltimore
Baltimore Museum of Art
Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore
Museum of Contemporary Art

Washington DC
Congressional Cemetery Walking Tour
Corcoran Gallery of Art
Decatur House
Folger Shakespeare Library
Library of Congress
Lincoln Memorial
National Arboretum
National Gallery of Art
National Museum of Women in the Arts
Phillips Collection
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Woodrow Wilson House