Introducing Cuseum: Quick tips on how to use our Digital Engagement Platform
Let’s set the scene: you’re an art enthusiast who just found out that the Art Gallery of Windsor is finally open to the public. You go into the Gallery, hop in the elevator, but, upon exiting, you find things looking a little…different. What are all of these QR codes, you ask yourself, and what are they for? How can I access an audio tour? And what is Cuseum, anyway?
Fear not, for I am here to give you some insight into this new platform!
Cuseum is a digital engagement app that we have recently started using at the AGW. It lets visitors access countless pieces of information from their mobile devices, from curatorial and artist statements to artist interviews, audio tours, alt text for exhibitions, and more. By using Cuseum, we’re able to provide a more immersive experience, and save a lot of paper while doing so!
If you want to engage with Cuseum, you can bring your smartphone or tablet into the Gallery and look for QR codes within the exhibition spaces. That’s right: you don’t need to go directly to the Cuseum website to access it, you just need to scan the QR codes! Scanning a QR code will open up information about the artworks that correspond to that particular code. You can scan QR codes with either a QR code scanner or your phone camera, but I definitely recommend downloading a QR code scanner; they are free apps, and they work better with Cuseum than phone cameras. Bring your headphones along as well to enjoy the audio elements of Cuseum — you might hear some familiar voices!
This platform is new to all of us; if you get stuck while using it, have a question, or have a suggestion, please feel free to check in! Flag me down if you see me walking in the Gallery, or send an email to ahallett@agw.ca. I cannot wait to see visitors back in the Gallery, and I hope that you enjoy the content on Cuseum as much as I enjoyed assembling it!
Written by Abbey Lee Hallett, Audience Engagement Coordinator at The Art Gallery of Windsor
