Groninger Museum launches new iBeacon app

Groninger Museum launched a new mobile app over the weekend to coincide with the opening of its newest exhibition, "Song Dong, Life is Art, Art is Life." Using the iBeacon technology, the app presents information on artworks and parts of the museum as the visitor walks around the Groningen facility. iBeacons are small devices that emit Bluetooth signals, letting the app receive and display specific content related to the device closest to the visitor. The app should further making the visitor experience more interactive. Museum director Andreas Blühm is enthusiastic about the app. "During the test period, visitors had lots of fun using the application. It was crucial for us to roll out the new app for the entire museum," he said. "It is a fantastic addition to our exhibition." The app for the Groninger Museum is the first implementation of the new platform called Tapart. "After technology has been tested under various conditions, we have developed a strong base," said Sietze de Jong, a spokesman for the developing company, Tapme Media. "We are very proud that Groningen Museum will be the first to deploy our platform."