3DS To Be Used As Museum Guides In Paris
Unlike most museums housing and preserving beautiful pieces of history, The Louvre doesn't really have a problem attracting visitors. Helping them navigate through the once-kingly halls and find the artwork they actually want to see, well, it could do with some updating. And that's exactly what they plan to do with 5,000 Nintendo 3DS systems designed specifically for the international landmark.
Gradually replacing the outdating audio tour system over the next few years, the new 3DS guides will help patrons find information about the art, navigate maps, and even plan out their route through the sprawling floors. This change comes after museum officials decided to specifically target more tech savvy art fans. New smartphone and iPad apps have also been designed for patrons preferring their own digital whozeywhatsits.
This move with Nintendo might seem odd to anyone that has been inside The Louvre in the last few years, namely because there is an Apple Store inside the museum. (There's also now one inside Grand Central Station if you'd like to be outraged about the defacing of an American landmark.) Expect Nintendo executives to lord this over the heads of Apple execs at their we're-the-richest-people-in-the-world parties.
Louvre art lovers set for 3D tours
Dryden
Posted to News on 19 December 2011
· Comments (6)
Other stuff like this: 3DS, Apple, art, Nintendo, The Louvre
The Apple Store in the Louvre replace a McDonalds, that's an improvement by anyone's standards I'd hardly call it defacing.
Well, he actually only said the Grand Central Station Apple store was defacing a landmark.
I dislike Apple products on the whole, but I'd agree with you whole-heartedly that I'd rather see an Apple store in the Louvre than a McDonalds, haha.
I *knew* that that comment would get more attention than the actual content of the article.
...Which is exactly why I said it. *evil laughter*
The article doesn't say whether or not they're going to use AR features of the 3DS. Are they going to put little symbols near the art so the 3DS can pop-up callouts etc on screen?
I wasn't able to find anything too specific on how they're planning to implement the 3DS system other than what I mentioned in the piece, but I doubt it. Perhaps 3D maps to help people find their way, but those effects are largely irrelevant to the purpose they've given their systems.
Besides, you really shouldn't have to look at the screen since you're there to see priceless art, after all.
I hope that it works better than the smart-phone based system it currently uses. I found it much slower and more awkward to use than the traditional audioguides used in other museums.